What does having a TRUE allergic reaction to wool mean?

Question:

I read that it is very rare for people to have a TRUE allergic reaction to wool,but what does it mean to have a TRUE reaction? What happens to you?

Answers:
A true allergic reaction means that your immune system is overreacting to an innoucous substance in the wool. A sensitivity means that while the wool may be irritating your skin, it does not involve the immune system. There may be no difference between the symptoms of a wool sensitivity and a true wool allergy. You could tell if it was a true wool allergy if you had blood and skin samples taken and could detect clincial signs of a specific immune response against the wool substance (antigen): for example, if the samples contained IgE antibodies against the wool antigen or if the samples contained a bunch of T cells specific for wool antigen.

Search engines are GREAT tools, learn to use yours...a search on "true allergy to wool" (no quotes) came up with this (among other things)

"Most medical experts, while not discounting the discomfort caused by wool sensitivity, say that true wool allergies are rare. A person with wool allergies has an allergic response, just like a person with an allergy to cats or pollen would have when he or she came into contact with those allergens."

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What does having a TRUE allergic reaction to wool mean?

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