Neoprene allergy??

[coolaneasy]

Hi guys

I'm a newbie diver and I'm still going to the pool sessions. I have decided I would go to the ocean when I'm happy and comfortable with myself and the equipment.
Now it so happened that I started getting itchy rashes starting from the next to about 2 inches from the ankle. Initially I thought it was chlorine from the pool but when I just go swimming at another pool I'm fine. I believe I'm getting allergies to the wetsuit which is aqualung solfafx made from neoprene. The rashes were more intense in the neck area where I had more neoprene from the hood hanging around my neck and the flap that goes over the neck. The thing is that my booties are made from neoprene as well. However I have no allergic reaction on the feel. Thats what is confusing me. The neoprene on the booties and in the suit do seem like different. Are there different kinds of neoprenes? Is it neoprene allergy that I have.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Chetan

 

[swimmer_spe]

If you were in Canada, I would suggest you get an allergy test done. Since you are in the USA, I would still suggest it, if it is covered, or you can afford it.

Try a different brand. Try a different style. It may be something else that is added.

 

[coolaneasy]

Thanks for the suggestion swimmer. While I haven't decided to do an allergy test yet. I have tried out a couple of dive skin tests(henderson spandex and pinnacle inferno).
From the tests I feel pretty confident it should work for me. I'm also gonna try out the aqualung aquaflex wetsuit which seems to feel more like their booties that I have, that don't cause a reaction to me.
#crossingfingers.

 

[WarrenZ]

One question I'm not clear on is this a rental suit or one that you have used in the ocean could have something on it sea critters or a mold that it's bothering you rather than the neoprene. If it is your own suit you might try washing it with a good wetsuit cleaner or even dawn soap.

 

[coolaneasy]

Warren
This is my own suit. Not a rental suit from the scuba shop. I just purchased it and have taken it to the pool like twice now(not been to the ocean yet). Someone mentioned that the chemicals on a new suit combined with the chlorine from pool water might be a more potent irritant. I have been washing my suit with fresh water and soap at the scuba shop after the pool dives.
The thing though is that I remember the rash even the first time I did dive in the same pool with their rental suit. On the second dive, I don't remember getting a rash and I believe(don't remember for sure)I was wearing a rash guard and swim shorts under the wetsuit. Hence the feeling that a dive skin will solve my problems.

 

[Conan3]

I had the same type problem with my NEW wetsuit. Large red rash all over my body. I didn't have this problem with rental suits. I think it was the coating on the suit. We washed it several times and have had no problems since.

Washed it with white vinegar, scrubbed it with backing soda and then washed it with Wet Suit Cleaner in the washer on gentle

Conan3
.

 

[WarrenZ]

Will the dive shop work with you on a new suit? If they will I would try to wear one before I buy it. Never heard of someone allergic to neoprene but I guess anything is possible.

 

[coolaneasy]

@conan. vinegar, baking soda, wash in washer. oh man. ur brave sir =). yea I believe it might have to do with the wetsuit being new. But yea I will wash mine as well in soap before I got for the next dive. I'm still gonna do the dive skin thing.
@warren. the dive shop as hinted at an exchange given my current one is in good shape, which it should be. I haven't used it at all. Honestly while looking up on the internet I came across many people allergic to neoprene. At this point I've also started wondering about drysuit diving. I HHAAATE cold and I'm allergic to wetsuit neoprene so perhaps I might do drysuit. I just keep on wondering why more people do wetsuit instead of drysuit diving and that has kept me from going that way since its not very common.