Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have warned that products made of rubber may cause allergies not directly but through the formation of new substances during contact with skin.

In particular, interaction between molecules in rubber and on the skin’s surface produce isothiocyanates, which are compounds found in certain fruits and vegetables. According to university researcher Kristin Samuelsson, they are also powerful allergens.

She stated that isothiocyanates are formed when skin cells repeatedly come into contact with diphenylthiourea, a chemical used to produce rubber.

Exposure to these chemicals can cause contact allergies, which are occasionally severe.

For instance, individuals with Type 1 latex allergies – the most dangerous category – may experience throat swelling, puffed lips and anaphylactic shock if exposed to certain rubbers.

Samuelsson said that more research into they way isothiocyanates interact with epidermal cells may allow researchers to create more accurate tests for contact allergies.

Certain populations are more likely to react to rubber allergens. For example, 68 percent of people with spina bifida react to exposure to latex, according to a video created by Ivanhoe Broadcast News.