From Mary Cordaro, Environmental Consultant, and creator of The Mary Cordaro Collection of Naturally Healthy Beds and Bedding

Everyone is different, so there is no guarantee that you or anyone else with MSC will or will not develop a sensitivity to natural latex. However, I can say that in all the many years of my experience with natural latex and those who are sensitive, the only people I know of who have reacted to our test samples of latex (prior to deciding if they could tolerate latex) were those who already had latex allergies and sensitivities. I have not heard of anyone who started out okay, then developed sensitivities later on. This does not mean it's not happened, but I have not personally heard reports of anyone becoming sensitized later myself.

This may be because one is not as likely to inhale the proteins themselves from latex inside a mattress. What is inhaled is the ODOR from the proteins. Much of the proteins are washed out of the latex during processing, and what's left is wrapped in layers of organic wool, cotton batting and fabric. So actual latex proteins from latex mattresses that are quilted or tufted are not likely to become airborne.

This may be less true of latex pillows, which are usually not as contained. The latex in a pillow is much closer to your face, and is often covered only with fabric, so as the latex becomes older, latex dust may escape from the cover.

Latex sensitivities became well known when hospital workers and patients were exposed to latex proteins from the inside of rubber gloves, including latex "powder". Actual latex particles became airborne and entered the ventilation systems of hospitals, and were then re-circulated through the hospital buildings. Hospital workers and patients thus because over exposed to these airborne particles, and then developed respiratory, dermal and other symptoms.

It's an individual decision whether or not to purchase a latex mattress. This decision must also be weighed against the possible health effects from inner springs and EMF's (electromagnetic fields) as defined by the field of Bau-Biologie, but I hope that this explanation gives you more information to make an informed choice.

Regarding sensitivities to various materials in mattresses: A friend of mine who also is very sensitive to various chemicals,etc., has had good luck using the Select Comfort Beds...in fact she has purchased four of them. What she said is that, it does have a strong smell when it is first unpackaged, but once it is zipped up, the smell is completely contained. Does this mean that if the smell is contained, that it cannot out-gas at all? I am considering purchasing one based on her positive experience, but would like Debra's or Mary's opinion on this. Thank you, Marcia

Regarding Marcia's question, I finally chose to buy a conventional mattress with no latex in its composition for my guest bedroom.We aired out 2 plastic zippered covers and then encased the matress and box srings when they were delivered. What a revelation we had when we could easily smell all the noxious chemicals outgassing through the plastic! I kept the windows open almost all the time. On cold nights I ran the air purifier with the special filters that remove formaldehide as well as other chemicals and VOCs. After about 3 weeks there were no observable odors. However, it makes you wonder what odorless chemicals may still be escaping through the plastic cover which I always assumed was impervious! I know this mattress is not helping the overall air quality in my home, but at least it is not in the room in which I sleep. Good luck in your quest. I will be interested to hear if you find success. someday I will surely need a new mattress for my own room , and for me, cotton and organic cotton are no good.

I know the original question was posted a long time ago but this may be beneficial to others who come across this post. For some reason, there is virtually nothing online which points definitively to allergic reactions to latex mattresses. All I know is that from my experience, IT CAN HAPPEN. I wouldn't call myself a MCS sufferer in general. I am not overtly affected by chemical substances or perfumes. That said, I had a very real reaction to my latex mattress. It is manufactured by Dormia and is composed of latex and memory foam. Initially, I slept on it with just a mattress pad over it. And with latex pillows. For two weeks straight, I woke up feeling as if someone had poured sand in ear. I was disoriented and extremely fatigued upon waking. The mattess is incredibly comfortable so I didn't want to return it if I could avoid it. As an experiment I removed the latex pillows and slept with regular hypoallergenic down pillows. Didn't fix it. Finally, I bought a mattress cover -- basically a zip up diaper for my mattress. This made a significant difference and I have been on the mattress now for over a year like that.

Some have said that for people who are allergic, latex is a contact allergen, i.e. you must touch it directly to be affected. From my experience, that is not the case. Now whether it is the latex or some preservative chemical used to treat the mattress, I can't be sure. I know it wasn't the memory foam contained in the mattress as I have slept on memory foam before with no problems. Clearly something toxic was being emitted through the mattress pad and through my sheets. My advice to anyone buying a latex mattress, invest in a zip up mattress cover. Well worth the expense.

Whether you do or don't choose to buy a natural latex mattress for yourself (being an adult) is one thing. But when you're buying a mattress for a baby or even an older child, the risks are magnified. It's much smarter to avoid that risk.

Latex allergy is a contact allergy only for type IV not type I. you can have anaphylactic reaction from breathing in latex like balloons (which I react to), latex gloves etc. if it is the air.

Plus please remember one can also react to mold in an organic mattress. I bought an organic mattress once, let it air out forever and had to give it away. 1000 down the drain. I am still much better on my old regular mattress.

I find if I wake up stiff and sore, it is a reaction to something.

Millie

Hi, I am new to this site and I am glad I found it today. Thank you.

My big problem is my husband and I are sleeping on a very old mattress and it has truly lost it touch, you might say. I suffer from MCS and there are still times I forget that I can't go near certain things and stores etc.
Over a year ago I went to a conventional mattress store in search for one I could tolerate. This visit was a huge mistake and it cost me weeks of recovery.

So I found a natural mattress store about 4 hours away. We traveled there and I wasn't interested in their cotton beds at all. I didn't think it would hold up and it was not that comfortable. They also had the natural latex that was in a zippered encasement. A very comfortable bed. We wrote up the sell and there was also a discussion of all my allergies, including latex. The lady gave me a little quarter square of the natural latex to put into my bra. She said this would show if I had a reaction. Please anyone reading this, if you have a latex allergy do not try this even with the so called natural latex. A huge mistake on my part. This was very dangerous and led me to many other problems.

Now I have a question... What kind of mattress can we get? Anyone have any ideas? I am looking into a company called McRoskey's in CA. Very very expensive, but at this rate I don't know what to do. Debra do you know about this company? My only problem is now they have included a fire resistant sheet to conform with the 2004 laws. Maybe I could get a doctor's slip to get one made without the sheet. I do know that they are one of a few companies that do not have PBDE's in their mattresses.

The comfort of the latex ones are great but I can't afford to chance it with my allergy. There are a lot of natural mattresses out there but I can't find true reviews on such items. Any suggestions would be great. Kathy

I purchased a $3,500 natural latex mattress set (king). For three years I woke up with burning/dry eyes with big bags under them. My throat was always irritated. The palms of my hands and feet would itch so bad, my sleep was disrupted. Even my skin hurt. I finally discovered I was allergic to Latex (although I had shown no symptoms prior to purchasing this natural latex mattress.

I recently (last month) purchased a regular mattress. The bags have all but disappeared from under my eyes. My throat is no longer irritated. My hands and feet don't itch. It's by far not as comfortable as a memory foam mattress, but just having those symptoms disappear is a blessng for me, as I now can sleep and wake up refreshed instead of feeling like I couldn't breathe.

I wish there was something I could encapsulate my NL mattress in so that I could use it. As it, we save it for guests who don't have an allergy.

Any suggestions out there?