Buying and using second hand clothes from thrift stores are all fun and budget friendly until they pose the risk of skin infection. That is what exactly happened with an Indonesian man who used the social media platform Tiktok to show his ordeal after using thrifted clothes without washing them.
The tiktoker @onenevertwhoo_one announced that he had contracted “molluscum contagiosum – a viral skin infection – after wearing pre-owned clothes without washing them first” as reported by Daily Mail. He uploaded a number of now viral videos that showed how his face and neck were covered in bumps.
Molluscum contagiosum is majorly spread through skin-to-skin contact and sometimes sexual contact and is caused by a poxvirus. While the condition is not fatal or extremely concerning, people with a weak immune system might face rapid spreading of the virus, which can be dangerous.
In most cases the condition gets better on its own. However, in some cases, it might take six months to two years for the affected person to get back to their normal condition.
As tiktoker @onenevertwhoo_one posted his situation on the social media platform, he garnered mixed reactions with some users blaming him for not being careful enough to wash his clothes before wearing them. One user asked, “Why don’t you wash your clothes first?” Another one sounded scared, saying, “New fear unlocked.”
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Another user appeared to be supportive, as they said, “I hope you get well soon and are as healthy as before.” Dr Primrose Freestone, a senior lecturer in Clinical Microbiology at the University of Leicester explained how using unwashed clothes bought from second-hand stores can cause such skin conditions.
As reported by Daily Mail, she said, “unwashed garments could carry bacteria, fungi, or viruses left behind by the previous wearer – including ones that cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and even fungal infections like athlete’s foot or ringworm.”
She further added, “Pathogens can cling to unwashed fabrics and infect anyone who wears them.” She went on, saying, “Pre-owned fashion is seen by many consumers as a cheaper, more environmentally friendly way to expand their wardrobe. But as excited as you might be to wear your next secondhand purchase, it’s important you disinfect it properly first.
This is because clothing can actually be an important reservoir for many infectious diseases.”
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Dr Freestone also offered advice on how to clean those clothes before wearing, as she said, “It’s recommended that you wash newly purchased secondhand clothes with detergent at a temperature of around 60°C. This will not only clean any dirt from the clothes, but will also remove germs and inactivate pathogens. Cold water will not work as well to get rid of pathogens within clothing.
So if a high-temperature wash isn’t possible, then use a laundry disinfectant to kill any germs present.”
Therefore, people who rely on second hand clothes for fashion, should always make sure to wash them properly before wearing them to avoid any unwanted skin infections, which might prove to be dangerous later.
