Well this may seem like a no-brainer for most of you, but I thought I would post it anyway. Your daily wardrobe can have an effect your Cholinergic Urticaria (at least a little). If you want to minimize your Cholinergic Urticaria symptoms, you may want to give attention to your clothing. In terms of clothing, there are several things you can do to help minimize your hives attacks. Here are a few tips for anyone suffering from cholinergic urticaria (or other heat related hives):
Wear loose clothing: This allows you skin to breathe, and maintain a cooler temperature since air can circulate & cool the skin more. If you wear tight clothing, it can keep your body heat closer to your skin, thus allowing it to stay warmer. As everyone knows, when we get hot, we itch. So it helps to wear loose clothing.
Wear breathable fabrics: This goes hand & hand with the first tip above. If you wear tightly woven fabrics (such as nylon, etc), it keeps your body heat inside your clothing. Instead, try to select breathable fabrics such as very thin cotton. The thinner & more breathable the fabric is, the easier it will be to keep your skin temperature cooler. It also tends to feel very comfortable to the skin.
Wear light-colored clothing– Okay, maybe you don’t always want to wear the same color. But if you are going to be outdoors a lot, then colors can definitely count. I have learned this first-hand, and even got a painful reminder today. Dark colors absorb sunlight (and heat) dramatically faster than light colors. So if you want to avoid this, simply wear light colored clothing (whites, yellows, oranges, etc.). The lighter the color, the better.
As I walked outside today with a dark green t-shirt on, I noticed the stabbing needle pain & itch of CU before I even realized what was going on. The sun was beating down on my back, attracked to the dark colors. Needless to say, I knew better and should have stuck to one of my bright white cotton t-shirts. If I had a white shirt on, I guarantee I wouldn’t have started itching nearly as soon.
Avoid excessive detergent: Excess detergent can make your clothes stiff. This can be very uncomfortable if you have dry or itchy skin. So if this is the case, you may want to use a little less detergent, or even consider a fabric softner. Also, detergent may leave a residue which could irritate your skin.
Diet Update: Tuesday I had cereal for breakfast (dyno bytes) with rice milk. For lunch I had grilled chicken salad with banana nut bread for a side. I had chips and salsa, nuts, and other snacks for a filler. Today I had dried fruit for breakfast. I had chili for lunch, and I’ll have more chili for dinner. So far, no milk, and no cholinergic urticaria changes yet…