Latex allergies are relatively common and this is something that practitioners in all fields of medicine, dentistry and healthcare need to take into account. It’s entirely possible that practitioners themselves will have such an allergy, in which case their hands are forced by circumstance to find alternatives – especially when it comes to essential accessories like disposable gloves.

However, it’s clearly not only practitioners who are at risk. The people they serve are just as likely to have allergies and it’s part of each given institution’s duty of care to look after the interests of those they treat. As such, other varieties of glove have to be made available.

The most widely-available alternatives to latex gloves are nitrile gloves which are not associated with the same reactions. It’s important to have a stock of these in good supply even if latex gloves are used most of the time. Practitioners have to ask the question of the people they treat so that they know which gloves to use during an appointment.

The difficulties associated with allergic reactions to latex were highlighted only recently when the public learnt that BBC Sports Personality of the Year candidate and 2013 Tour de France winner,

Chris Froome, suffers from them. The cyclist reportedly reacts to his own cycling gear, making his achievements all the greater.

However, Froome is used to staggering displays of endurance – it goes with the territory as a cyclist on the Tour. Most of us shouldn’t need to demonstrate that level of resilience and stoicism for the odd trip to the dentist or to have our hair coloured at the local salon.

Then there is the fact that latex allergies vary in intensity. Where Chris Froome escapes with mild inflammation, others might suffer more severe skin reactions that can be quite debilitating. That’s why practitioners and anyone else using protective hand wear professionally must look at the other options on offer.

Health concerns don’t take a break over the Christmas period and neither do the administrative processes behind the provision of a great service. Maintaining standards is a round-the-clock task and only those practices and businesses that take it very seriously enjoy a positive reputation among service-users and within their industry.

The advice for all those using hand protection in any industry is to remain proactive over the Christmas period. Like the Tour, there are no short cuts, so you have to make like Chris Froome and show commitment to be the best.