Or deal with swollen, itchy feet!
Last Fall, I learned that Latex Allergies Suck. This Fall, I learned that some boat shoes, also known as deck shoes, suck because of my latex allergy. I thought I'd share how I figured this out.
Latex Allergy
A latex allergy is when a body's immune system reacts to the proteins in natural latex rubber.
I learned I had a latex allergy after wearing latex gloves for a few hours while completing several resin crafts. After a week of suffering, I concluded that Latex Allergies Suck.
Someone reacting to a latex allergy may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
Itchiness
Rash
Hives
Swelling
Pain
Dizziness
Scratchy throat
Wheezing
Difficulty breathing
I only shared some common symptoms listed on multiple health-focused websites, most of which I experienced just last Fall. The symptoms may vary depending on the type and severity of the latex rubber reaction.
Latex rubber is commonly used in medical devices, dental tools, and household items (e.g., floor mats). I was aware of this as I researched latex allergies last Fall, but I didn't know at the time that many boat shoes (a.k.a. deck shoes) also contain latex.
Most Boat Shoes Have Latex
Some boat shoes contain a latex rubber sole. It's added to provide additional flexibility, durability, and cushioning.
However, if you search some websites for the word "latex," you may not find it. That's because the soles of some boat shoes are described as being made with hevea milk.
Hevea milk is harvested from a Hevea tree grown in South America. It's poured into molds to create the soles of much footwear.
With processing and time, the milk transforms into 100% natural latex rubber. If you haven't already guessed, the latex is used to make the soles of boat shoes and other "sustainable" footwear
How I Found Out
A few years ago, I bought a pair of boat shoes from the Sperry store at Disney Springs in Florida. I was able to break them in years ago, but I stopped wearing them. I don't remember why I quit wearing them. I just remember thinking I'd wear them again on my next Disney trip.
When I went to Walt Disney World a couple of weeks ago, I wore my Sperry boat shoes with socks the first few days of my trip. At the start of day one, the shoes were comfortable to wear and walk in. After a few hours, the shoes felt tight on my feet.
When I made it back to the RV mid-day and at the end of the day, I removed the shoes to relieve the pressure on my swollen shoes. I figured my feet swelled because I'm overweight and not used to walking so many miles a day.
My feet would also feel itchy. Again, I figured my feet were itchy because they were swollen. It never once crossed my mind that the shoes would contain latex.
After the third day, I decided to stop wearing the boat shoes and stick with my Sketchers sneakers. The itching and swelling disappeared overnight and I was able to enjoy the massive amount of walking and bicycling I did daily.
One day I got caught in a heavy rain. My Sketchers sneakers were soaked. They were uncomfortable to wear and walk in. While I still enjoyed the day at Disney, my feet weren't happy (assuming they could feel happy).
The next day, which was our last day at Walt Disney World, I wore my Sperry boat shoes with socks since there was a full day of rain in the forecast once again. Unlike other days where I'd take my shoes off mid-day when I returned to my RV, I didn't do so on this last day.
From 7:00 A.M. to around 10:00 P.M., I suffered wearing my Sperry boat shoes. When I returned to the RV that night, I was relieved to get the shoes off. My feet were swollen, red, and itchy. I felt bad about being overweight thinking my feet wouldn't hurt if I were in better shape.
My Dad knew my feet hurt and offered to walk the dogs that night. When they returned, Shadow rushed to me and started licking my feet. I told him to stop licking because it wasn't helping.
Dad thought Shadow's licking would help cool and relieve some of the itchiness. I told my Dad “No, his tongue is making my feet burn" and that it was painful when Shadow did that.
Dad said that didn't sound right. He went online to do some research and learned that boat shoes, including those from Sperry, used latex rubber soles.
Well, that's just great.
The next day, my feet and part of my legs were swollen, covered in hives, and ridiculously itchy. This was Tuesday, 21 September 2021. No, I haven't visited a doctor. My Dad and I decided to quarantine at home for a week after just-in-case we caught you-know-what during our trip. I figured I'd only visit the doctor if I needed to.
The swelling and hives disappeared by Saturday, 25 September 2021, but the itchiness lingered for several more days. I didn't pay attention to when the itchiness completely went away because I kept myself preoccupied with laundry, cleaning, crafts, and gaming.
My Thoughts
If you have a latex allergy, look at the items you wear for extended periods of time. If it contains rubber (i.e., gloves, shoes, belts, watch bands, etc.) and you tend to itch your skin after removing an item, consider researching what materials were used to make the items you wear. It's possible the item was dipped or coated with some amount of natural latex rubber.
What's Next?
I'm going to donate my pair of Sperry boat shoes to my local thrift store. I'll stick with my current Sketchers sneakers for a while.
Do you have a latex allergy? Login and Sign up to share your experience with the symptoms and reactions.
Don't forget to subscribe below to be notified by email when I post something new.
Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam