# oh gawd.. I'm allergic to my helmet..



## atarione (Aug 24, 2018)

dang it...

I'm sort of allergic to the planet (true story allergic to dust..HA) and am allergic to sensitive to many other things.. which is a great time...(sarcasm)

I have problems with many different types of foam, old timey foam headphone pads that came with a walkman.. NOPE.. I was allergic , headset I wore when I had a tech support job.. NOPE allergic..

blah blah.. I can't wear my mtb helmet (Giant Rail SX) for more than 20minutes before my forehead starts itching / breaking out in little red bumps..

yes I have been washing pads / keeping it clean... I'm just allergic to the d*mn pads...


so... now what ??? does anyone make a hypoallergenic helmet?

/ anyone else with helmet allergies what solution have you found?


being allergic to everything sucks.. I also am allergic to nickle ..which is fantastic.. (not) I have to take great care when shopping for a belt ..etc as the buckles are highly problematic.. I most wear a hiking belt with polymer buck.. if I absolutely need to wear a dress belt I ordered nickle free belt awhile ago..


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

Skull cap?


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## Special18 (Oct 2, 2018)

atarione said:


> dang it...
> 
> I'm sort of allergic to the planet (true story allergic to dust..HA) and am allergic to sensitive to many other things.. which is a great time...(sarcasm)
> 
> ...


i wear/have worn a bandana under my cycling helmet to keep sweat from running down into my eyes.


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## atarione (Aug 24, 2018)

yeah.. I guess bandana / skull cap is going to require consideration.. I'm not in love with that option..but better than red itchy forehead I guess..

It would be nice if someone would make a helmet with allergies in mind... not sure what all chemicals ..etc is in the foam pads.. but for something in prolonged contact with people's heads.. maybe giving a think as to making it hypoallergenic might be in order?


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

Some of those skull caps are super thin, I hate those on my head but have one for colder rides, and I don't even know its there.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

atarione said:


> It would be nice if someone would make a helmet with allergies in mind... not sure what all chemicals ..etc is in the foam pads.. but for something in prolonged contact with people's heads.. maybe giving a think as to making it hypoallergenic might be in order?


But exactly what chemical would they need to replace?

There will always be occasional people with an allergy to whatever product a company wants to make.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk


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## Phillbo (Apr 7, 2004)

Head condoms.....


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## Kali Jon (Jun 16, 2017)

I have worked with a helmet engineer that removes the comfort liner and all the little Velcro dots. 
Might be worth a try.


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## Phillbo (Apr 7, 2004)

Sounds like a very uncomfortable helmet when it's done.


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## Kali Jon (Jun 16, 2017)

I have never removed the comfort pads but I know it’s been done.


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## jcd46 (Jul 25, 2012)

Phillbo said:


> Head condoms.....


Latex, maybe allergic.


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## Kali Jon (Jun 16, 2017)

Use sheep skin


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## abaughman (Aug 25, 2018)

I am allergic to googles with rubber foam, I have to buy the ones lined with fleece. Maybe just glue thin fleece to the points of contact.


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## abaughman (Aug 25, 2018)

What kind of helmet are you using?


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## atarione (Aug 24, 2018)

Harold said:


> But exactly what chemical would they need to replace?
> 
> There will always be occasional people with an allergy to whatever product a company wants to make.
> 
> Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk


fair enough.. I guess that is a good point... I'm not sure what it is i'm allergic to ??



Kali Jon said:


> I have worked with a helmet engineer that removes the comfort liner and all the little Velcro dots.
> Might be worth a try.


hmm.. well I will have to see what else works.. sounds a bit uncomfortable..but so is the allergic reaction.



abaughman said:


> I am allergic to googles with rubber foam, I have to buy the ones lined with fleece. Maybe just glue thin fleece to the points of contact.


interesting.. I may well consider this.. cheers.



Kali Jon said:


> Use sheep skin


also interesting will consider this as well.


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## TwiceHorn (Jun 18, 2014)

in hot weather, you can wet a bandana or skullcap and it's rather refreshing.

May want to figure out what the foam is in the helmet, polyurethane or polystyrene, and avoid it in future helmet purchases.

Lol, and, the "sheepskin" comment, I think, was in reference to sheep gut prophylactics, but makes some sense in the other usage, too.


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## atarione (Aug 24, 2018)

TwiceHorn said:


> in hot weather, you can wet a bandana or skullcap and it's rather refreshing.
> 
> May want to figure out what the foam is in the helmet, polyurethane or polystyrene, and avoid it in future helmet purchases.
> 
> Lol, and, the "sheepskin" comment, I think, was in reference to sheep gut prophylactics, but makes some sense in the other usage, too.


oh lol.. I'm dumb.. I thought they meant to cover the foam insert in sheepskin leather (some quite comfortable headphone ear pads are made of this... but I get it now.. nah yeah yeah nah.. no head prophylactic probably..

I'm going to enquirer with giant and see if they can tell me what the cushioning ..etc is made from..


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## burbskate (May 23, 2012)

Bell Super has a liner that has silver in it to reduce bacteria. Maybe try that? 


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## NordieBoy (Sep 26, 2004)

Headsweats style skullcap. Kill 2 birds with one less itchy stone.


