Does Cotton or Organic Clothing Cause Morgellons Disease?

Morgellons Disease, a rare condition which results in lesions and strange sensations of bugs or parasites crawling all over the skin, has divided the medical community into two camps: those that believe Morgellons Disease is real, and the skeptics; those that believe Morgellons Disease is psychological only. Medical researchers, studying the arguments of both parties, have begun to emerge a theory on what could be the underlying cause of Morgellons Disease: cotton or other types of organic clothing matter.

For individuals in the medical community who are skeptical about Morgellons Disease, cotton or organic clothing matter would seem to be the perfect explanation on why the disease occurs. How could this be so? It is because when one looks at a Morgellons Disease lesion under a microscope they see unusual-looking fibers. People who believe Morgellons Disease isn’t real dismiss these fibers as being the result of a disease-causing agent, such as bacteria or a parasite. Instead it seems to make sense that the fibers are a result of cotton or organic clothing threads. In fact, individuals who are suffering from the psychological condition often associated with Morgellons Disease, (Delusional Parasitosis), actually have fibers from cotton or organic clothing matter mixed in with their lesions. However, what skeptics do not want to acknowledge is that the fibers associated with Delusional Parasitosis are completely different than the fibers associated with Morgellons Disease. First of all fibers from Morgellons Disease shine when seen under an ultraviolet light; fibers from cotton or organic clothing matter do not. Fibers from Morgellons Disease also move independently; fibers from cotton or organic clothing matter do not. Lastly, fibers from cotton or organic clothing matter will burn. Fibers from Morgellons Disease do not burn.

This is not to say that cotton or organic clothing matter can’t cause what Morgellons Disease believers think is the ‘legitimate’ form of Morgellons Disease, at least in theory. For believers, though, cotton or organic clothing matter contributes to the disease in a different manner: through parasitic worms. For cotton these worms are actually added to help control pests while occurring at random in other types of organic clothing matter. These worms cause problems by releasing bacterium that irritates the skin. It is important to note that even non-Morgellons Disease sufferers can be affected by these worms. For example, these worms have been linked to Lyme Disease.

In conclusion cotton or organic clothing matter could be the cause of Morgellons Disease, depending on how one perceives the condition. People who believe Morgellons Disease is fake may believe that the fibers found within Morgellons Disease lesions are that of cotton or organic clothing matter and are subsequently harmless. People who believe Morgellons Disease is real will believe that the parasitic worms present in cotton or organic clothing are the culprits of Morgellons Disease. At the moment both ideas are nothing more than theories, but hopefully the more that Morgellons Disease sufferers let their conditions known to the public the more researchers will delve into deeper study.