TPR is confusing!

Contributor: Alan & Michele Alan & Michele
Latex toys are something we have to avoid, so the thermoplastic *rubber* silicone products have had us a bit leery. We cannot determine if it indeed has latex or not, and after an extensive search of the internet we've found just as many "yes" answers as "no". Does anyone know for sure?
07/14/2009
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Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
TPR products don't seem to trigger my latex allergies but I don't have anaphylactic reactions to latex so I can't speak for anyone who has had a life threatening reaction to latex. Still I can use TPR products without a condom if I wash them before and after use and store the toys properly.

Anyone else?
07/14/2009
Contributor: Red Red
Ditto what Arien said. I have a latex allergy, but it's not life threatening (note: latex alleriges can become life threatening if they get "developed" with added exposure) and I've never even thought to worry about latex in TPR. Latex is a natural rubber, TPR is an unnatural mixture. I just wonder if you'd even see Latex in TPR mixes? I guess there's no real reason why not...

But all that aside - if you don't have any issues with latex condoms, I don't see how you'd have issues with TPR. However, if you are really uber allergic to latex and even avoid latex condoms....well... you''re best to avoid TPR I suppose.
07/14/2009
Contributor: ScottA ScottA
My read is that TPR/TPE as a designation is like "jelly" - it's a grouping of similar materials but not a specific material, so it depends on the particular manufacturer. I think it would tend to be more synthetic runner than natural, but if there's a potential allergy issue check with the manufacturer.

100% silicone, glass, hard plastic, and metal will all have known compositions and be safe. Wood is probably safe, but sometimes the finish is not completely disclosed.
07/15/2009
Contributor: Alan & Michele Alan & Michele
Hmm... Alan has a pretty serious latex allergy, so this may be a material we need to condomize then just to be on the safe side. It would be nice if the manufacturers would start marking things as "latex free" like they do "phthalate free", particularly since there are so many new materials popping up and one can only guess what's in them.

ScottA-- My fault, I wasn't clear enough in my original post. I meant the ones they call "TPR Silicone", not just the general TPR/TPE items.
07/15/2009
Contributor: Red Red
Quote:
Originally posted by Alan & Michele
Hmm... Alan has a pretty serious latex allergy, so this may be a material we need to condomize then just to be on the safe side. It would be nice if the manufacturers would start marking things as "latex free" like they do "phthalate ... more
But if you use latex condoms, I don't see how a TPR toy would be any worse. In fact, you could well be shielding something latex free WITH latex.

Unless, of course, you use non-latex condoms.

Food for thought!
07/15/2009
Contributor: Alan & Michele Alan & Michele
Quote:
Originally posted by Red
But if you use latex condoms, I don't see how a TPR toy would be any worse. In fact, you could well be shielding something latex free WITH latex.

Unless, of course, you use non-latex condoms.

Food for thought!
No, we don't use latex condoms either. We use the poly ones whenever a toy needs them.
07/16/2009