Wool Allergy

[MsSaya]

I am very allergic to wool Someone told me that Alpaca is different than regular wool. Does anyone know if this is true? i would love to work with wool but my hands actually blister and weep if I do.

[DogCatMom]

If you react to the lanolin in sheep's wool, then you'll be safe; alpaca (alpacas?) don't secrete lanolin.

 

If it's the dander, that's species-specific, too. If it's the protein in the wool, also species-specific.

 

Please see (I just looked all of this up on Wikipedia; it's possible that I've made some errors, but at least this is an outline) below for the very distant relationship between sheep and alpaca. They're as closely related to each other as either of them is to other ruminant animals like giraffes, cows, antelope, and deer, so not very; thus, the proteins are not the same.

 

Kingdom: Animal

Class: Mammal

Order: Artiodactyla

Sub-Order: Ruminantiae

Family: Caprae

Sub-Family: Caprinae (sheep & goats)

Genus: Ovis

Species: O. aries (sheep)

 

Contrast with the alpaca (whether huayaca or suri):

 

Kingdom: Animal

Class: Mammal

Order: Artiodactyla

Sub-Order: Ruminantiae

Family: Camelidae

Genus: Camelus

Species: C. pacos (also referred to as "Vicugna pacos")

 

There's an article in Wikipedia on alpaca fiber. It discusses the hypoallergenic properties of alpaca wool. Of course, that doesn't mean hypoallergenic for 100% of people; you'll need to *carefully* test it for yourself.

 

Hope it works out for you.

 

DCM

[MsSaya]

Thank you for all the information. I am going to research further and try it gradually to see. Crochetville members are sooooooo nice!!!!!!

[TCarra]

Oh I can sympathize with ya! I'm very sensitive to wool, too.

 

I just posted something about this last week in the 2011 Stashbusting forum. I was in a new yawn store in town. I told the owner that I can't wear or work with wool. She said they're not all the same. She brought me around her store and I touched so many wool yarns that I would never have believed had wool in them. (Some were quite expensive and they were so "drapey" and luxurious. Loved 'em!) I was pleasantly surprised that there are wools i can now work with.

 

So go check some out, if it wouldn't irritate you much just to touch them. If the store owner/worker is friendly and knowledgeable, I am sure they'd be more than happy to show you some fibers you might be able to use.

 

Best of luck to you!

[RoseRed]

Regular wool makes me itchy. In St. Augustine there's an 'alpaca lady' that has a store in the Spanish Quarter. It didn't bother me at all.

[DebraKay]

I have a mil allergy to wool. The area touching the wool for any extended time turns red and itches. Sometimes the rash stays for quite a while after being exposed. But I am finding many of the new treated combination wools and especially the alpaca do not bother me! I was thrilled to find this out. So many really great yarns out there that I have to skip but now I think I am getting lots of new options and I love that!

[Sylviaf]

My daughter has a wool allergy (she breaks out in hives) and is equally sensitive to alpaca and mohair. (In fact, she is OK with animal products actually on the living animal---she is fine with cats, dogs and even sheep---but has trouble with rabbits.)

[HomekeepingGran]

Alpaca is a lovely fiber with good drape but it doesn't have the bounce or memory wool does. It will be a fabulous, toasty fabric for many garments but don't expect it to hold a tight shape because it will not. I learned this when I knitted a cute beret from a yarn with a large alpaca content. It looked great till I wore it. One simple wearing and the rib edge was permanently stretched. Sigh. For things which ought to drape, however, like shawls or drapey garments it's wonderful!

 

If it solves your wool allergy problem, fine. Just be aware of its limitations.

[DogCatMom]

I wrote an extended post here in response to another member's statements re. allergy to wool yarn, based on my own experience with wool fabric. Maybe some of the aspects I mention will be relevant for you, too. (We can always hope!)

 

DCM

[HomekeepingGran]

I didn't think about it till later but... alpaca makes me itch. Big time. I bought some mostly alpaca yarn from KnitPicks and made a beret and matching scarf. I can get by with the beret because it mainly touches my hair but the scarf — I couldn't stand it for sixty seconds. Ouch. Unfortunately I'm not the only one, either. When you try it be sure to make something small and put it next to your skin for a trial because I am not the only one who itches with alpaca.