I would make sure to avoid latex whatsoever of course. There are non-toxic beds out there. Bed In A Box makes a good foam without latex, you can see that at my Nest Bedding site. Most beds will call their beds latex or natural if they have latex in them. If you are looking for something that is bouncy and not as dense as memory foam, Mountain Top Foam makes a synthetic latex that is completely latex-free and is still non-toxic, it is certified by Oeko Tex Level 1. You can get both products in our store, online at Nest Bedding. Hope this helps.

You can still get an excellent mattress that doesn't contain latex and is 100% non-toxic or you can spend a bit more to get it certified organic. Two excellent companies who make allergy free, latex free and chemical free mattresses are Naturepedic in Ohio and Cascade Mfg with their Sleep Craft line out of Washington State.

Most reputable companies will send you a sample of their latex; Savvy Rest in Virginia is one of these and also Natures Embrace (Renell Furniture is their parent company) they are out of Surrey Canada. I keep samples of latex in my store so my customers can be tested to see if they are sensitive to the latex. I have only had one customer who was. Because the latex is washed so many times the proteins are washed out of the latex so most are not sensitive.

I hope this helps.

So much of sleep science tells us that what we believe affects our sleep patterns. When I meet folks with allergies like yours, I recommend not buying latex. If you know you're allergic to it, you may be worrying about reactions when you're trying to sleep. You might consider what Joe A recommended above..maybe ...other brands possible, Magniflex or FXI. That way you'll avoid the latex issue. Sorry you're dealing with this allergy...it seems like there's always something new, doesn't it?!

Sandy: As you alluded to in your question, there certainly are different types of latex allergies. A true latex allergy is an IgE medicated allergic reaction where the body makes IgE anitbodies and they bond inside the body until a reaction develops. This is usually the case where people have issues with dipped latex, something that was common in the healthcare industry. The vulcanization process used in manufacturing latex foam inhibits the IgE proteins that cause the aforementioned latex allergies. Additionally, there are two main allergens found in latex that seem to cause reactions. The Hev b 1 allergen is all around us and is the one commonly found in mattresses - people don't tend to react much to this allergen. The Hev b 5 allergen is commonly found in dipped latex and the old adhesives and this is the one to which many people (like me) have a reaction (yet I've slept on latex in one form or another for over 20 years). So while there are many things called latex, they're not all the same. Reactions to latex foam are not common, but you should certainly check with your health care professional for more complete information - that is the most important thing to do.

Additionally, here's a link to where you can download some information from a conference held a few years ago in Washington, D.C., by the Department of Health and Human Services discussing this very topic (click "Latex Allergy Information" -- it's a large file so it will take a few seconds to download).

Good luck.

Most people with latex allergies are having a response to synthetic latex because that is styrene butadine rubber which is toxic to the lungs, liver and brain. I will be happy to send you a sample of our 100% all natural latex rubber tapped from Organic Rubber Trees, which protein is also washed out so you can test for yourself.

Thanks.

The allergen in latex is protein. It's a topical allergy, meaning that you have to be touching it to react to it. Latex gloves and bandages are the primary source of latex allergy reactions. Latex foam uses a process that also removes the protein. The foam is finished with a cotton fabric. When you get it home, you cover it with a mattress protector and sheets. You never touch the latex...all moot, since the allergen is no longer present.