Perhaps going naked might have been better...

April 7, 2007 3:47 PM

An new item of clothing broke me out in hives. A) Any ideas about how to get rid of these as fast as possible? B) Is this item of clothing forever dead to me now? C) It was pretty expensive, and from a large upscale corporation. What are my options with them?

Yesterday, I happened to wear a denim skirt that I bought two months ago from a large, well-known company. In the time of about 5 minutes, I broke out in red nasty looking hives anywhere this skirt happened to touch my skin. Unfortunately, I was then stuck wearing the skirt all day, but I would say that the damage was more or less done at that point.
They don't itch, they don't hurt, they just look terrible. I've applied an antihistimine cream, so we'll see how well that works.
Any other ideas of meds to try? Preferably OTC, as it's the weekend.
To be honest, I have no idea whether or not the article of clothing was washed before first wear. If I wash it again, will this happen, or was the skirt treated with something?

I no longer have any receipts for this item, and while it was around $60-75, I don't have any ideas about what the customer service department at Large Well-Known-Professional Wear Company will say. If I was to call them. Should I even bother?

posted by lilithim to Health & Fitness (18 answers total)

I'd wash it (twice). There's probably some residue left from the manufacturing process.
posted by dws at 3:55 PM on April 7, 2007

You were probably allergic to a dye in the fabric. Did you wash it prior to wearing it? If not, did you recently switch detergent? Is the fabric composed of something you're allergic to? (Some people are sensitive to wool, and they have a similar reaction.) Was it hot and did you get sweaty? It could be a heat rash.
Try taking some Benadryl as well.
So far as returning the garment: Many of those stores you reference have a no-questions-asked return policy. You could return it for any reason. Without a store receipt, though, you'll likely get a gift certificate for the garment's lowest selling price during the season.
posted by FergieBelle at 3:57 PM on April 7, 2007

You wouldn't be out anything if you called them and explained, and they might at least give you store credit.

If they won't accommodate you, you could wash it, and if that's a no-go, you could try to sell it.
posted by fiercecupcake at 3:57 PM on April 7, 2007

Maybe this is contact dermatitis. Benadryl tablets ususally work for that, tho it usually seems to go away on its own in not too long.

Is your skirt washable? I ask because this rash has happened to both my daughter and my son frequently. What worked for us is to wash every NEW item of clothing-- also sheets and towels--that their skin comes in contact with. And we use All Free or some other hypoallergenic non-fragrance laundry detergent.

I don't know why some textiles result in a breakout on first wearing. It might be the sizing or finishing, who knows?

Good luck!
posted by subatomiczoo at 4:00 PM on April 7, 2007

It's possible that whatever you reacted to will wash out, but I wouldn't rely on it. And the problem is that repeat allergic reactions tend to be much more violent than early ones, and in extreme cases can be deadly (though when it comes to a skin reaction that's very unlikely).

Benadryl will help some, but ultimately only time can fix the rash. If it itches, an OTC hydrocortisone cream will bring blessed relief.

I think that trying to get a refund after 2 months would be hopeless even if you did have a receipt for it.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 4:01 PM on April 7, 2007

Seconding washing (wasn't there a House episode about something like this?).

I've had recurrent hives and I took Benadryl which got rid of them but it also made me sleepy. It's a bit concerning that they're still around day later, though. At least they don't itch.

Go ahead and call the company and at least let them know you've had this problem. If it's happening to a lot of people maybe that will cause them to address the issue on a large scale. As for getting your money back, the worst they can do is say "no".
posted by puritycontrol at 4:03 PM on April 7, 2007

To be honest, I have no idea whether or not the article of clothing was washed before first wear.

I once had an allergic reaction not to fabric, but to the laundry detergent itself. Switching detergents cleared it up and allowed me back into the clothes. Watch out for that.
posted by frogan at 4:10 PM on April 7, 2007

Benadryl for hives; sounds like you're already onto the antihistamine route.

Call their customer service dept; can't hurt to ask what their return policy would be.

Then if you can't return it, and assuming you want to try wearing it again, wash -- maybe even wash twice. Then test it against an inconspicuous patch of your skin before wearing it.
posted by LobsterMitten at 4:13 PM on April 7, 2007

It might be sizing. It washes out after a cycle or two, but I know it can absolutely trigger allergies in folks unloading boxes of new clothes in (certain) retail stores and (to a lesser extent) those who try on or purchase those items.
posted by fionab at 4:30 PM on April 7, 2007

I doubt the store cares at all.

