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Help! Is this a wool allergy? Questions! :(

911 views 14 replies 6 participants last post by  becky0999 
#1 ·
My son has worn a sugarpea wool cover at nightime for months, with no problem. He has mild excema, but I have never thought it was related to wool. It has been months, since he had any bumps. Anyway, I finally got my first wool soaker shorts in yesterday. He wore it for a few minutes then I got him ready for bed. Today the sitter put it on him 3 different times. When I came in and changed him he had red bumps all over his legs. Do you think it had something to do with the wool soaker? It's made of 100% merino wool. Why would it bother him and not the sugarpea cover?


Does this mean we can't use wool soakers and shorts?

Last question, do acrylic soakers work? Would this be an option for us?
 
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#2 ·
It's very possible that it's not the wool itself, but the chemicals that it was treated with. Try organic wool
 
#3 ·
Can you wash the chemicals out?
 
#4 ·
Good question! I have a very rigorous wash routine for getting the chemicals out of cotton, involving a special combination of cleaners. It would be a real challenge to come up with a way to get the chemicals out of wool, with the gentleness that wool requires.

Even my special wash routine for cotton, though, can't get ALL the chemicals out of the cotton.
 
#5 ·
yes. My dd has eczema, and so we have had to give up: wool metal (anything including some silver that may have NICKLE in it), and we limit dairy. Sorry. I think that acrylic is an option - it works for some, but mayeb not as well.

This means we can't put her in the sweaters I knit for her before she was even born.
 
#6 ·
ITA with sustainer. My son has TERRIBLE eczema! We had no problems with wool, then terrible problems! After switching from dyed/treated wool(If it does not say it is untreated, chances are that it is), to undyed/untreated, or organic and no artificial serging(T&T, bound, or OC serging)! The diff has been amazing-I am convinced that wool allergies are not from the wool itself! Also, sometimes the mere motion can irritant sensitive skin-even Joey's cotton prefolds can irritate him where they hit his legs if he is having a very active day.
Before ruling out wool, try an organic cover w/ no poly/nylon/acrylic serging!
Good luck! Eczema sucks!
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the replies. Would the wool in a sugarpea cover be treated or untreated? I would think it's treated.
Maybe it because it doesn't touch much of his skin, whereas these shorts touched his hole leg.
:

I need to go do some searches for acrylic. Don't know much about it.

Thanks for your help. Excema does suck.
:
 
#9 ·
Hmm,could be I guess. I lanolize his other covers and he hasn't had an issue. But, who knows.

Question about the chemicals in the wool. Do the chemicals go away over time? The soaker I bought was knew, so obviously it had many chemicals. I have a soaker coming from the trading post, used. Would it be chemical free since it has been washed/worn for awhile?

I could always buy used wool instead of new. :LOL
 
#11 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by becky0999
Do the chemicals go away over time?
Vvvvveeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy slowly and probably not completely. But, yeah, brand new (non-organic) wool will have the most chemicals in it and be the most likely to be an irritant.
 
#12 ·
*Lack* of lanolin can also be irritating. Wool that has been stripped of its lanolin can be very scratchy, and irritate the skin.
 
#13 ·
Thanks! I may try to wash the one I have and see if it's any better.

Another question, I'm such a wool newbie. LOL
When I took the soaker off of him, he had hairs all over him. Is that pretty typical or is it just because it was new. It was really quite gross.
 
#14 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by becky0999
When I took the soaker off of him, he had hairs all over him. Is that pretty typical or is it just because it was new.
I don't think I've ever experienced that. What kind of soaker was this again?
 
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