Diver Allergic to Neoprene?
(Q) Dear DocV,
I got OW certified only a few months ago. When I did, the water was warm enough to wear a swimsuit and a rash guard.
This past weekend I took a buoyancy class and spent a couple hours of each day in a pool wearing a wetsuit. The wetsuit is new and is mine. It was the first time I used it.
After each day of diving I immediately showered at the pool. However, on Sunday evening and more intensely on Monday I noticed an itchy sensation across my arms, legs and chest. Pretty much anywhere the suit was in contact.
It is now 5 days post diving and the generalized itching sensation is gone. When the “rash” occurred I had some raised bumps but no other symptoms.
Over the years and with many injuries (I like challenging sports), I have found that I have sensitivity to medical tapes and other things like that. I develop a rash localized to the area that was taped.
So, the questions are… Is it possible to have an allergic reaction to the neoprene? And if yes, what actions can I take to prevent the reaction?
Thanks for your help! I really do not want to give up diving because of something like this…
(A) Hi TF,
Allergic reactions to neoprene proper are relatively unusual; hypersensitivity to curing/accelerator agents used in neoprene processing and adhesives used in suit assembly is more common.
You’ll want to make sure that your reaction is not simply to some other agent, like chlorine. I find this unlikely, but provide it just as an example of irritating substances to which you might have come into contact. However, your report of a history hypersensitivity to medical/athletic tapes, and the described distribution of this rash, really does rather suggest that the problem is related to contact with natural or synthetic rubber-like compounds.
As your wetsuit is new, you may wish to hand wash it with baby shampoo or a delicate laundry detergent and then allow it to air well until the next wearing. Also be sure to rinse yourself well after each dive and shower with a gentle soap after the last dive of the day.
If the rash occurs again, you can try wearing a rash guard, although there is no guarantee this will work.
If you continue to have this problem, testing for neoprene allergy is probably next. This requires a specific patch test, so be sure to tell the allergist/dermatologist about your contact with neoprene and concerns when making the appointment. Since an allergy patch test for neoprene proper and its chemical accelerators typically is not included in the routine testing procedure, the doctor may have to arrange for a more thorough battery and this may require a small piece of your suit.
If it turns out you are allergic, you can look into a wetsuit made without neoprene such as a Thermocline Neoprene Free wetsuit by Fourth Element.
As for treatment, antihistamines, both oral and topical, often are useful in easing the discomfort of a number of contact skin rashes, but you really do need to find an alternative if this rash is going appear every time you put on neoprene. This is not to mention that such hypersensitivity reactions can become more severe with repeated exposures to the offending agent.
Best of luck.
DocVikingo
This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual and should not be construed as such.
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I too have had allergic reactions to wetsuits but have linked it to the glue in the seams (and rarely but also to the toung of shoes) as described by TF but have been able to avoid it by changing wetsuits and using a skin as Doc V suggested.
Peter
I’ve been through this issue myself, and it’s likely an allergy to the Thiourea group of chemicals. Have a patch test done by a dermatologist specialist. Your being ‘allergic’ to the glue used in medical tape is a tip-off.
Have you also noticed the same sort of sensitivity to elastic items of clothing, such as underwear bands and sports equipment? It’s not an allergy, but really it’s dermatitis. Your skin is sensitive to those chemicals. I reacted badly to certain brands of wetsuits. The ones that don’t give me a reaction are from Pinnacle; possibly they use a type of neoprene that doesn’t contain any Thioureas. I emailed many wetsuit companies, but they wouldn’t tell me what was in their neoprene, so I was left with trial and error.
Also, if you wear your suit in a chlorine pool, the reaction will be much worse. This is because the chlorine leaches out the chemicals in the neoprene. The dermatology specialist informed me of this. I once wore a wetsuit in the pool, and the severe itching and rash from my neck to my ankles and wrists didn’t go away for a week!
Sorry Doc, but washing the suit in any kind of shampoo won’t work, nor will using a skin, if the OP is truly sensitive to Thioureas or any other chemicals used in the manufacture of the neoprene.
Best of luck to the OP!
Hi Natalie,
RE “It’s not an allergy, but really it’s dermatitis.”
[NOTE: Thiourea is not capitalized except when used at the beginning of a sentence. It is a chemical compound not named after anyone.]
To the best of my knowledge, contact dermatitis to chemicals of the thiourea class is in fact is a type IV allergy.