Try washing it a few times and if it still gives you a break out, just sell it on ebay.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 4:49 PM on April 7, 2007

A good rule of thumb is to never wear any clothes without washing them first. My wife has problems like this all the time - chemicals left in the fabric from the manufacturing process.
posted by chundo at 5:03 PM on April 7, 2007

i got contact dermatitis on my hands a month and a half ago (it was from touching a particular plant, i believe, but i'm not 100% on the cause, since i'd never had anything like it in the past). it didn't go away for three weeks, no matter how much benadryl and hydrocortisone i threw at it. after about the second week--by which point i'd convinced myself utterly that i'd somehow contracted syphilis--i got it checked out by a doctor and was prescribed a steroid cream (it cost less than the over the counter stuff, actually), and the bumps were promptly cleared up (in a matter of days, mind you, not, like, hours).

yeah, if the store won't accept a return on the skirt, wash several times. if it's just denim, then it's not the fibers you're likely allergic to, unless it's some weird blend (i'd check the tab) and washing should do it. and if your hives don't clear up soon, do see a doctor. any walk-in clinic will do, it doesn't have to be a dermatologist (i just went to the university clinic).
posted by wreckingball at 5:34 PM on April 7, 2007

When I would mysteriously and repeatedly break out into hives several years ago, Claritin (10mg loratadine) was my best friend. No drowsiness.

As for the skirt, as others have mentioned, try washing if you feel like trying to salvage this purchase. Some stores, like Macy's, will refund you without a receipt if you have their credit card. Most will just give store credit. Some won't even accept a return at all. Might want to call first and explain your situation if you want to attempt the return route.

Good luck.
posted by cmgonzalez at 5:56 PM on April 7, 2007

I think that trying to get a refund after 2 months would be hopeless even if you did have a receipt for it.

This is absolutely not true. I work on and off for a clothier and we'd absolutely take anything back if there is a good reason, even in the face of our published return policy.

It's bad when your clothing attacks!
posted by astruc at 6:31 PM on April 7, 2007

An item you purchased made you sick. Take it back and politely insist on a refund. Unless you really, really love it, in which case you can try washing it several times. But they will very likely take it back because it is defective, and you may not want to wear it again.
posted by theora55 at 7:56 PM on April 7, 2007

I must admit to thinking that unless there was some kind of recall on this item, yer pretty much SOL. I am frikkin' allergic to everything and wash everything in color/dye-free detergent before i wear it.

However strange this sounds, as a side not, I can have something dry cleaned and then wear it. I have no idea why.

Good luck, who doesn't need a cute denim skirt, eh?

Also, if you have a good relationship with you doc, and the hives aren't improving, ask for a quick shot of prednisone. UGLY UGLY stuff, but gotta admit, works like a dream!
posted by metasav at 9:21 PM on April 7, 2007

I have the same problem and have learned to wash everything I buy before I wear it (and don't forget to wash new sheets, blankets, gloves, etc.). I've never ever had a problem with anything that's been washed.

I went to an allergist and he said with things like this, it's really hard if not impossible to track down the exact chemical that's causing your hives, so your best course of action is to be proactive and wash everything.

A few things I have learned after a handful of outbreaks:

1. My hives always last for a few days, not necessarily getting better each day, and then one morning I wake up and they're just gone. The location of the hives is independent of the site of contact, which makes figuring out what triggered the reaction rather tricky. The fact that they hang around for a few days also makes it hard to know for sure that I'm not being re-exposed to whatever caused the reaction (sometimes I never figure out what the trigger was).
2. Benadryl kinda sorta helps. Going to the doctor and getting an epinephrine shot REALLY helps. But it really just comes down to being patient and not scratching.
3. Each breakout was worse than the one before. And that means the next one could be The Big One where your airway swells shut and you die. Get an EpiPen, keep it with you.
4. It took me several years to figure this out but the only time I ever have breakouts like this is the few days right before my period. Somehow my skin's more sensitive then. If I avoid buying new clothes for that one week each month, I don't have anything to worry about. I don't know how typical this is, but it may be something to keep in mind.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me. Hives are no fun and anything you can do to avoid them is worth it.
posted by katieinshoes at 9:03 AM on April 8, 2007

When I had an allergic reaction to food, the ER gave me Zantac for my hives. They disappeared quite quickly.
posted by whatideserve at 5:55 PM on April 8, 2007