Since the age of about thirteen, I’ve believed I had an allergy to wool. My aunt Marg bought me a beautiful wool sweater for my birthday that year. It made me heat up like I was having a hot flash (not yet!) and turned my skin red. But I wore it anyway, because I adored my aunt and anything she gave me.
When Derek and I traveled to Iceland, I found the only acrylic hat for sale on the island. I’ve avoided wool of all types, in all situations. “I’m allergic,” I’d say, fully confident in my proclamation.
Well knock me over with a feather. (I thought I was allergic to them, too!) It turns out there is no scientific evidence to support a genuine allergy to wool.
Boy, Am I Sheepish
Sheep, goats, rabbits, alpacas, and yaks, please accept my apology. Scientists conducted a comprehensive study of wool’s effects on the body and found nothing to support a true immune response in the form of an allergy. They also ruled out common additives to wool such as lanolin, chromium, and formadehyde as likely allergens.
However, they do acknowledge that some people have a sensitivity to wool, especially coarse fibers. But it’s not a true allergy. Wearing wool can cause itching and redness (and hotness!) for these people. I know, I’m a walking example.
A Gracefully and Frankly listener suggested wearing merino wool socks year round for foot comfort. Immediately I thought, “I can’t! I’m allergic!” But I looked up merino wool and that’s what sent me down this wool-allergy-debunking rabbit hole. Merino is fine, soft and tolerated well by almost everyone. Wearing the socks is a piece of advice I’m going to take to heart. Or foot.
In a Canadian Tire store recently, I went through the new/old HBC merch display. I was happy to see they offer the classic striped blanket in cotton instead of only in scratchy wool. I didn’t buy one, but I was happy to see it nonetheless. We non-wool people are the minority. It’s nice to feel represented.
A Fowl Allergy
I get the same reaction from a feather comforter or pillow that I get from wool. And not just because feather ends poke through the fabric and give me unwanted accupuncture treatements while I sleep. A feather allergy does exist but research shows that most people who have a reaction are responding to dust mites. These microscopic arachnids congregate in down comforters and pillows more so than in foam. A true feather allergy is rare.
Allergy testing long ago showed I was allergic to dust, cat dander, and pollen. (The cat allergy is obviously mild and doesn’t prevent me from living with them!)
Statistics show about one-quarter of Canadian allergy sufferers are allergic to dust. Pollen, mould, and pet dander are up there in frequency as well. Last year, I developed year-round asthma strong enough to require a puffer. Environmental changes along with migrating pollen and more “heat alert” days are likely contributing to it. Some days I wake up feeling like I smoked a pack of cigarettes the night before. Having done so in my youth, I can attest to that feeling’s accuracy.
But I am changing the narrative on wool. I’m not allergic, I just don’t like to wear it because it makes me uncomfortable. And that’s quite alright. Even Iceland, the epicentre of sheep and wool products, has an acrylic hat on standby if you need one.