Allergy to the hammock fabric

**Bugzee Malone** · 08-31-2008, 10:49

I have used my HH Safari and really like it.
The first 2 times were in winter and spring with no problem.
Then summer came and I started sleeping in it in just my undershorts.
I would wake up a few hours later all lumpy all over and itching like
mad.
At first I thought I was getting bitten by mosquitos from head to
foot through the hammock material but then on the second occasion I realized that it was a skin allergy.
It seems that I have an allergy to the fabric. This has never happened to me before at all.

Has this happened to anyone else before?

I contacted HH and as usual their reply was quick.
Ann at HH said that the fabric is "untreated and uncoated" so it is unlikely that this is the cause.
She also suggested I try using a silk sleeping bag liner which is "cool to sleep in but protective "
This sounds like a good idea but I think will be difficult to get into.
I mainly hang on beaches when sea kayaking so sand is going to be a problem too.
I guess I will have to try it.
I will also try washing the hammock.

Any other ideas?

**Oh-No** · 08-31-2008, 11:10

Originally Posted by Bugzee Malone

Any other ideas?

Anything to keep your skin from touching the hammock fabric.
Silk long underwear, clip a piece of fabric to the inside of the
hammock so you are sleeping on it instead of directly on the
hammock fabric. That way you can be more confident that the
hammock fabric is the cause of your skin problem.
Good luck.

**Just Jeff** · 08-31-2008, 11:10

My guess is skeeters biting you through the fabric. Either put something between you and the hammock (like a pad or bag liner) or hang something below the hammock (like an underquilt...or even test it with just a bedsheet). Or treat the hammock with permethrin.

**slowhike** · 08-31-2008, 20:27

Since you mention the beach, I'm wondering about sand fleas.

**Bugzee Malone** · 09-01-2008, 01:16

The skin reaction is not just a few lumps typical of mosquitos.
It is many, many lumps in areas that come in contact with the material.
Itchy too, even itch cream was no relief.

The main concentration are on my back and shoulders, tricep area, calves and heels. I even got a few on the back of my head.

I have had sand flea bites before and they look more red like dog flea bites.

I will try washing the hammock and the silk liner

**Bugzee Malone** · 09-01-2008, 01:19

I also found this thread before starting this one.
Other people have had "strange" lumps too.
Some are obviously mozzie bites but others...

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...hlight=allergy

**slowhike** · 09-01-2008, 05:52

Yep, washing it in a detergent that you have been using would be a good thing. That way you should be able to eliminate any contaminates that somehow have made their way into the hammock.
I wouldn't think that the hammock fabric it's self would be your problem.

**Just Jeff** · 09-01-2008, 07:34

I've been overseas where people had skin reactions like that and thought it was bed bugs or a list of other things (not in hammocks). They ONLY had the rashes in places that weren't underneath the blanket. Turns out they had mosquitos in their hooches that fed on them overnight. But these looked like rashes rather than mosquito bites b/c they covered an area rather than a few bumps. Good news was that it was an easy fix - turn down the AC low enough in the hooch and the mosquitos find somewhere else to feed.

Not arguing with your point - only you can see what your reaction looks like. Just that I've seen what sounds like the same thing turn out to be skeeters even though the rashes didn't look like skeeter bites.

You could test it by wrapping a bit of the hammock material around your arm or something while you watch TV and see if you have another reaction.

**Perkolady** · 09-01-2008, 08:03

My husband is in the industrial laundering business and is very familiar with various fabric manufacture treatments.
I'll just throw out that according to what he knows, most fabric manufacturers use some sort of "sizing" on their fabrics during the production process to help keep the fabric cooperative and looking crisp. This is one reason it's always recommended that you wash new clothes before wearing, for example.

Most of these chemicals are very dangerous and are not meant for lengthy human contact.

IMO (and my husband's), it's very possible you are having a reaction to something that was used on the fabric during production.

I would suggest that you wash your hammock and see if that helps.
After seeing the recent posts about these kinds of reactions, I'm going to wash ALL of my hammocks !

Perkolady