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## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

Atarione, you mentioned allergic reactions to foam on headphones, etc. So it's a safe assumption to start with replacing the pads in the helmet. Like already mentioned, remove the pads, at least for a test ride. If that works, look for an alternative padding. Maybe rolled up cotton cloth or pieces of a towel, leather, or other natural or organic material. Just stuff in the helmet as a test. If you find something that works, hot glue Velcro to it and attach it.

Maybe you're reacting to the foam liner. That would be a tougher issue to solve. If that's the case, you might try a helmet that doesn't rely on foam, like Smith's Rover that uses honeycomb. But I think even those use some foam, it's just further away from contacting your skull.

Do you have a full head of hair? If it is the foam liner, your hair may be limiting the reaction to your forehead. If it were me, I'd remove the cradle (if possible) and line the foam with a barrier, like Glad Wrap maybe. Test it that way (with the cradle placed back in!). That may not be a solution because you'll probably sweat like crazy. But it's at least a way to isolate the foam as a test.

Worst case...


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## CGrr (Aug 30, 2010)

Those foam pads in helmets make my head itch also. And they are worthless when it comes to keeping sweat from dripping down my face. I wear a cycling cap under a road helmet. Works great, for me. The foam doesn’t touch my head, no sweat on my face, and the brim keeps the sun out my eyes. If it shady I can flip up the brim. Roadie hating mtb fashionistas will scoff but roadies have had a lot of things figured out for years. I don’t ride without a cap. Pace caps are made in the USA and last for a while.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

If you haven't already, then maybe get a chemical sensitivity test. Find an allergist physician to get this done.

By going this route, you will know exactly what chemical(s) you are allergic to. You can then research the helmet manufacturers and find out if a particular helmet contains those chemicals before purchasing, rather than buying and waiting to see if you get a reaction.

Some people get rosacea (small pimples/rashes across their foreheads or faces) which can be treated with antibiotics... I'm not sure if that's what you have but it's best to have a doctor diagnosis your rash and it's cause


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

find hypoallergenic cat
strap cat to head
strap helmet to cat

/solved


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## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

I am allergic to my favorite knee pads. I kept thinking I was getting poison oak, but it was always under my knee pads which was weird. After a while, I was thinking I couldn't possibly keep getting poison oak under my knee pads. So, I realized I was allergic to the pads. However, after I kept wearing them it seems to have subsided. Not sure if the component I was allergic to wore off or my body got used to it. Nevertheless, I think it went away.


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## Jumbotron (Oct 25, 2018)

127.0.0.1 said:


> find hypoallergenic cat
> strap cat to head
> strap helmet to cat
> 
> ...


I need that for my commute.

If that doesn't work, try a half Buff. Those things are great.


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

Im 35. About 2 years ago I became allergic to the synthetic boxers I've worn for years! Switched to cotton and all is well. I thought I was getting low level poison oak reactions, but it wasn't. 

I would find a crafty person to sew cotton covers for your helmet pads.


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## noapathy (Jun 24, 2008)

aliikane said:


> I am allergic to my favorite knee pads. I kept thinking I was getting poison oak, but it was always under my knee pads which was weird. After a while, I was thinking I couldn't possibly keep getting poison oak under my knee pads. So, I realized I was allergic to the pads. However, after I kept wearing them it seems to have subsided. Not sure if the component I was allergic to wore off or my body got used to it. Nevertheless, I think it went away.


Actually, you could keep getting poison oak if you took them off and accidentally set them down in the poison oak. It's the oil in the plant that causes the rash, potentially causing multiple exposures if contaminated items are not washed with soap.

Either way, I'm glad it's subsided. Never hurts to wash pads every once in a while to avoid bacteria/fungus/etc anyway.


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## DrDon (Sep 25, 2004)

My symptoms eventually resolved. 


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## stiksandstones (Oct 7, 2004)

Does the liner on that helmet have Xstatic lining/fabric? because that has strands of silver for anti-microbial properties...And there are some people allergic to silver.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

no one is allergic to pure silver. but people are allergic to silver/nickel alloys, which most silver you encounter is an alloy with nickel or copper. most metal allergies are nickel allergy. those silver strands are fibers coated with silver but if the silver is an alloy of nickel....could be an issue


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## UEDan (Apr 11, 2010)

Classic.


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## stiksandstones (Oct 7, 2004)

127.0.0.1 said:


> no one is allergic to pure silver. but people are allergic to silver/nickel alloys, which most silver you encounter is an alloy with nickel or copper. most metal allergies are nickel allergy. those silver strands are fibers coated with silver but if the silver is an alloy of nickel....could be an issue


I am no metallurgist but, my wife owned a boutique for 10 years, and she sold a line of Nickel Free silver jewelry, that some customers were allergic to those (skin rashes) even, so, not sure what science says on that, but I saw it happen.

Xstatic on helmet liners, is silver bonded to the fibers, and I know one person that had an allergic reaction to an xstatic liner, (rashing) that went away with a non xstatic liner. Rare case, so tiny sample size.


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## atarione (Aug 24, 2018)

I'm not sure what was going on.. the issue sort of resolved itself for now it seems..

maybe I forgot my allergy medicine that day?? whatever helmet didn't bother me last couple rides.. I need to get one of them caps however, probably..

ironically reading this post again is making me feel all itchy however..


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