Question for those with wool allergy/sensitivity - YouLookFab Forum

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Question for those with wool allergy/sensitivity

Helena

Veteran

Hi friends, for those of you with wool allergies/sensitivities, I'm wondering how you tested for it (self-test or doctor?) and what you have replaced your wool items with?

For background, I have had seasonal and skin allergies/reactions for years now ... in particular the worst in facial eczema, which makes me eyes swell up, itch and peel (sorry I know that's gross), which is particularly frequent and bad in the winter.

I am not one to self-diagnose allergies and have had proper testing done which revealed cat and tree allergies (which does not explain the eczema but anyways), but not wool ... however, having spent the last week getting an eczema outbreak under control, I put on a merino sweater and immediately felt itchy, which I put down to the dry air/dry skin ... but as I was sitting I could feel the itchiness travelling up to my face and eyelids. So I am wondering if it's not an allergy but maybe it aggravates whatever causes my eczema - so if I'm having outbreaks it makes it worse?

I don't know, but I'm very annoyed as I've spend the last few seasons collecting merino sweaters to replace cotton tees and now wonder if I need to go back!! *rolls eyes to the high heavens*

I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions - thank you! xx

General

21 replies

Latest reply was from Helena

Bijou

Veteran

Helena, I have sensitive skin that is prone to occasional psoriasis outbreaks. Last winter I was horribly allergic to wool, it made my skin super itchy. I went to my dermatologist who said that in my case it was not a true allergic reaction, but rather an irritation caused by a rash. The bottom line is, I spent and entire season unable to wear any wool, but now the situation has resolved.

If you previously could wear wool, then it is unlikely you are allergic to the fibre, but you may need to wait until your current skin issue is sorted.

Helena

Veteran

Ah that is great news Bijou - glad your situation got resolved, and I'll follow your advice ... will avoid wool when things flare up, maybe buffer it by a couple of weeks, and then try it again. Thank you!

slim cat

Veteran

I have occasional sensitivity to wool sweaters - need to wear cotton top under to avoid the contact ( especially next to neck ). Cashmere seems to feel fine most of the time.

Mirjana

Veteran

I have problem with wool, I can't wear 100%, but can for example 3% and not every wool, just you have to try. I usually wear chunky cotton sweater. Avoid wool for some time and than try with little wool maybe this will help.

Anonymous

All the animal fibers I've tried have made me itch like mad-don't know if it's an allergy per se. Wool coats are fine, if lined, but they don't touch skin.

My climate is milder than yours- so my winter wear might be considered others transitional: cotton or poly blend tops, maybe a cotton cardi over, ponte pants. Then I toss a warm coat- puffer or shearling over the lot + gloves.

We don't get a lot of bitter cold (below freezing, wind) days and snow is rare. When it's like that I don't go out by choice. The "not a weather wimp" doesn't extend below freezing

*curls up next to heater with Bengal Spice tea and cats*

LaPed

Veteran

I've had bad bouts of eczema in the past with swollen, puffy eyelids, but never directly related to wearing wool afaik. My triggers seem to be mostly environmental and related to dust/mold accumulating in the house once everything is closed up for the winter. Ripping out all the carpets in the house and replacing with wood flooring made a *huge* difference for me, and it's been several years now since I dealt with severe eczema.

That said, I've developed a really annoying animal fiber sensitivity over the past ~5 years or so. I used to swear by merino but now it causes contact dermatitis on the backs of my knees and insides of my elbows, as do cashmere, alpaca, and blends. I can still do lined wool garments, wool outer layers with a full base layer underneath, and short sleeve/sleeveless is totally fine. Almost all of my underwear, camisoles, etc are still merino but I had to replace a bunch of wool long johns with silk and synthetic. Slim-fitting wool and cashmere sweaters have mostly been culled, with a couple in the holding zone. I'm also trying not to add any more synthetics and wear the ones I have sparingly because wicking fabrics make my skin so, so dry. I use them in the mountains, but not at home. This is another of those moving target things for me, and it's super annoying.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

