Dress to Cure, Lose Weight and Fight Allergies?
Technology gives new meaning to the term "Smart Dresser".

Many of us dress to kill especially on a Saturday night when we're looking forward to a hot date or hoping to land one but if a new trend takes off, we may be dressing to cure (as well as kill).

Confused?

Don't be, London-based designer Diana Irani, a MPhil research student in fashion and textiles at the Royal College of Art, and others are developing clothing that slowly releases medicine throughout the day. Such clothing may one day relieve the itchy, sensitive skin of eczema, the joint pain and stiffness of arthritis, depression and other ailments.

Based on the same technology used for nicotine and oral contraceptive patches, the medicine in the clothing absorbs directly into the bloodstream through the skin. The medicine lasts for many months and clothes can be hand-washed repeatedly without losing their healing properties, inventors and proponents say.

Irani's Clothes That Cure line (which includes underwear and dresses) and other apparel lines will be made of fabric impregnated with miniscule beads of medicine and/or herbal remedies. (In fact, Irani was awarded a cash prize in 2001 by the British Standard Institute to help develop her clothes that cure.)

While new to us in the U.S., this technology has been used in India for decades. Certain herbs are sometimes woven into the fabric of saris and headdresses worn by Indian women. It's called micro-encapsulation and involves implanting tiny balls designed to hold the chemicals and "bond" them within the fibers of fabric. As the wearer's body heats the fabric, the substances are released on to the skin.

Besides treating existing ailments, such medicated clothing can also stave off future illness by supplying vitamins and nutrients. Fuji Spinning Co., a Japanese clothing firm, developed a line of T-shirts composed of fibers that have been embedded with a provitamin that turns into vitamin C upon exposure to skin. The shirt is said to contain the same amount of vitamin C as two lemons and should remain effective after 30 washings.

What's more, this same company is also set to take on the obesity crisis one stitch at a time. Fuji Spinning Co., Ltd is also developing a new processing technology to coat fiber with caffeine and seaweed to activate the body's fat-dissolving enzymes.

By applying this new technology, the company is also releasing a new line of mainly women's wear called "Wonder Slim." The active ingredient is coated onto the fiber and is not leached easily by washing with household washing machines. They are expected to interact with perspiration, sebum and friction, and then dissolve into the skin. Fuji Spinning Co. also has developed a new material that makes pollen harder to adhere, called "KAFUN CLEAN (Pollen Release)" which could have implications for the millions of people with hay fever.

Also, Sara Lee Hosiery makes ladies' pantyhose and undergarments that use the technology to deliver moisturizers and "anti-aging" chemicals to the wearer.

What's more, similar technology is being used to repel odors from clothing as well. Think smoke and cologne! It's called Sensory Perception Technology (SPT) and utilizes micro-encapsulation to develop clothes that could actually repel or negate odors. Manufacturers are experimenting with embedding fabrics with unique fragrances and scents.

Smart clothing

Several clothing lines already have built in SPF protection to protect wearers from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation potentially lower future risk of skin cancer. Such protective clothing includes the Sun Guard Laundry Treatment UV Protectant and Physician Endorsed Naples - White.

But, now you can easily sun protect your own clothing with Sun Guard Laundry Treatment UV Protectant. Simply throw a packet into your washing machine along with your laundry and it can make any item of clothing more sun proof. You simply add it to your wash with your regular detergent, and it harmlessly coats clothing with a special chemical that blocks the sun's ultraviolet rays. Your clothing will be safely coated with an SPF 30 for 20 more wash cycles.

In fact, clinical studies have shown it can block 96% of UV rays. Look for it wherever laundry detergents are sold.

Denise Mann
DERMAdoctor Staff Writer

(Any topic discussed in this article is not intended as medical advice. If you have a medical concern, please check with your doctor.)

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