TOPIC: Finally got fiberglass itch

With all the times I have worked around fiberglass (on boats, re-insulating my house, construction sites, etc), I never had an itch problem. A little bit, maybe, but nothing significant. Yesterday I was replacing some ceiling lights for my mother and all of a sudden my wrists were driving me crazy. It was the fiberglass insulation on top of the units finally made it kick in. Had to scrub a while to get that to calm down.

Hope everyone had a good (and itch free) Christmas.

I usually get the itchy eyes also. Now I resigned to minamize the glass work and add mahogany instead. A few days and it will be gone but if your clothes are washed with your skivies you're gunna hang loose for a few days

Ah, old attic ichylation.... I work in it as part of my job, and have found it is not the fiberglass that makes me itch but the fine dust and other impurities that mixes in it over the years. We have 100+ year old houses here that after 33 years will make me inflamed. Just remember to wash gently in cold water first, and keep a supply of aloe or if it is bad cortisone lotion. Seems the older I get the more it bothers.

thetudor wrote:

With all the times I have worked around fiberglass (on boats, re-insulating my house, construction sites, etc), I never had an itch problem. A little bit, maybe, but nothing significant. Yesterday I was replacing some ceiling lights for my mother and all of a sudden my wrists were driving me crazy. It was the fiberglass insulation on top of the units finally made it kick in. Had to scrub a while to get that to calm down.

Hope everyone had a good (and itch free) Christmas.

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Todd,....I know exactly what you are talking about when it comes to itching from sanding fiberglass! To remedy that, here is how I dress whenever I am sanding it or mixing it as I REALLY itch when it gets on my skin. It may look stupid but the suit, respirator goggles and gloves work well!

Didn't I see you at NASA?

Get some zinc oxide medicated powder like Amens or Gold Bond. Rub a bunch of it into your skin just before you get dressed into your work clothes. The powder helps to protect the pore openings, and the zinc oxide reduces sweating and iritation. Seems to work good for me. As stated above - rinse with Cold water, hot water will allow the glass to get into your open skin pores

Didn't know that about the zinc oxide Bruce, good tip. A friend told me about the talcum powder trick, it did seem to help. I do know those suits can be hot in the summertime, but they sure help a lot!

Pollen allergies, fiberglass itch, (and I'm sure there are a few others) DO seem to have a greater effect on some of us when we get a little older, kinda weird!?

Always protect your skin when working with insulation. Sanding fiberglass seems to get through about anything but the while suits. I always ripped them behind the shoulders when I was young. My chest was over 50 inches then and arms like hams. I could pick up a small block and walk with it. That stuff put me in the shape I am. I was also called a human back hoe at one time. You probably pushed the stuff into your skin when working overhead. Did you have long sleeves on?

rob, i shure could of used you building some of my retaining wall jobs. the fresh wolmenized ties were HEAVY. nowadays decorative block is used and is much easier to manuver. ron

The irony is that I was not technically working with fiberglass. It was just present in the top of the fixture and all I was doing was screwing the fixture into an existing overhead box.

my first job was insulting new homes with fiberglass batts ,wow i hated that job,alot of cold showers,and not for the normal reasons.

then i had a job of removing asbestos in power plants and reinsulating with rock wool,(called "monkeys")
i asked one of the older guys why they called them monkeys,he replied ...just look at your self..as i stood there scratching like a chimpanzee.john