Victoria’s Secret has been in some hot water lately. Some women have recently complained of rashes, hives, and permanent scarring from wearing their new Victoria’s Secret bras. Attorneys are considering filing a class action lawsuit against the company. Roberta Ritter, one of the women who claim to be experiencing these symptoms, said, “I had the welts…very red, hot to the touch, extremely inflamed, blistery. It itched profusely. I couldn’t sleep, waking up itching…I was just utterly sick.” She said she suffered these problems after purchasing the Angels Secret Embrace and the Very Sexy Extreme Push-Up bras.
Since she began working with lawyers, she says that dozens of other women have contacted them telling similar complaints involving other collections. Ritter’s lawyers purchased similar bras and sent them to a lab to find out the possible cause, and reported that the bras tested positively for formaldehyde
Victoria’s Secret released this statemet: “We are sorry that a small number of people have had an issue and we want to help them determine the cause…We have strict quality control around our products, and we do not use formaldehyde in our bras.”
I purchased a bra at Target, in order to pay less money, in 2005. I developed an itchy area on the right side where the bra touched my skin in the front. Then after a few days I noticed marks on the skin in that same place. I immediately saw my dermatologist about it. He told me that it is a regular practice for lingerie manufacturers to put formaldehyde in their finished product. That is why it is so important to wash our lingerie before wearing it. However, sometimes the washing does not remove all of the chemical, and some people are more sensitive to it than others. I had washed mine first before wearing it. It is now 2008, and I still have the marks on my skin, and the itch comes back now and then. It looks like it will never go away. I get a thermography (heat sensitive) exam in place of a mammogram each year. That exam shows a concentration of heat in the place where the formaldehyde left marks on my skin – which means damaged tissue. Every bra manufacturer is guilty, not just Victoria’s Secret. Buyer Beware!
I recently purchased 2 Victoria’s Secret Bras, and as soon as I started wearing them I developed large red itchy areas on both sides of my breasts, which later spread to the underarms. The rash then spread to my forearms,back, behind the knees, and stomach. I also developed a tight chest, and was coughing up yellow phlegm. Now I have a dry cough.
I went to the doctor, who agreed that the rash could spread to other areas of the body, after starting at the breasts, and it is definitely an allergic reaction.
THis all started right after wearing the bras.
I am really angry to think that such a dangerous, cancer causing substance ( Formadehyde) has been used in making the VS bras.It is a known carcinogen (cause of cancer) and a known allergen.
Both of my new VS bras were made in China.
So angry right now. THis has to STOP.. NO clothing or household products should have formaldehyde in them.
No wonder there is so much Cancer !!!!~!
Irate, unhappy VS customer,
Marion Lindsay
Squamish BC Canada