Why You Absolutely Need to Wash New Clothes Before You Wear Them!

Brand new clothes may look great right out of the package or off the hanger, but if you have sensitive skin or an aversion to bugs or fungus, (who doesn't) take heed and wash before you wear!

Dr.Donald Belsito, a dermatology professor from Columbia University Medical Center was recently interviewed by the Wall Street Journal on the subject and even said that in some cases you should wash the clothes twice before you put them on.

Most of us think very little about where our clothes are made, who has handled them, what kind of chemicals have treated them or what miniature travelers may be hitching a ride on them. Even clothing that is labeled with a country of origin may have multiple points of contact. The material is made in one country, dyed in another, assembled in yet another and each place has varying laws on what chemical content is allowed.

The big culprits in new clothing skin irritation are dye and formaldehyde resin. Skin reactions to dye can vary from mild (slightly inflamed dry, itchy patches) to full-blown allergic episodes. It can take several washes for the excess dye to wash out and until then it can continue to irritate your skin.

Formaldehyde resins are used to prevent mildew and keep cotton-polyester material wrinkle-free. Acceptable levels have been instituted in most countries but are not closely regulated. Skin reactions to formaldehyde can also range from mild to severe.

There can be other "hidden surprises" in that new clothing too, like lice. Since there is no earthly way to know how many people have touched a piece of clothing, or tried it on, there is also no way to know what infectious disease could be living in the fibers. Lice, which don't live long without a host, but do seem to last longer on natural than synthetic materials have been passed on as well as certain fungi.

Scabies, a contagious, intensely itchy skin condition caused by burrowing mites is another little clothing visitor which can make your life miserable for weeks.

Dr. Belsito advises all his patients to wash new clothing at least once with a double rinse before wearing them. He says, "being a dermatologist, I've seen examples of some strange stuff, so I don't take any chances."

And from now on, neither will I!