Skin-Irritating Summer Plants | Stellis Health

If you spend time outdoors in summer, you might come in contact with plants that cause skin reactions including rashes, blisters, and hives. Here’s a short guide to irritating summer plants.

Toxic Plants Aren’t Equally Irritating

Some people have allergic reactions to plants that don’t bother most people. The allergic reaction may resemble a rash. However, the rash is triggered by allergic responses inside the body.

Non-allergic plant rashes are caused by toxins that make direct contact with the skin. The toxic agents may be in the milk, sap, or stinging hairs of a plant. When skin contact is made with leaves, stems, and other parts of irritating plants, the toxins cause a rash at the site(s) of contact.

Urushiol Oil Is a Common Cause of Summer Rashes

Urushiol oil causes itching of the skin where it touches the body. A rash soon develops followed by small blisters.

Urushiol oil is found in the sap of:

• Poison ivy
• Poison oak
• Poison sumac

Merely touching the leaves of these plants can transfer the toxic oil to your skin.

Contrary to popular belief, only the part of your skin that touches the plant is affected by the itching and blisters. You can’t spread urushiol oil rashes to other people or to other parts of your body by touching the blisters. It may only seem this way as patches of itching develop at different rates.

Plants Can Make the Sun No Fun

On the extreme end of the toxic-plant spectrum are the plants that cause photodermatitis. Plants in the carrot family are included in this category. Photo-dermatitis-inducing plants cause your skin to swell with giant blisters a few hours after touching the sap and exposing the skin to sunlight.

The agents responsible for the intense reactions are called psoralens. These chemicals can cause severe reactions at exposed sites in some people. Dark streaks may remain on the skin for months after the blisters are healed.

Plants that cause photodermatitis include:

• Wild parsnip
• Garden rue
• Gas plant
• Fig tree
• Poison hemlock

Many of the plants in the carrot family have blooms that resemble Queen Anne’s lace. The broad flower clusters may be white or yellow and all face upward in an umbrella-like pattern. Queen Anne’s lace is not toxic and is often used in flower arrangements. However, don’t pick flowers that resemble the blooms unless you’re sure the plant is actually Queen Anne’s lace.

A notorious plant that causes photodermatitis is the giant hogweed. This plant has not been found in Minnesota yet, but you may encounter it in Wisconsin or any of the other states where it’s been discovered.

The giant hogweed lives up to its name by growing up to 15 feet tall. Leaves grow up to five feet in size. Exposure to giant hogweed can cause serious swelling and discoloration of skin.

Stinging Plants Deliver Allergic Reactions

In North America, the stinging nettle is a common cause of itchy, welt-covered skin. Stinging nettles are covered with tiny hairs that pierce the skin when touched.

The hairs don’t just poke into your skin. They also deliver a mini shot of histamine, serotonin, formic acid, and acetylcholine. Formic acid is one of the agents that put the sting in bee and fire-ant stings

Removal of Toxic Plants Requires Care

If you encounter toxic plants on your property, have the plants professionally removed or remove the plants yourself. Your local extension agent can offer advice on removal so you don’t accidentally spread the plant.

Always wear protective clothing, eyewear, and gloves when digging or mowing skin-irritating plants. Don’t burn the plants because the smoke and fumes are damaging too.

Rashes May Be Avoided With Cleanup

If you realize you’ve been in contact with a poisonous plant, take action right away. Plant poisons don’t take long to start causing trouble.

Follow these seven steps after you touch a poisonous plant:

1. Get out of the sun and go indoors or in the shade.
2. Wash skin gently with cool water and soap to remove oils.
3. Rinse skin well and pat dry with a fresh, clean towel.
4. Don’t scratch, pick, or rub the rash or blisters.
5. Use cool, wet washcloths or a cool soak to soothe the area.
6. Apply over-the-counter creams to relieve itching.
7. Consult with your healthcare provider for prescription ointments if your itch is severe.

Blisters from plant rashes often ooze a clear liquid and then dry into a crust. The oozing-crusting process may repeat as the rash heals. The broken skin is prone to infection during this process, so keep the site of the rash clean and free of debris while it heals.

According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, you should call your doctor about any serious rash-related symptoms you’re having including:

• Rash over one-fourth of your body
• Fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit
• Rash on mouth, eyes, or genitals
• Rash does not heal after two weeks
• Soft yellow scabs or pus in rash

If you’re having difficulty breathing, intense pain at the rash site, or the itching is making it impossible for you to sleep, contact your health care provider immediately.

Contact the staff at Stellis Health when you need a medical skin care evaluation for yourself or a member of your family. Our skin care team diagnoses and treats summer rashes for our patients.

Poison ivy – oak – sumac rash

Definition

Poison ivy, oak, and sumac are plants that commonly cause an allergic skin reaction. The result is most often an itchy, red rash with bumps or blisters.

Causes

The rash is caused by skin contact with the oils (resin) of certain plants. The oils most often enter the skin rapidly.

