When people think of allergies, they usually think of the adverse reactions some people have to specific foods or the sneezing and runny, itchy eyes caused by an allergy to pollen or dust.
However, many people can be affected by the clothes or accessories that they wear each day. Symptoms of such a reaction usually manifest as a skin condition. Are your clothes making you sick? Here are 3 ways to wear a skin-friendly wardrobe.
Metal
When metals such as nickel, chromium, and cobalt come in contact with the skin, they can cause itchy red blisters to appear. Small particles from these metals enter the body and cause the body to react with this immune response. These metals can be present in costume jewelry, clothes fastenings, and spectacles.
If you have an allergy to any of these metals, look for clothing and accessories made from metals that are less likely to cause a reaction, such as sterling silver and platinum. If you find that your spectacles are irritating your face, it may be that you are allergic to the metal and should try some titanium eyeglass frames. Always choose jewelry that is hypoallergenic.
Washing Detergent
If your clothes are making you itch or leaving your skin red, you might be allergic to your laundry detergent. Modern washing detergents are made from ingredients such as surfactants, artificial fragrances, preservatives, enzymes, emulsifiers, and parabens.
When clothes come in contact with the skin, a condition called contact dermatitis can occur if the skin becomes irritated by any of these components. To avoid suffering an allergic reaction, opt for laundry cleansers that are for sensitive skin and rinse your clothing at least twice to remove any soap residue.
Allergy to fabrics doesn’t just cause skin irritation. Exposure to certain fabric fibers may cause breathing difficulties, tightness and pain in the chest, and swelling. Extreme cases can result in anaphylactic shock.
Clothing Fibers
New clothes are impregnated with formaldehyde to prevent them from creasing when they are being displayed in shops. If new clothes have not been washed to remove this chemical, it is possible they may cause the wearer to develop a skin rash.
Certain fabrics can lead to allergic reactions – cotton, silk, denim, Lycra, polyester, and corduroy. Polyester is a synthetic fiber and known to cause skin inflammation in some people. The skin can experience redness, itching, swelling, blistering, and dryness when irritated.
If you notice areas of your body breaking out with such symptoms, take a note of the clothes you are wearing and what fabric they are constructed from and avoid further contact with those items.
Additionally, rashes are most likely to occur in parts of the body that sweat, such as skin creases, underarms, behind the knees, and in the groin area. Tight clothing rubbing against the skin is another culprit. Seek advice from a doctor who might give you moisturizers, antihistamines, or topical/oral steroids to help clear the symptoms.
If the irritation does not clear, treatment such as light or phototherapy may be required. These treatments use light to slow cell growth and reduce skin irritation.
Final Thoughts
If you have never considered this, now may be the time, especially as we are transitioning from winter to spring wear. So, definitely make it a point to consider these three ways to wear a skin-friendly wardrobe.
