I was skin tested for latex allergies years ago. Lo and behold it wasn’t the latex protein that was the proble, but the chemicals used in the processing of latex products. One of the chemicals mentioned were “Carbomates.”
I just recently bought a mattress with Talay foam latex somewhere in the mattress. I told the salesperson that I was allergic to “latex” and in the past I couldn’t stand the chemical smell off of a mattress bought twenty odd years ago. He said all mattresses have an odor coming out of the packaging…including the all natural wool ones. I didn’t notice any odor in this new mattress, but then I have a cold. My husband and I were dying get a decent night of sleep, so we hopped right in. Well, it’s been five days and I’m itching and burning from head to toe with the added bonus of itching, burning and runny eyes.
I called my brother-in-law the PHD in chemistry who is in R&D at a factory producing foam products. He said (if I have got it correct) that the catalyst in producting of foam products is a carbomate which gives off amines!!! He said to try airing the mattress along with a fan to see if the “amines” dissipate so that we can keep it.
The point is that it isn’t always the Latex protein to blame for allergic reactions, but the chemicals used to produce foams, et al.
You (or your brother in law) are certainly correct that most latex allergies are a contact allergy to one or more of the chemicals or substances that are used to foam, manufacture, and cure the latex. The most common of these are the chemicals that are used as accelerators although the accelerators that are used with latex are different from the ones that are used to manufacture polyfoam. There is more about the different types of “latex allergies” in post #2 here.
There are also some suggestions in post #6 here that may be helpful. It may also be some of the other foam or materials in your mattress (if there are any) that are causing your symptoms.
I hope that things turn out well for you and that your sensitivity goes away quickly because while a latex sensitivity or type IV allergy may not be “dangerous” if you aren’t allergic to the actual proteins … it can certainly be uncomfortable.