A dubious honor to be sure, but earlier this year (2009) neoprene was tapped by the American Contact Dermatitis Society as its "Allergen of the Year".  Contact dermatitis is just a fancy word for eczema which causes redness, scaling and itching of the skin.  In previous years, other chemicals or materials won this honor.  Including:

• 2008 - Nickel
• 2007 - Fragrance
• 2006 - Commercial hair dye ingredient p-phenylenediamine
• 2005 - Topical corticosteroids
• 2004 - Cocamidopropyl betaine, a hair & skin-conditioning agent

Neoprene whose chemical name is listed as a "Mixed dialkyl thioureas (MDTU), a mixture of two thiourea chemicals from a class of chemicals used for rubber acceleration ".  Anyhow, the outcome is the product we know as neoprene.  Which is water resistant, temperature controlling and flexible which makes it a perfect material for things like computer sleeves, wet suits, athletic shoes, gloves and knee braces.  It is a derivative of rubber which, in the sensitive, will elicite redness, itching, scaling and sometimes blistering.  The chemicals particularly leaks out of the neoprene when there is sweating or water that gets between the neoprene and the sensitive individual.  

So those of you who suspect that you are allergic to your neoprene lined running shoes or wet-suits, it is best to avoid coming in contact with the substance.  A toxic reaction on the skin from the neoprene and your skin's interaction is another possible reason for the dermatitis like reaction, in addition to just an allergy.  In our office we use NAET or an allergy elimination technique to desensitize people from a neoprene or other chemical allergy.  However, if the dermatitis results from a toxic reaction on the skin, assisting the body's ability to detoxify is the best course of action.  To differentiate between just an allergic reaction and a toxic reaction to neoprene or other rubbers, one can tell that an allergic reaction is an isolated case and a toxic reaction can be generalized to a number of chemicals that can cause a host of physical ailments.  Toxicity symptoms can include joint pain, fibromyalgia, fatigue, headache, and brain fog to name just a few.  

Now that the American Contact Dermatitis Society has asknowledged the fact that MDTU and neoprene are highly allergenic to many people, the awareness helps all of us better understand that better living does not always come through chemistry.