I have wool sensitive skin.Infortunately it’s expensive because it means cashmere rather than wool,however I do find that I can tolerate some very expensive merino wool provided I have something in between me and the wool like a long sleeved t shirt.It’s a matter of trial and error I’m afraid . I can’t tolerate coat sleeves or necks touching me either in some wools so scarves and gloves provide a barrier.l have cotton moleskin items instead of wool jackets,a velvet or corduroy collar can also help.l could not contemplate wool trousers.Cotton jumpers also work but are not as warm as cashmere.
l cannot have wool blankets on my bed or else I will wake with red itchy eyes and asthma like symptoms but duvets are a gift!
l have found that it has got slightly easier as I have got older but I have learnt to tell whether I can tolerate a fabric by touching it,not so easy in COVID times!l have not been tested for wool but I have had a positive test for dust allergy.l don’t know that they are connected and the dust one bothers me less than the wool one.Apparently all my mothers side were wool sensitive which must have been a real trial back in the days when all winter clothes tended to be woolly.
Its a pain in that it does restrict what I can buy and wear but in the grand scheme of things it is not so bad.
l don’t know if any if this is any use to you but I hope it helps.!

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

You can develop sensitivies or allergies at any age - and sometimes they just don't show up on skintests. My mom started having symptoms in her early sixties, and was tested for eggs three times, before she got a positive diagnosis. (Believe me when I say she already knew she couldn't have eggs anymore). My BF has tested negative for coconut twice now, but his body breaks out and looks like a topographic map of the Rockies, if he eats anything with coconut. His doctor has advised him, not to eat it, regardless of a negative test.

So FWIW, you may be allergic, even if it didn't show up on a test.

That said, I've had lifelong allergies to food, certain trees, molds, grasses, and other environmental factors. For the longest time, wool and some cashmere made me miserable on a regular basis, although I've never been diagnosed as allergic. Now, I can wear it on a day-by-day basis. I find that, if I limit other allergens around me, my skin is calmer, and cashmere and wool are back on the menu.

I've found that I'm less sensitive, if my skin is hydrated outside and in, if I haven't used dryer sheets, or detergents that aren't dye- and scent-free, and if I haven't had foods that sometimes make my skin dry, flaky, or heightened-sensitive. For me, this includes bread (flour + yeast), refined sugars, legumes, and foods with dyes. And not having flowers in the house, makes a world of difference in skin sensitivity.

I also find that having very moisturized skin, that hasn't been freshly scrubbed in the shower, helps me. But if I do shower and want to wear wool or cashmere, I mix Burt Bee's Mama Bee oil, with Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Lotion. I apply it until my skin doesn't want to absorb anymore, then I towel off and 'dry' for about five minutes, before getting dressed. And I have a Backup Plan B ready if I find it's going to be a wool-is-itchy-today.

I guess you could call all of this "choosing your battles".

And - I mostly limit my direct skin-to-wool contact, by doing blends with silk, wearing a cami underneath, or just foregoing it altogether, in favor of viscose, silk, cotton, or nylon-blends knits.

Somewhere, once upon a time, I think someone posted a link in the forums here, about how less expensive wool and cashmere has shorter fibers, which stand out from the yarn more, and can make you itchier.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Last time I was tested for allergies, I got 100%. Seriously, they did a standard panel of about 60 different titers and I reacted to every single one of them (except the control one of just the saline base). Dust, mold, pollen, dander of anything with fur, you name it, I’m allergic. I don’t know if they included wool or not, but I do know that they distinguish between allergies, sensitivities, and other things that, afaic, come out to the same end—shouldn’t be around it because it’s irritating.

It’s been a decade or two since I replaced all my sweaters, mostly with cotton and silk. Getting rid of the itching and sneezing was so great that I didn’t even mourn their passing—there’s only one of them I can even remember, a cashmere crew neck my mother wore in HS.

I’ve recently discovered these tops and have been singing their praises. I’m planning to post a review when Angie does her annual essentials/basics post. You could wear them the same way one wears merino sweaters or ls cotton T-shirts. I think they are wonderfully comfortable. I’ve only washed them a few times—they don’t seem to be falling apart. The sleeves are just long enough, and don’t stick out under a sweater. I think Suz and Le Ped were interested, but idk if either of them has tried them. https://www.intimissimi.com/de....._INTD=1467

Anonymous

I don't think you need confirmation from another source if you're uncomfortable.

I've been wearing mock neck donegal merino sweaters and some lambswool same style since Sept, but never against my skin. It often happens, right around the middle of January, that my neck starts to get a little itchy etc. and I think it's just kind of winter breaking point for my skin, the wool aggravates it but doesn't cause it. I've been wearing a cashmere scarf to keep the neck of my sweaters off my throat.

