Am I allergic to wool?

Ahora que el frío ya ha entrado con fuerza, un jersey de lana se convierte en un gran aliado para que las bajas temperaturas no nos dejen congelados. La lana es un tejido natural que tiene la particularidad de calentarse y desprender mucho calor, por lo que es ideal durante estos días.

However, for some people it may not be the best option because they have proven that, after using a wool sweater, their skin is irritated or have nasal secretion or crying eyes.Many associate these symptoms with wool allergy, a real problem but that is actually uncommon and many times it is not always.

Is wool an allergen?

In a study conducted by an extensive group of allergologists, immunologists and dermatologists, experts reviewed the last 100 years of research and evaluated the claims that say that wool cause allergy.The result of this exhaustive review were somewhat surprising: no evidence was found that wool is an allergen.

According to researchers, any possible irritation caused by wool is due to the thick fibers that stand out from the tissue, instead of an allergy to the fiber itself, which caused slight skin erosion.Actually, superfine or ultrafine wool fibers cause minimal or zero skin irritation.

@choclover41 @antmiddleton we're fine Thanks lee.Went Shopping at Lidl Yesterday.Was a sorry state.This is the p ... https: // t.CO/UYPBTBF66P

— Adam Garratt 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Mon Mar 23 09:37:52 +0000 2020

It should also be taken into account that the case of wool intolerance (which is not the same as allergy) is more common in those who have an atopic constitution, a dry skin and more respiratory allergies.

In these cases, the skin can become hyper-reactive in contact with both clothing and tissue labels, which can produce a sensation of tingling or itching.

What is Lanolina and how it affects us

Although experts considered wool as an unlikely allergen, other studies have identified a specific component of this tissue, lanololin, which can be the cause of the discomfort of many people when using wool.

Lanolina is a natural substance that helps sheep to eliminate water from their fur and many people who believe they are allergic to wool really are this kind of wool wax.

Therefore, allergic reactions are not necessarily because of wool exposure itself but to dust mites, dyes or even cleaning chemicals that may have been used in the manufacture of the thread.

Some of the most common symptoms of lanolin allergy include sarding, swelling and nasal congestion.In some people, respiratory symptoms can be developed, which become dangerous for those who have lung problems such as asthma.

People who have allergy to lanolol.Gravity varies from one person to another, although in most cases, as we have commented, it is presented as a rash with itching.This eruption usually appears in the area of the skin that has come into contact with wool.

In spite of everything, lanolin allergy is unusual.According to an investigation done with more than 24.000 people with high risk of allergies, only 1.7% of them really reacted to lanolina.

Therefore, although many people believe they are allergic to wool, this material, in their purest and most natural state, does not usually cause allergies.It can happen that the texture of this tissue causes irritations that can be confused with an allergy.Or that in reality the person does not react to wool but to something that is used in the garment clothing process.

Wool and textile contact dermatitis

It is demonstrated that clothing in general has a decisive role in the evolution of contact dermatitis, a chronic inflammatory disease that is characterized by the appearance of dry skin and feeling of itching.

It can be caused by natural fibers such as silk, wool or linen, or synthetic fibers such as rayon, nylon, polyester, rubber and elastane.Although all these fibers have the ability to cause allergic and irritating contact dermatitis, it is rare.

To avoid this, it is recommended that underwear, the bed and, in general, all that comes into contact with the skin is cotton.In addition, it is important to avoid wool and synthetic fiber fabrics, warns the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venerology (AEDV), in the event that atopic dermatitis is suffered.

In general, the reaction only affects the area that has come into contact with the allergen, such as formaldehyde, which is usually preservatives, disinfectants and clothes.

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