An allergic reaction. Socks are the most likely suspect. Grrr.

Hi everyone,

Here's a good one for you. It seems I've developed an allergy to Lanesboro Athletic Crew socks. I purchased these particular socks from BJ's Wholesale Club approximately a month ago. Unfortunately, it seems I'm allergic whatever they put in the elastic section that covers the calf. We're talking a localized dose of particularly horrible looking hives with a bit of swelling. No hives body-wide. Nothing on my feet. Just my calves down to my ankles.

At first I thought it was something I ate. However, I haven't changed my diet lately. That and food allergies tend to be body-wide, too. I thought it might be laundry detergent, soap or something like that. No changes. I even went as far to consider a body fungus (think Jock Itch but not in your groin) and fleas. I don't have any pets but a lady I was seeing had five cats and two dogs.

The hives appeared suddenly and I don't have the often times insane itchiness and burning that comes with a fungus infection, so a fungus is improbably. No fleas either (whew!). No signs of bites and I even performed tests for them, i.e. stark white pillow cases on the floor, a bowl of water with a light shining over it. Fleas are visible on a white pillow case and in a bowl of water. They look like ground pepper and jump on the sheet and simply float in the water due to drowning.

As I looked at my calves, it occurred to me that it's a localized reaction. So, I went down the list of items I use near my feet to see if there was anything different. Sneakers? Nopes. I still wear the same type of New Balance 600 series sneakers. Body powder? Nopes. Don't use it. Socks? Yups. New socks. I bought the Lanesboro socks about a month ago.

'course, after thinking about it, I have noticed an increase in general itchiness for about a month. I thought it was due to cold weather and dry skin but an ongoing allergic reaction makes more sense. The reaction was uber mild and noticeable elsewhere on my body and took nearly a month before it got severe enough for me to break out in the actual area of contact.

Allergic reactions are bad news. Needless to say, I went to a immediate medical care clinic and had a doc in the box look at the hives. 99% likely an allergic reaction. He told me to stop using the socks and gave me a prescription for an anti-fungal/anti-allergic reaction lotion for my calves. I've been using the lotion, taking Benadryl and stopped wearing socks and things have improved dramatically. The hives are slowly but surely vanishing.

Anyone else face this kind of issue? It never occurred to me that I could be allergic to socks and it really sucks because the Lanesboro Athletic socks are great! Worse, I still need new socks! Grrr.

Robert

I hadn't thought about it before... but I had a simillar rash/itching issue a few months ago that I never solved..
It MIGHT be a couple "odd pairs" of socks!

I would get this rash only once in a while... and couldn't figure out what the $#@* was causing it... Just like you said, right around the ankles/calf where socks would come to rest..

Hmmm... if it happens to me again, I'll check what socks I'm wearing!

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Paul F.
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A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca c. 5 BC - 65 AD
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Good is the enemy of Excellent. Talent is not necessary for Excellence.
Persistence is necessary for Excellence. And Persistence is a Decision.
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Eureka, CA

Paul,

Exactly! It's only on my calves and it never occurred to me that socks could be the culprit. Another possibility is latex in the stretchy portion of the socks. I've never had a problem with latex before but I'm going to bring it up with the docs when I go for a followup. Maybe I should start looking for a new brand of condom 'cause if I'm allergic to latex...

Robert

Yeah, years ago I bought a few bras that did the same thing to me. I knew it was the elastic because the hives were in very neat little bands.

You think you have it bad with the socks!

Yes, I've had that happen in the past with socks. As well as all sorts of other somewhat bizarre allergic reactions.

Allergies can come and go very suddenly - so there's a chance it could be the latex in the ankle part - or just something else used in the socks.

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___________________________________________________
I know what it means to miss New Orleans....
9th Ward, baby!
l'art Noir New Orleans Gallery - [www.lartnoirneworleans.com]

Ditto for me - once I stopped wearing this particular type of socks, the itching went away (I scratched my ankles and instep so hard, they started bleeding). I think it is a synthetic vs natural fibers thing.

That is odd! At least you tracked down the source & correct the problem.
About a year ago I bought some merino wool socks on eBay & they were great; soft gray socks that felt more like cotton than wool. I've since bought 3 more bunches from the guy & they are my favorite socks.

A few years ago a friend's mother asked him what she could get me for Xmas & he suggested socks & said if they look like they were made out of dryer lint, I'd like 'em. He was right.