I take sweaters off at home, to protect them and to give my skin a break.

nemosmom

Veteran

To you and Bijou's point - sometimes when the immune system is already on high alert (like during an eczema flare), little things like wearing slightly scratchy things, can just irritate your skin even more. Add to that the dry air, cold wind, and dry skin it's itch-city! Do you have base layers you can wear between your wool and your skin to see if that helps?

cat2

Veteran

I have sensitive skin and put a buffer between me and wool or cashmere, as it scratches my skin. I wear turtles under lightweight sweaters, and silk long underwear when I am layering up for the cold. Scarves and coats are usually fine.

I also have cat and rabbit allergies; the swollen eyes and hives thing I used to get from Angora is materially worse than tho wool itches. Given that, I would lean towards your skin being sensitive this year and not another allergy.

JAileen

Veteran

If wearing wool makes you itch or gives you a rash, or just feels uncomfortable, it doesn’t matter whether you have a true allergy or not - just don’t let it get next to your skin. My most vulnerable place is my neck. I can wear cashmere, but even supposedly soft wool can hurt my neck. For scratchy sweaters, I just wear a cotton turtleneck to protect my neck.

Re allergies, and I have a few, if I haven’t been exposed to the allergen recently, it will take awhile before it “gets” me.

Re testing: I told my allergist about my reactions to cats, hazelnuts and cypress trees, and he said, “Well we don’t need to test you for those; you already did your own test.”

Helena

Veteran

Everyone, just chiming in with a quick thank you for all the suggestions and for sharing your experiences ... Being quick as the offspring have taken my laptop for their activities but have read and appreciate all the wonderful advice! I'll avoid my wool pieces for a few days and then try again and see what happens ... And to those who pointed out that discomfort is discomfort, regardless of whether it's a true allergy - quite right! I'll purchase with great caution in future! Thanks again!

Gigi

Veteran

I'm with those who normally don't have a problem with wool, but if I have an eczema flareup, that will make wool feel itchy against my skin. I think your idea to avoid wool for a while is good, and then maybe start back in by wearing a base layer underneath (for instance, a silk undershirt, like WinterSilks makes).

Barbara Diane

Veteran

I can’t wear any animal fibers, and some plant fibers.

Liesbeth

Veteran

That's so weird, I just posted a similar question :-D. Deleted because there's no point asking everyone to repeat their experiences.
I myself have had terribly itchy & teary eyes for the past week but I wonder now if a drop treatment for eye infection may have sensitized my eyes in the first place so that now my sensitivity to wool has skyrocketed ... I avoid 100% sheep's wool because I have noticed in the past it makes me sneeze, tear up etc. ... But merino, blends and the like were usually no problem. Today however I am wearing all fleece in an attempt to calm down my itchy eyes. Reading this thread has given me hope that it's a temporary thing. Like you, I am not keen on getting rid of all my beautiful (and costly) woollies. And cotton is hardly the same for keeping you warm :(.

Jules

Veteran

My completely non professional understanding of eczema, especially around the eyes, is that it’s a reaction that can be caused by something non topical and not actually near your eyes. Not at all intuitive.
Do you get a prescription for it? My daughter had it around the eyes a while ago and the doctor prescribed the latest/greatest steroid cream. It worked almost immediately and never came back. And we never figured out the trigger.

Tina

I used to be able to wear wool, including cashmere, mohair, angora. First the angora and mohair had to go. Definitely made my eyes itch like I'd buried my face in a cat or rabbit. Then I could only wear wool as outerwear. Now I can't wear even my wool coats as anywhere wool touches turns red and angry. I never thought about the itchy swollen eyes as being part of the wool issue, but it makes sense given that was my reaction to angora and mohair!

You know how soft cashmere looks, and apparently feels? When I touch it, it nearly feels like I'm touching fiberglass insulation. It's not soft at all. I can still tolerate wool blend socks for short periods as long as they are only ankle high, but they often end up on the floor or in my handbag. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of man-made fibers that also eventually start to itch. I may have to join one of those nudist retreats -- but then I'll basically have to have a full-body spray of sunscreen. LOL.

Anonymous

Exactly @Tina re: fiberglass! Or ok to touch but put it on and aaaah get it off!

Helena

Veteran

Lol well if that happens to me Tina I'm I'm trouble since I also react to sunscreen!