Chemicals in clothing can cause allergic reactions

If the crooks of your arms are suddenly covered with itchy red pustules, a new sweater may be to blame. Many textiles contain numerous chemicals that, if not bound tightly in the fabric, can rub off on the skin and cause allergic reactions.
"Textile contact dermatitis is typically characterised by delayed reactions such as redness, scaling and eczema. The symptoms usually appear hours, sometimes even days, after contact with the material," noted Franziska Rueff, a dermatologist at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
The areas of the body most often affected are those having the most contact with clothing: the crooks of the arm, backs of the knees, armpits, groin area and buttocks.
"The reaction is intensified by the fabric rubbing against the skin and by sweating," said Silvia Pleschka, a chemist for the German Allergy and Asthma Federation. Eczema of this kind can generally be treated topically with corticosteroid creams or ointments only.
Immediate allergic reactions are less common. "They include wheals, redness, rash, respiratory and circulatory problems, and even anaphylactic shock," Rueff said. Quick action is important if such symptoms appear. "The affected person should immediately remove the article of clothing, wash the skin thoroughly and take an anti-allergenic that is effective against hay fever or nettle rash," Rueff advised.
Textile contact dermatitis is more common in women than in men, Pleschka pointed out, because women wear close-fitting and colourful clothing more often. "Among the groups at risk are allergy and neurodermatitis sufferers, and, of course, people with sensitive skin or a sensitive bronchial system that reacts to smells and perfumes by constricting the airways."
For everyone with textile contact dermatitis, the question is what substance triggered it. This is not easy to answer. "We can't manufacture any textiles nowadays without using chemical substances," remarked Heinrich Planck, director of the Institute of Textile Technology and Process Engineering in the southern German town of Denkendorf.