DETROIT -- In the 1980s, when hospital employees were so frightened of AIDS, they began using latex gloves to avoid the spread of infection.

LATEX ALLERGIES Are You Allergic? More On Latex Allergies Frequently Asked Questions

Latex is now a component, not just in medical supplies, but also in more than 40,000 common consumer items, from raincoats to Band-Aids to basketballs. It comes from the milky sap of a rubber tree.

The more exposed you are to latex, the more likely you'll develop an allergy. It's estimated 6 percent of the general population is now allergic, but it's much more prevalent among health care workers.

"Almost 20 percent of health care workers are developing or have developed a full-blown latex allergy," said Dr. Michael Harbut, of the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine in Royal Oak, Mich.

The allergy usually starts with a mild rash, but can quickly progress to a life-threatening situation.

"The tongue swells, the lips tingle and the airways begin to shut off," said Harbut.

Dr. Mary Beth Brady developed a latex allergy during her medical residency. She only learned how serious it is when she underwent a medical procedure. A nurse placed a disposable thermometer that came packaged in latex into her mouth.

"My face was all red, my neck was red started to get very swollen, my tongue started to swell up and I started to have severe difficulty breathing," Brady said.

Even a trip to the dentist's office can be a scary experience for someone with a latex allergy. James Oliver won't step foot in a dentist's office -- not because he's afraid of drills, but because he is allergic to latex.

"I'm scared to death to go the dentist, bad as I need to go," Oliver said.

He worked in a hospital for years as a technician and was required to wear latex gloves. He was surrounded by latex syringes, dressings and bandages.

"It's killing people," Oliver said.

Dr. Larry Duffield operates a latex-safe dentist office, meaning it's a safe place for anyone allergic to latex.

"The dentist office is probably one of the most dangerous places you can be, so a lot of people with latex allergies have not been going to the dentist," Duffield said.

For Oliver, it started with blisters on his hands, and now, he says, he's losing his hair.

"I'm not supposed to be this gray. I'm gray all under my arms, in my privates, because of this latex," Oliver said.

What's a latex-allergic patient to do when they need medical care?

The irony is that the same hospital you go to for help is filled with latex. That's why it's so important to alert health care workers before you're treated. Often times, the hospital will ask the patients.

"If we don't know in advance, if it's not in your medical record, if you don't have a medic alert bracelet, there is no way for us to necessarily know that up front," said Dr. Frank McGeorge, of Beaumont Hospital, which has locations in Royal Oak and Troy, Mich.

If informed, Beaumont Hospital Emergency uses a latex-free kit.

"Vinyl, nitrile and polymer gloves provide comparable or better protection," said Brady.

So why do hospitals still use latex gloves when alternatives exist? For one, latex products are often 20 percent cheaper than latex-free products, doctors said.

The gloves are now also an issue in restaurants, where food handlers prepare meals with latex gloves, a potentially deadly recipe for those allergic. Brady nearly passed out after eating at a fancy restaurant in Birmingham, Mich., that uses latex gloves.

Now she calls restaurants ahead of time, although she believes most restaurant managers don't think glove types matter.

How do you know if you're allergic? Doctors tell us there's no really good test. You'll simply find out if you develop a skin reaction or breathing problems. Some states, like Oregon, Rhode Island and Arizona, have outlawed the use of latex gloves in restaurants.

"If you know you have an allergy to latex, please tell the person serving you or the manager," said Kirstyn Sorensen, communications director at the Michigan Restaurant Association. "We want to know. We don't want any customer to have an allergic reaction."

Another place where latex allergies can create a scare is in the air. On airplanes, flight attendants may pick up your tray using latex gloves. For anyone allergic to latex gloves, notify the airline of your allergy when you book your ticket.