Why does the tubing and bulb on my blood pressure instrument sometimes turn white?

This condition will generally only occur on older latex style blood pressure devices. The phenomenon, known as frosting, is a chemical reaction caused by the exposure of latex to the ozone. Fluorescent lighting can exacerbate the problem. When properly cured during the manufacturing process latex should not frost. However, it can be difficult to determine optimal curing times which are dependent on ambient temperature, humidity, and the water content of the liquid latex. Although unsightly, frosting will not impact on the performance or durability of the latex components.  Our current line of latex-free blood pressure cuffs will not frost.