Dermatologists Warn Always Wash Your New Clothes Before You Wear Them

It may be hard to resist putting on your new outfit as soon as you leave the store but dermatologists revealed why you absolutely need to wash new clothes first.

Just think of all the people that handled them before you wearing new clothes without first throwing them in the wash can also lead to some pretty gross consequences.

According to California-based Dermatologist Dr. Shirley Chi, wearing new clothes without washing them can lead to contact dermatitis, a reaction that occurs when your skin is sensitive to, or allergic something that it comes in contact with.

Time reports that contact dermatitis can be the result of disperse dyes, which are used to color synthetic clothing materials like polyester and nylon.

If you skip the wash and develop contact dermatitis, your skin will get red, itchy, and sometimes flaky and if very severe it can even be blistered, Dr. Chi explained.

“Often it’s around the armpit and it’s not in the middle of the armpit, it’s around the edge.” Dr. Chi said

Treatment options for contact dermatitis include over-the-counter cortisone creams, antihistamines, and cold compresses.

On the other hand, Donald Belsito, a Professor of Dermatology at Columbia University Medical Center explained that wearing unwashed store-bought garments can lead to skin irritation, scabies, lice, or even fungus.

Speaking on the Today show, Belsito recalled occasions where both lice and scabies were “possibly transmitted from trying on in the store.”

In addition, store-bought clothes can also be host to a variety of chemicals that can wreak havoc on your skin.

Meanwhile, Dermatologist Lindsey Bordone from Columbia University Medical Center said that washing new clothes before wearing, even if they are ordered online, is crucial.

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“When clothes are shipped, they’re also kept with some preservatives so that mold won’t grow on them during the shipping process if there’s moisture,” she said.

One of these chemicals happens to be formaldehyde resins — commonly used in clothing to prevent mildew and keep garments wrinkle-free.

Aside from less ironing time, clothes with formaldehyde in the fabric can cause severe reactions such as eczema when placed on the skin — especially when the formaldehyde exceeds allowable levels of the chemical, which unfortunately occurs.

Based on the Wall Street Journal, who studied a 2010 study by the US Government Accountability Office, this excess formaldehyde use in clothing happens despite strict regulations and dyes in clothing can also cause allergic reactions.

Once again, when trying on clothes, the risk of infecting yourself with something serious isn’t alarming, but it’s easy to protect yourself by washing your hands properly after a fitting room session, especially before you eat, drink or touch your face.

Source: Independent