Please read the following and let me know if you wish to pursue the discussion:
“Occupational Allergic Contact Dermatitis Due to Thioureas: Discussion
05/13/2010; Dermatitis. 2010;21(1):E5-E6. © 2010 American Contact Dermatitis Society
Thioureas are an uncommon cause of rubber contact dermatitis, thiurams being the leading cause.[2,3] Thioureas cause a type IV allergic contact dermatitis, which can be confirmed by patch testing. Because standard patch test series may not include thioureas, many cases may go undetected, resulting in a low number of reported cases.[4] A study by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group found that 1% of patients tested with MDTUs had positive reactions; 17% of these were occupationally relevant, and gloves were the most common occupational source.[2] DermaPrene gloves (Ansell Healthcare, Red Bank, NJ), used as an alternative by individuals sensitive to latex and thiuram-containing gloves, also contain thioureas.[1] Other sources of exposure include phlebotomy tourniquets, rubber tubing in intravenous lines, adhesives, cosmetic applicators, fixatives in photocopier and photographic paper, leather shoes, orthopedic braces, rubber masks, wet suits, computer wrist rests, and tires.[4,5] Thiourea compounds should be patch-tested separately from one another because they do not cross-react with one another.[1]
MDTU is a premade mix that may fail to detect 25% of cases of allergic contact dermatitis due to thioureas; this failure may result from insufficient quantities of the components in the mix.[1] Standard patch tests may fail to detect thiourea-induced allergic contact dermatitis, so additional patch testing with the R-1000 series is recommended. Clinicians should consider thiourea sensitization in rubber allergy, especially among patients who work in the health care industry.
References:
1. Sakata S, Cahill J, Nixon R. Allergic contact dermatitis to thiourea in a neoprene knee brace Australas J Dermatol 2006;47:67–9.
2. Warshaw EM, Cook JW, Belsito DV, et al. Positive patch-test reactions to mixed dialkyl thioureas: cross-sectional data from the North American Contact Dermatitis Group, 1994 to 2004 Dermatitis 2008;19:190–201.
3. Geier J, Lessmann H, Uter W, et al. Occupational rubber glove allergy: results of the information network of departments of dermatology (IVDK), 1995-2001 Contact Dermatitis 2003;48:39–44.
4. Comfere NI, Davis MD, Fett DD. Patch-test reactions to thioureas are frequently relevant Dermatitis 2005;16:121–3.
5 Anderson BE. Mixed dialkyl thioureas Dermatitis 2009;20:3–5”
Regards,
DocVikingo
Thankfully, I am not allergic to the whole neoprene suit, but only the ‘Glideskin’ or ‘Sharkskin’ (whichever trademarked name a manufacturer has given it) wrist, ankle and neck seals.
Same tiny red, itchy bumps. Awful if you’re doing southern diving!
I have been through 4 manufacturers of wetsuits, washed them in everything and nothing.
My reaction began in salt, open water, but appears in pools, salt pools, and freshwater.
I considered cutting off the seals to relieve myself, bit that defeats the purpose of insulation.
I would love to solve this somehow- skins don’t work as they defeat the seal- so I went dry.
Yes, in the Caribbean. It’s quite a conversation-starter, but then so are raw, red ankles, wrist & neck!
Is there any way to ‘accelerate’ this ‘leaching’ ?
Thanks
Poppy
Try The Fourth Element non-neoprene wetsuits–it’s 2.5 mil,
It’s a UK company but just Google Fourth Element Dive Equipment
I never knew that wet suits can be allergic also. I am not allergic to any particular material, but this whole event is making me think twice.
Hi there, just wandered by doing some research for a neoprene life jackets blog post. Lots of information out there. Looking for something else, but interesting page. Have a good day.
YES, you likely have a allergic reaction to neoprene. I’ve been scuba diving for over 30 years and recently purchased the newest material dive suit made of neoprene. Within 24 hours of using it, my back, chest and sides were very itchy with rash. I bought another new neoprene suit for swimming pool use, and it too caused the same reaction. My old suit is made of only nylon / polyester. I thought I was allergic to chlorine, so I used this neoprene suit in a salt water pool - same rash and itchy skin. When I don’t wear this neoprene suit and swim in chlorine or salt water based pool water, there is virtually no skin reaction. YES, you are experiencing an allergy to a neoprene suit - NO MATTER WHAT SUBSTANCE IS USED TO GO INTO IT. Stay clear of neoprene! Vince
I just got certified for Open Water Scuba and its the NEOPRENE SUITES that causes the rash and breakouts!! Doesn’t matter if its the chemicals holding the neoprene together or whatever, you can not wear a neoprene wetsuit if you have this allergy, as I do. The only company I have found that offers a WetSuit that is NON-Neoprene is the Thermocline from Fourth Element. I still don’t know if it can be worn as a protective barrier under a wet suit or if I will have to get a Dry-Suit for cooler water diving. Keep searching and post if you learn anything new!!!
Hi guys,
I’ve just returned from a seven day liveaboard in which I had a severe rash, itching, and soreness along the lines of those described by the OP above.
I had bought a new neoprene wetsuit just prior to the trip and the week was ruined for me as I had no option but to keep wearing the same suit as we were out at sea.
I found Doc Vikingo’s reply above re curing agents in a NEW suit to be hugely beneficial, as this mad rash and itchiness only seems to happen to me with a NEW neoprene suit. I’ve dived 300 times in nine or ten countries and have never experienced a rash with well-worn rental equipment or my own two piece titanium 7mil which I use in colder waters.
Does anyone have advice about how to ‘treat’ or look after a neoprene suit so that such an allergic reaction doesn’t occur again? Or would I be better off just trying to find a non-neoprene suit.
As a keen diver for over ten years, I find it very frustrating that an activity I love causes so much pain, itchiness, and irritation.