Bra allergy any advice accepted

[mrshadds]

I have a teenage daughter and it has come time to do the bra buying thing.  I bought her one bra from Kmart which was ok but they no longer carry it, so went to a bra shop and bought her some new ones.  We noticed a few weeks back she isn't wearing them (I had bought her them just b4 christmas 2008). When asked why she wasn't wearing them she answered 'they hurt'. Thinking she was just being a normal teenage girl who doesn't like wearing her bra I told her to stop being silly and go put them on.  I found her 3 minutes later lying on her bed itching like crazy saying see they hurt.  She had red welts where all her bra straps touched her skin,under her breasts along her back in the shape of her entire bra, so she was wearing a big bra welt.  I administered anti-hystamine immediately, and apologized a thousand times.  Now every bra shop we go to we try the bra's on her arms and with in a few seconds welts and hives go thru her arm up her face and we are yet to find her any bra's to wear.
I am so desperate to find out what it is that is doing it.  It still happens after washing the bra every day to see if it is on the fabric.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

It looks like the hives appear due to allergy to the texture of cloth of the bra.I would advise you to try 100%cotton bra with no prior treatment of bra with formaldehyde and also to wash the cotton ones before wearing them.Pure cotton is less likely to cause hives.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts.

[mrshadds]

Can anyone please suggest where to buy bra's that don't have the exposed elastic stuff as this may be what is triggering the reaction???

[mrshadds]

I have since then been to specialist with my daughter and have found she has ' Chronic Urticarea"  She still cannot wear tight clothing like bra's but at least now we have a diagnosis.  The mystery is partially solved.  She has to have 2 antihistimines a day to help her but it is baby steps from here on in.

[allmymarbles]

Dr. Kaur, above, gave you the best advice. It is a contact allergy. I happen to be allergic to nylon. It is not systemic; I have trouble with nylon underclothing. Systemic antihistamines do not work for me.