What's in your clothing | Phthalates
Clothing can serve as a means for exposure through phthalates directly or indirectly. Phthalates may be used in clothing, especially...
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Erum Ilyas, MD, MBE, FAAD
Board Certified Dermatologist | CEO | Functional Textile Expert | Bioethicist | Educator | Author | Mom
Follow me @drerumilyas
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Oct 31
- 5 min
What's in your clothing | Antimicrobial textiles
Antimicrobial textiles are textiles that are manufactured with nanoparticles, natural antimicrobial agents, and/or have actual...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Oct 26
- 3 min
What's in your clothing | Metals
We tend to think of textiles as made up of fibers we are familiar with such as cotton, silk, wool, polyester, and nylon, but did you...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Oct 21
- 2 min
Flame Retardants & Pajamas
There is a long history behind flame retardants and pajamas. In 1953, the Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) was passed to regulate highly...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Oct 2
- 5 min
What’s in your clothing | Textile Dyes
Most textiles will have some sort of textile dye to impart a color to the garment and yes, this may trigger some skin issues that it's...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Sep 12
- 5 min
Hats | Best Sun Hats for UV Protection
To get sun protection from a hat, it has to cover your head and provide shade for the face and scalp. Read more... Topics Do all hats...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Aug 21
- 5 min
Towels & Skincare | How to choose a towel with skin in mind
The ideal bath towels for skincare quickly absorb moisture, are soft against the skin while still retaining a texture to provide a...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Jul 22
- 1 min
MEDICAL PUBLICATION | The Impact of Routine Laundering on Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) Values
Read more about the latest research in sun-protective textiles from Dr. Erum Ilyas and her team...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Jul 7
- 6 min
Mosquito Repellents | A must-have skincare essential for summer
Mosquito repellents work by making us less attractive to mosquitoes. They work by repelling insects, not killing them. There are a...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Jul 3
- 3 min
Sunscreen That Won't Stain Clothes
Sunscreens can either stain your clothes or leave a residue behind depending on the type chosen. In general, it can be easier to lift a...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Jun 21
- 4 min
Bamboo Towels
Towels that claim to be bamboo towels are most often a combination of bamboo and cotton. Regular towels are most often made of cotton alone
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Jun 12
- 2 min
Hemp for fabric?
Hemp has been increasingly used in the textile industry with limited widespread use likely linked to other uses for hemp outside of...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Jun 10
- 8 min
Pillowcases and Skincare | Are silk pillowcases worth the hype?
In terms of skincare, there was a study that looked at silk-like pillowcases for acne. This was not silk, however. The study was based on a
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Jun 10
- 4 min
Silk Pajamas | Are they really worth it?
Excess friction between skin and textiles contributes to skin irritation. Fabrics abrade the surface of the epidermis and contribute to...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Jun 10
- 2 min
Not loving that new clothes smell? Toxic chemicals and clothing
You may have noticed that when you order new clothes online, there can be a distinct toxic or “chemical-like” smell emanating from the...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Jun 9
- 5 min
How to choose sun protective clothing
The goal of sun-protective clothing is to understand the amount of protection your skin has from UV exposure underneath your clothing. ...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Jun 4
- 4 min
Baby Sun Protection | Sunscreen, hats, clothing
It is important to take measures to protect babies, regardless of skin tone, from sunburn. The pigment in the skin does not offer full...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Jun 2
- 5 min
Best Bedsheets based on Fabric for Skincare
Remember that most of your skin comes into contact with fabric at some point during the day or night- whether it be your clothes or bed...
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- May 31
- 5 min
Back Acne
Body or back acne (bacne) can be triggered by various causes- not all of which are true acne. Not every pimple is acne, especially when it c
Dr. Erum Ilyas
- Jan 27
- 4 min
Silk Pillowcases
In terms of skincare, there was a study that looked at silk-like pillowcases for acne. This was not silk, however. Read more... Topics...
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