You might want to think twice next time you wear your brand new clothes without washing them, medical specialists caution.
Since
the UAE is known for being a one-stop shopping destination, home to
thousands of international brands, many chemicals are used to keep the
clothes wrinkle-free by the time they arrive in the country.
“Most
clothing brands, even international ones produce their products in
Asian countries to cut on costs. So in order to keep them wrinkle-free,
by the time they arrive to the desired destination, a chemical called
Formaldehyde is used,” Dr Ikramullah Al Nasir, Specialist Dermatologist
and Medical Director of Dermacare Skin Centre, said.
Al
Nasir also pointed out that the same is true when it comes to non-iron
wash-and-wear clothes that have gained popularity among people who are
too busy to iron their clothes.
In
order to keep these clothes wrinkle-free for prolonged shipping periods
or create the crease free quality of wash and wear clothes, higher
quantities of Formaldehyde are needed: “In high quantities, people with
sensitivity or known allergy to Formaldehyde can develop mild reactions
such as itching to full blown skin dermatitis,” Al Nasir said.
The
last display piece of clothing or shoe is another aspect that shoppers
must take into consideration as it might cause health related issues.
“A
garment worn by many people can carry a risk of transferring scabies, a
skin disease that produces an extremely severe itch and rash on the
body. It is easily transferable and highly contagious. The second risk
is dust mites which can cause allergic reaction,” he added.
Purchasing
the last shoe item can also cause fungal infection of the foot or nails
especially if the person trying the shoes has sweaty feet as they are
more prone because they make the skin softer and so the power of
organism’s penetration Al Nasir
Lingerie
and swimming wear which can be tried in dressing rooms can have high
risk of herpes, fungal and bacterial infection and so Al Nasir advices
that they are washed in a high water temperature before use.
Other
risks include black artificial leather shoes and garments as they are
dyed by the chemical Phenylenediamine (PPD) that can create a
generalised skin reaction or an allergic skin reaction called Allergic
Lichenoid Dermatitis.
Most
UAE residents like Emirati national Khawla Al Blooshy told Gulf News
that not knowing who wore the item or what it went through before it
reaches the store is an issue: “It depends if the clothes look like they
have been tried by many people. I am scared of getting diseases.”
Dubai-based fashion stylist who preferred not to be named recalled a perfect example of what residents such as Khawla fear.
“My
company once borrowed a high-end shirt for a photo-shoot and during the
shoot I noticed that the model was sweating and large sweat marks where
starting to form. So after the photo-shoot I hand washed the item at a
public toilet and dried it on the street. Later on that day I returned
the shirt to the store and to my surprise they returned it back to its
plastic packaging and put it on the shelf.”
Palestinian
national Yousuf Hamad, however, never washes his clothes and does not
think it is important. “I never wash my new clothes. I assume that they
are already clean and I have never faced a problem before so I don’t
think that it is a big deal” [GN]
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