The last couple of days I have not been gardening. My doctor said that I could not play in the dirt due to an allergy to my gardening gloves. I have an allergy to latex and my gardening gloves make my hands look terrible. The purpose of gloves are to protect my hands from splinters, thorns, dirt and all the other things that we gardener come in contact with in the garden. I have a vast collection of gloves, most of which make me itch, swell and make my hands look like dry prunes.
Latex is a natural rubber that comes from the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis. Many gardening gloves are coated with latex rubber. Since I garden professionally, my hands come in contact with this product regularly.
I just found a new type of gardening glove called "The ROC" by HandMaster. The glove provides UV protection, are antibacterial, anti-fungal, wicks moisture away from my hands and are breathable. They allow me to pick and weed out even the smallest of weeds. They are coated with Nitrile, which is a replacement for latex rubber, which does not cause allergic reactions. Nitrile gloves are being used by many nurses and doctors in the medical field who are allergic to latex. The gloves are also 100 % Bamboo which is a fast growing, sustainable resource that is environmentally friendly. The medication and the gloves are working and my hands are looking better than they have for a long time.
If you have allergies to latex, you might want to give Nitrile gloves a try in the garden.
Did you know - That if you are allergic to latex that studies are now showing a link to allergies of potatoes, kiwi, bananas, avocados, chestnuts, tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables.
Happy Gardening!
The Creative Gardener
Do have have allergy problems in the garden? Share your story in the comment section.
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