This was the question posed by Dr. Charles Puza, a New York City board-certified dermatologist who recently went viral on Instagram. He even told us a story from his own life about the dangers of wearing secondhand clothing without laundering it first. His TikTok video, which has garnered millions of views and thousands of comments, serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of cleanliness in clothing.
For his video, Dr. Puza admitted to a devastating experience. He shared his experience of contracting molluscum contagiosum, a viral skin infection, from thrifted clothing that wasn’t washed beforehand. The rather harmless condition appears as small, raised bumps on the skin and doesn’t always warrant treatment. By revealing himself in this way, Dr. Puza made himself vulnerable. Yet his intentions were as much about advancing knowledge on appropriate hygiene practices around clothing.
In his TikTok video, Dr Puza highlighted the harmful chemicals and contaminants that can be found in new clothes. He repeated a few key points to shed light on this important issue. “The chemicals on your clothes (and bedding) sit on your skin all day long!” he stated, highlighting how such substances could irritate the skin. He cautioned that carrying untreated or poorly treated clothing could spread skin infections such as ringworm. This issue is exacerbated with popular fast fashion brands such as Shein and Temu.
Additionally, experts have agreed that Dr. Puza’s fears about unwashed clothing and related dermatological ailments are not unfounded. The dermatologist’s TikTok handle, @drcharlesmd1, has become a platform for sharing health and lifestyle tips, garnering a significant following interested in understanding the implications of everyday choices.
Clearly, thousands of viewers were just as curious and concerned as he was. In the words of one commenter, “Why don’t you launder your clothes.” This TikTok user backed up Dr. Puza’s plea, warning that many clothing items “come with stuff on them that you don’t want on your skin.”
Dr. Puza warned his social-media-obsessed audience about how to responsibly interpret what they see on social. And when looking at social media suggestions, he stressed, the first step should always be talking to your own doctor. “Please note that this post (like all of social media) is meant to entertain and educate,” he stated.
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