POISON IVY

• This is one of the most frequent causes of skin rash among children and adults who spend time outdoors.
• The plant has 3 shiny green leaves and a red stem.

Poison ivy typically grows in the form of a vine, often along riverbanks. It can be found throughout much of the United States.

POISON OAK

This plant grows in the form of a shrub and has 3 leaves similar to poison ivy. Poison oak is mostly found on the West Coast.

POISON SUMAC

This plant grows as a woody shrub. Each stem contains 7 to 13 leaves arranged in pairs. Poison sumac grows abundantly along the Mississippi River.

AFTER CONTACT WITH THESE PLANTS

• The rash does not spread by the fluid from the blisters. Therefore, once a person has washed the oil off the skin, the rash does not often spread from person to person.
• The plant oils may remain for a long time on clothing, pets, tools, shoes, and other surfaces. Contact with these items can cause rashes in the future if they are not cleaned well.

Smoke from burning these plants can cause the same reaction.

Symptoms

Symptoms include:

• Extreme itching
• Red, streaky, patchy rash where the plant touched the skin
• Red bumps, which may form large, weeping blisters

The reaction can vary from mild to severe. In rare cases, the person with the rash needs to be treated in the hospital. The worst symptoms are often seen during days 4 to 7 after coming in contact with the plant. The rash may last for 1 to 3 weeks.

First Aid

First aid includes:

• Wash the skin thoroughly with soap and warm water. Because the plant oil enters skin quickly, try to wash it off within 30 minutes.
• Scrub under the fingernails with a brush to prevent the plant oil from spreading to other parts of the body.
• Wash clothing and shoes with soap and hot water. The plant oils can linger on them.
• Immediately bathe animals to remove the oils from their fur.
• Body heat and sweating can aggravate the itching. Stay cool and apply cool compresses to your skin.
• Calamine lotion and hydrocortisone cream can be applied to the skin to reduce itching and blistering.
• Bathing in lukewarm water with an oatmeal bath product, available in drugstores, may soothe itchy skin. Aluminum acetate (Domeboro solution) soaks can help to dry the rash and reduce itching.
• If creams, lotions, or bathing do not stop the itching, antihistamines may be helpful.
• In severe cases, especially for a rash around the face or genitals, the health care provider may prescribe steroids, taken by mouth or given by injection.
• Wash tools and other objects with a dilute bleach solution or rubbing alcohol.

Do Not

In case of an allergy:

• Do NOT touch skin or clothing that still have the plant resins on the surface.
• Do NOT burn poison ivy, oak, or sumac to get rid of it. The resins can be spread via smoke and can cause severe reactions in people who are far downwind.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Get emergency medical treatment right away if:

• The person is suffering from a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or difficulty breathing, or has had a severe reaction in the past.
• The person has been exposed to the smoke of burning poison ivy, oak or sumac.

Call your provider if:

• Itching is severe and cannot be controlled.
• The rash affects your face, lips, eyes, or genitals.
• The rash shows signs of infection, such as pus, yellow fluid leaking from blisters, odor, or increased tenderness.

Prevention

These steps can help you avoid contact:

• Wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks when walking in areas where these plants may grow.
• Apply skin products, such as Ivy Block lotion, beforehand to reduce the risk of a rash.

Other steps include:

• Learn to identify poison ivy, oak, and sumac. Teach children to identify them as soon as they are able to learn about these plants.
• Remove these plants if they grow near your home (but never burn them).
• Be aware of plant resins carried by pets.
• Wash skin, clothing and other items as soon as possible after you think you may have come in contact with the plant.

Images

References

Freeman EE, Paul S, Shofner JD, Kimball AB. Plant-induced dermatitis. In: Auerbach PS, Cushing TA, Harris NS, eds. Auerbach’s Wilderness Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2017:chap 64.

Habif TP. Contact dermatitis and patch testing. In: Habif TP, ed. Clinical Dermatology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 4.

Marco CA. Dermatologic presentations. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 110.

Don’t touch these plants – Illinois Country Living Magazine

Poisonous plants have been in the news lately, and for good reason. Many plants in Illinois can cause skin irritation. If you spend time outdoors, be aware of these plants. We’ll break these plants into categories.

Poison plants

Poison plants contain a toxin called urushiol oil, which is in the sap of the plant. Touching this plant can cause skin rashes and blisters. This includes poison ivy, oak and sumac.

Poison ivy is common in Illinois. The main characteristic of poison ivy is the trifoliate leaves. “Leaves of three, let it be,” as they say. It can grow as a vine or low shrub and produces greenish-white berries.

Poison Oak can also be identified by trifoliate leaves; however, it is a shrub with hairy leaves that have an oak-like appearance. Poison Sumac is a shrub or small tree that can grow from 6 to 20 feet tall. Luckily for us in Illinois, poison oak and sumac are traditionally found in other parts of the U.S.

