Neoprene allergy is seen quite often and the obvious remedy is to discontinue it’s use and obtain any other kind of wet suit that serves the purpose of thermal protection. Interposing creams or chemicals is not effective or wise. This is a usually an allergy to one of the chemical accelerators in Neoprene and would require skin testing to find out exactly which one is the culprit. Polartec and lycra exposure suits are just two of your choices.

Bruce Miller, MD, our dermatology diving consultant feels that this is clearly a contact dermatosis to the rubber accelerator used in the suit manufacture. There are at least 5 or 6 used in the manufacture of rubber products. It is recommended that you need to see a Dermatologist and get PATCH tested (not scratch) to identify exactly what, or which one, is breaking you out. You then need to buy a suit that doesn’t contain that particular compound.