Why is the fur itchy?

You wake up in the morning and as soon as you come out from under the covers you find that it is very cold outside, so you open the closet and take your sweater warmer. You put it on and get ready to head out into the freezing winter, but before you even cross the threshold, an unbearable itch forces you to return to your closet in search of a T-shirt to put under your sweater. We have all encountered a similar situation at some point. The fur is itchy.this is reality, but what is the reason?

For a long time it was believed that this was due to some type of allergic reaction. This would make sense due to the itching, redness of the skin and even the occasional pimple. Additionally, it has been observed that certain conditions originating in the immune system, such as atopic dermatitis, may worsen upon exposure to this tissue. However, scientific research conducted in this regard shows that wool is not an allergen. With some exceptions, neither are the substances used to treat it. And yes, a waxy substance called lanolin which is naturally present in wool. However, the treatment the tissue is currently undergoing could eliminate this problem.

So wool craves something much simpler. Because the scales they are made of fibers stick to our skin. No more. Does this mean that we have no choice but to resign ourselves to always wearing a T-shirt under our T-shirt? Not really. There are other options, although the one with a T-shirt isn’t too bad. After all, if we choose a woolen sweater, it is precisely because it is very cold.

Scales that cause itchy fur

Before explaining the reasons why your fur itches, you should start from the very beginning. What is wool?

This is sheared animal hair that is woven into thread to make fabric. We usually talk about sheep’s wool, but in fact it can be done with the hair of any animal that can be sheared, e.g. alpacas, camels or rabbits. These are animals that grow a lot of fur, so trimming is usually necessary on a regular basis.

After obtaining these fibers, they are subjected to various treatment for example, to make them softer or add color. But no matter how much it is processed, the structure of the fibers remains the same as that of animal wool. Therefore, it consists of proteins packaged into keratin scales which overlap each other, like in fish.

It is these scales that cause itchy fur, as they rub against the skin, causing typical discomfort. Of course, this does not happen with all types of wool. As a rule, for it to bite, the diameter of the fibers must be more than 30 micrometers. This happens with most types of wool, but there are others such as merino sheep, which are much thinner and therefore do not cause itching. It is for this reason that it is advisable to use this particular type of wool for making Baby clothes. They have very sensitive skintherefore, fur flakes can irritate them much more than usual.

Other Tricks to Help Avoid Itching

Besides choosing Merino sheep wool, you can use other methods to avoid itching. We’ve already seen that fur gets itchy because of the way keratin scales stick to us. Human hair also contains keratin. Therefore, if we wash clothes with Hair conditioner we will help soften these fibers. Since they are not as harsh, they will not irritate our skin as much.

The same thing happens when washing fabric softener or even adding a moisturizer such as glycerolwhich also softens fabrics.

And while you have to assume that wool is itchy, there are a few tricks that can help make it less unpleasant to use. This way we can enjoy it in winter without spending any money.