Skin Problems & Treatments Home Related to Skin Conditions Chemical in Furniture Linked to Skin Rashes Doctors Blame Rashes on Chemical Used to Prevent Mold in Furniture Shipments March 5, 2010 (Miami Beach, Fla.) -- Your new sofa may be the last thing you suspect is causing that red rash on the back of your legs, but it could be the culprit. Doctors say a chemical added into furniture shipments from China to prevent the growth of mold has been linked to severe rashes. The chemical, dimethylfumate (DMF), can penetrate the fabric and subsequently clothing when a person sits on the furniture, says Joseph F. Fowler Jr., MD, clinical professor of dermatology at the University of Louisville, Kentucky. DMF is also used in the shipping of some clothing and shoes, Fowler says. And some people are very allergic to the preservative, he tells WebMD. When they come into contact with DMF, susceptible individuals develop contact dermatitis, a rash that can occur anywhere on the body.
Irritated skin becomes dry and chapped and eventually red, scaly, and inflamed. At the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology, Fowler described what he called "an epidemic of Chinese sofa and chair dermatitis." Fowler said that the first five cases were reported in Europe in 2008. "Since then, there have been a good 1,000 cases in Europe, maybe more," he says. Cases have also been reported in Canada. In the U.S., there have been no published reports, although Fowler says he treated one man who developed contact dermatitis of the foot from a shoe that was contaminated with the chemical. The rash went away after the patient disposed of the offending footwear, he says. Jenny J. Kim, MD, PhD, associate professor of dermatology at the University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, tells WebMD that Fowler's report is the first she has heard of the allergen. Kim says she will start asking patients in whom she can't find a cause of rash about recent furniture purchases.
"I'm going to start looking for [DMF allergies]," she says. Fowler says DMF is "put into little packets, or sachets, that are then put in with furniture, clothing, and shoes to prevent mold during shipping." As more U.S. doctors hear about DMF-contaminated furniture and clothing, "we'll be hearing about a lot more of these cases," he says. Leachco® Back N' Belly Chic Pregnancy Support and Feeding Pillow in Taupe Rings Leachco® Snoogle® Chic Jersey Total Body Pillow in Heather Grey Leachco® Snoogle® Total Body Pregnancy Support and Feeding Pillow in Navy Leachco® Back N Belly Chic Contoured Body Pillow in Ivory Leachco® Back N Belly Chic Jersey Replacement Cover in Heather Grey Leachco® Snoogle® Total Body Pregnancy Support and Feeding Pillow in Mauve Boppy® Slipcovered Total Body Pillow in Ring Toss Leachco® Snoogle® Total Body Pregnancy Support and Feeding Pillow in Ivory Contour® Memory Foam Leg Pillow Simmons Kids BeautySleep® Body Positioner with High Performance ThermoCool™ Cover
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- A: Advance tickets can be purchased through our websites online store. They will be mailed to you – allow 5-7 business days to receive. Do not pre-purchase passes if coming within 5 business days. – A: Yes, Monday through Thursday only (excluding holidays). /rates/group-rates.html on our Rates & Hours page. We prefer you contact the administrative office if you plan to take advantage of the group rate so we can let our cashiers know to when to expect your group. Groups must pay in 1 lump sum in order to receive group rate. – A: We do not offer Scout group rates at the Hot Pools. We do not offer a spectator rate. Every person entering the Hot Pools is required to pay the regular admission fees, no exceptions. – A: All children under the age of 3 must wear a swim diaper at all times when in the water, potty trained or not. We do include a complimentary swim diaper with the $2.00 admission fee for the children under 3. – A: YES, We do allow outside food and drinks into our facilities.
For the safety of others, we DO NOT allow Glass or Alcohol or BBQ’s. All coolers and bags will be checked for that enter our facilities. Patrons are not allowed to eat while sitting in the pools. – A: NO, for your safety and safety of others it is not safe to combine alcohol and hot water. – A: YES, We do have suits and towels available for rent. Suits are $1.50 plus a $5.00 deposit and Towels are $1.50 plus a $5.00 deposit. Deposits are refundable when you return the items. – A: YES, we provide lockers for your use and are $0.50 cents per use. We are not responsible for items left, lost or stolen. – A: NO, we do not have lodging or camping on site but most accommodations are within walking distance and have over 500 rooms, campsites, vacation homes etc. in Lava Hot Springs and are independently owned. We operate the State owned Hot Pool and Swimming Pool facilities and reserve 4 parks for reunions/parties. and click on Accommodations. – A: Yes, we DO allow you to bring in tables or chairs but NO shade tents, Umbrellas can be held but we do not allow the ones you can stake in the lawn.
We have a few lawn chairs and picnic tables at the hot pools and are first come first serve. We do not have pavilions in the Hot Pool area. – A: YES, We do allow floatation devices for children in the hot pools lifejackets, arm bands or water rings up to 24”in diameter. We do not allow large tubes, layout inflatable devices or water noodles. – A: No, Children 11 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult at all times in our hot pools facility. – A: The hot pools start at 112⁰ down to 102⁰. The temperatures are always the same because they are all natural mineral hot springs and we do not regulate the temperature or add anything to the water. Over 2.5 million gallons of water flow through the hot pools in 24 hours. A: Rarely, do we close for inclement weather and refunds are NOT given due to inclement weather – Rain, thunder, lightning, and snow etc., no exceptions. The hot pools rarely close due to weather but may if the employees feel the lightening is too close and unsafe.
We are open every day of the year except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. – A: Yes, We have 4 parks we reserve for family reunions etc. outside of our facility; you can find pictures on our website. Those park names are: East, West, Majestic and Garden Park, all other parks in town are first come, first serve. All our parks have pavilions except the Garden Park. All our parks have port a potties and volleyball nets for your use. Our parks do not have power, water, fire or BBQ amenities; you are welcome to bring generators if needed. These parks are not inside our pool facilities and are located in the City of Lava Hot Springs. The cost to reserve a park is $75 per day. We accept reservations each year starting January 2nd for the current year. Contact 208-776-5221 x100 Monday through Friday for reservations. – A: No, The river tubes are not affiliated with our facility and tubes are not allowed in our facilities. There are tube stands in town that you can rent tubes from to float the river.
– A: No, pets are not allowed inside our facilities except service dogs. You can tie them to the outside of the fence while swimming but would need to provide shade and water for them. – A: No, We have it posted that NO Semi-Trucks are allowed to park in our parking lots or on our streets adjacent to the pools. There is no overnight parking allowed in the town of Lava Hot Springs for Trailers, Motor Homes or Semi Trucks. – A: We do not have a cold pool but we do have an outside cold shower spout near the coolest pool. – A: Per our guidelines we do not recommend pregnant women to soak in the hot pools and suggest you speak with your physician before doing so. A – Boys, 4 years and older will use the family or men’s dressing rooms only. The Men’s dressing rooms have showers and restrooms. Girls, age 4 years and older will use the family or women’s dressing rooms only. The women dressing rooms have showers and restrooms. We do have a unisex bathroom on site as well.