Georgia woman says MRI tech asked if she is wearing Lululemon. Then she learns about the danger she could be wearing

Georgia resident Zaina recently took to her socials to share a factoid about Lululemon that she allegedly learned when she went for an MRI. Specifically, that it might be a safety hazard. This little fact ended up surprising quite a few people, even as others explained why the athleisure brand’s fabric cannot be taken into the procedure. The post has over 100K views on Instagram and TikTok. 

Zaina (@rebuildingwithzaina) set up the situation with a humorous caption. She wrote, “Nobody warned me about the dress code for an MRI. The minute [he] asked, “Are those Lululemon?” I knew this appointment was about to be a STORY. Please tell me I’m not the only one who didn’t know this.”

In the video, Zaina told her viewers, “I was scheduled for MRI this morning, and I went. When I got there, the technician asked me, ‘Excuse me, ma’am, what brand are you wearing?’ I looked at him, and I asked him, ‘Why? Does it matter?’ He said, ‘Yes, it matters, because if it’s Lulu, you have to strip everything out. But if it’s another brand, you can just remove the top and keep the bottom.’” 

Zaina was confused but also scared because of a story from home

Zaina says she pushed for answers, asking, “So why, if it’s Lulu, I have to strip everything? And if it’s another brand, I can go in there?” She alleged, “He told me because Lulu’s material is not allowed in there. And I said, but I don’t even know what material I’m wearing. I don’t know. I bought this.”

Zaina told her viewers that the situation reminded her of a story from back home. She claimed that a young boy lost his life when his mother failed to disclose that he has a plate in his head from previous surgery. With that in mind, she told the technician, “I’m a single mother. Please kindly let me strip everything and go there. As I, let me just strip everything, he, he just laughed. He said, ‘No, ma’am, just take off the top. Keep the leggings on and just take off your Jewellery.”

Some of Zaina’s viewers were shocked, as one Instagrammer noted, “wow i knew about the metal, but in our clothing!! Omg. So scary how the MRI machines never turn off too.” Many more came forward with explanations. A user wrote, “You cannot wear Lululemon in an MRI machine because the fabric contains hidden metallic fibers that heat up and cause severe skin burns. Most people don’t know and it’s very dangerous.” 

Radiology Business highlighted that Betsy Grunch, a board-certified neurosurgeon in Gainesville, Georgia, has been warning patients about this exact issue. The key culprit is often X-static, which is pure silver permanently bonded to nylon for antimicrobial and odor-protection benefits. As Grunch explains, “Don’t get me wrong, I love my Lulu, but there’s actually metal woven into the fabric.” Per a recent post, the odor-protection is something a TikToker could have used. 

Radiology Business noted that the danger is that these metallic fibers can heat up inside the intense magnetic field of an MRI machine, potentially causing severe skin burns. Grunch even shared a case report of a patient who wore athletic wear that claimed to be 100% polyester, only to suffer blisters that matched the lines of her pants after the scan. The FDA notes that between 2008 and 2017, burns accounted for 59% of MRI safety events.

In Zaina’s post, some users provided advice. A user wrote the comments section, “Cotton is best to wear. Some sports jerseys that are very shiny materials and threading have been known to heat up also. Please heed the warnings of the Technologist.”

Others pointed out that institutional rules vary widely. One user mentioned, “In Montreal (and across Canada), the strict rule is that you must take off all your street clothes and wear only a hospital gown or hospital-provided scrubs.” A user in the UK echoed this, saying, “In the UK, you are put in a hospital dressing gown, no wig, no nothing.” Another person who didn’t identify their location wrote, “I had one yesterday and only had to take my bra off.”

In the face of this information, some users decided it was best to be safe. To that effect, one user stated, “I would have stripped down naked just to be safe”

Radiology Business also noted that if you’re heading in for a scan, it’s worth being extra cautious about your attire, or simply asking for a hospital gown to be safe. As Grunch says, “Metal during an MRI scan can heat up to 150 degrees, which can burn your skin. So, if you’re getting an MRI, just think about what you’re wearing before you get in the machine.”