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There's probably natural latex in the elastic.

The number of latex allergy sufferers are on the rise.

Latex allergies are usually accompanied by sensitivity to certain foods, mostly tropical fruits like banana, kiwi and papaya and sometimes tomatoes and potatoes.

Allergies often develop (or disappear) fairly late in life.

You can't depend on your childhood allergies to inform you of your present-day allergies. If this is popping up now, it's likely that you've got other new allergies just waiting to surprise you. You should get a scratch test.

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Stephanie
Yeah, years ago I bought a few bras that did the same thing to me. I knew it was the elastic because the hives were in very neat little bands.

Hey, I have some rash cream I can apply!
Also I am a part time Halter Top installer!

BGnR

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"Good heavens, Miss Sakamoto! You're beautiful!"
"If we dig precious things from the land, we will invite disaster."
"Near the day of Purification, there will be cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky."
"A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans."

It's likey latex, as MacMagus said. Be sure to tell dentists and doctors you might be allergic to latex before they work on you.

Hi everyone,

It seems even my old socks are contributing to the problem. That or sweat from an 1.5 hours of cardio boxing made things worse by irritating the hives. Either way, no more socks until further notice. I'm getting a referral to the allergist tomorrow.

I went through a whole shmagilla of allergy scratch tests approximately three years ago. Nothing new turned up that time. It's all to possible that between then and now I've developed new allergies. I'll post a followup as soon as I have more details.

Thanks for all the tips!

Robert

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BigGuynRusty

Quote
Stephanie
Yeah, years ago I bought a few bras that did the same thing to me. I knew it was the elastic because the hives were in very neat little bands.

Hey, I have some rash cream I can apply!
Also I am a part time Halter Top installer!

BGnR

I try and do my part and do some custom removal work when I can find a client...

Do those socks have an anti-sweat agent ?

BGnR & Raxer X - LOL

Allergies like that are no fun! Thankfully that problem didn't last long! But this thread has made me think of that again. I wonder if I could run into the same problem again with bras, socks or even undies!

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Stephanie
or even undies!

Don't remind me!
The detergent I have used for at least a decade changed formulae on me, they put in some sort of non-chlorine bleach.
Had to make an emergency run for OxyClean.

BGnR
Big Jim and the Twins were not happy!

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"Good heavens, Miss Sakamoto! You're beautiful!"
"If we dig precious things from the land, we will invite disaster."
"Near the day of Purification, there will be cobwebs spun back and forth in the sky."
"A container of ashes might one day be thrown from the sky, which could burn the land and boil the oceans."

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Stephanie
BGnR & Raxer X - LOL

Allergies like that are no fun! Thankfully that problem didn't last long! But this thread has made me think of that again. I wonder if I could run into the same problem again with bras, socks or even undies!

you can't fool us that easily. We know you go commando.

I've forwarded this thread to a coworker whose husband was just diagnosed with shingles. The lesions, however, are in a band around his waist, and formed after wearing new underwear. Coincidence? He's a tennis instructor, so has prolonged (sweaty) exposure to latex. This thread popped up the same day she told me about his symptoms and makes me wonder if her husband was misdiagnosed.

CJ,

This is one of the reasons I posted about it. If I'm having a reaction, other people may have suffered as well and/or have been misdiagnosed. I have an appointment with the dermatogolost on Monday. I may be put on different meds or get sent to an allergist. I'll post followups.

Robert

Hi everyone,

Just a quick followup... Vasculitis. Or, that's what the dermatologist believs at this point. Apparently, other illnesses I had at the very end of December and all through January are all signs/symptoms of it. The rash/hives/slight swelling/etc are the latest symptom. Not sure if it's due to an allergy to the socks or possibly one of the antibiotics I took in December and January. Either way, I was given a cream to use for the next two weeks and a followup visit. Hoepfully, the cream will do the trick. If not, the dermatologist will biopsy the rash and take it from there.

In the meantime, I've purchased a batch of 100% cotton socks, just in case. They ain't cheap! The Gold Toe dress style models I got from Macy were $8.99 a pair! fortunately, the local CVS has athletic style models for just $5.99 a pair. They're not as nice as the Gold Toe flavor but they're sufficient for my purposes. I've got a total of seven pairs of new socks. That should do the trick for now. I'll buy more if it is confirmed that I am in fact allergic to whatever is in non-100% cotton sucks.

Robert