Skin irritant plants

Including spurges, poinsettias, pencil cactus, daffodils, hyacinths and buttercups, skin irritant plants can cause skin irritations, and the reaction varies from person to person.

Spurges often have a milky sap that is a mild skin irritant but is also poisonous and considered carcinogenic. Like cow parsnip and giant hogweed below, exposure to the sun induces irritation. There are many plants that belong to this group.

Photo dermatitis plants

Mainly members of the carrot family, like Queen Anne’s lace, wild parsnip and giant hogweed, are considered photo dermatitis plants. The rue and mulberry families also have culprits including garden rue, gas plant and fig trees. The reaction is caused by furocoumarin chemicals in the plants in combination with sunlight. Blisters form in a few hours after exposure to the plant saps and sunlight.

Giant hogweed and cow parsnip: Although rare in Illinois, be aware of giant hogweed. It can reach a height of 15 feet, stems up to 4 inches in diameter, leaves 5 feet broad, and the inflorescences can get up to 2.5 feet across. Cow parsnip, which is common in Illinois, has lobed leaves which are not as deeply lobed as giant hogweeds. The stems of cow parsnip are green or light purple and have fine hairs giving it a fuzzy appearance. Giant hogweed has coarse hairs and purple blotches. The reaction from giant hogweed is more severe than cow parsnip, resulting in large blisters and red/purple rashes that can scar.

Wild parsnip: The stem of wild parsnip is somewhat hairy, grooved and 2 to 5 feet tall. Flowers are yellow and arranged in an umbrella shape. If the juice from broken stalks, leaves or flowers contacts skin and then is exposed to sunlight, a rash can result 24-48 hours later. Wild parsnip is easier to identify from the other photo dermatitis causing plants because of the yellow flower.

Poison hemlock: This carrot family member resembles wild carrot and has the characteristic umbrella shaped inflorescence of small white flowers and leaves that extend at the base sheathing the stem. Poison hemlock can be identified by the purple blotches on the stem. The leaves of poison hemlock are also more dissected compared to wild carrot and the plant reaches 3 to 7 feet tall. Although poison hemlock is more known for poisonings as a result of ingesting, the plant’s natural oils may absorb through the skin.

Stinging plants

Stinging plants have nettles. Touching a nettle can cause a toxic reaction. However, the initial/immediate reaction does not last long and has no lasting effect.

Stinging nettle: Touching stinging nettle can produce itching and welting. This plant is armed with small hairs that can inject a cocktail of histamine, serotonin, acetylcholine and formic acid when touched. Stinging nettle often grows in patches and can grow up to 5 feet but is typically between 2 to 3. To identify nettles, look at the stems to see if stinging hairs are present.

Exposure to any of these plants can be mitigated by wearing gloves, long pants and long-sleeved shirts when in outside areas that could contain these plants. Plan weeding activities for later in the evening, during low levels of sunlight, to avoid activating the blistering process of the photo dermatitis plants.

If you think you’ve found a population of any poisonous plant, DO NOT TOUCH! Instead, take close-up photos of the leaves, flower heads and stem, and contact the Extension Master Gardener volunteers at your local Extension office.

Poison Ivy, Oak, or Sumac

Topic Overview

What are poison ivy, oak, and sumac?

Poison ivy, oak, and sumac are plants that can cause a red, itchy rash called allergic contact dermatitis. It is the most common skin problem caused by contact with plants.

What causes a poison ivy, oak, or sumac rash?

The rash is caused by contact with a sticky oil called urushiol (say “yoo-ROO-shee-all”) found in poison ivy, oak, or sumac. You can get the rash from:

• Touching or brushing against any part of these plants, including the leaves, stems, flowers, berries, and roots, even if the plant is dead.
• Touching anything that has come in contact with these plants, such as clothing, sporting gear, gardening tools, or pet fur.

The rash is only spread through the oil. You can’t catch a rash from someone else by touching the blister fluid.

The rash is an allergic reaction to the oil. You become allergic to it through contact. After you have come in contact with these plants, your immune system may start to react to the oil as though it’s a harmful substance.

What are the symptoms?

The usual symptoms of the rash are:

• Itching.
• Red streaks or general redness where the plant brushed against the skin.
• Small bumps or larger raised areas (hives).
• Blisters that may leak fluid.

Some people are very allergic to the oil. In these people, even a little bit of the oil may cause serious symptoms that need medical attention right away, such as:

• Trouble breathing.
• Swelling of the face, mouth, neck, or genitals. The eyelids may swell shut.
• Widespread, large blisters that ooze a lot of fluid.

The rash usually takes more than a week to show up the first time you have a reaction to the oil. It develops in a day or two on later contacts. The rash may form in new areas over several days, but you will only get a rash where the oil touched your skin.

The rash usually lasts about 10 days to 3 weeks. But it may last up to 6 weeks in more severe cases.

How is the rash diagnosed?

A doctor can usually diagnose the rash by looking at it and asking questions about:

• When you were exposed to the plant.
• How long it took the rash to develop.
• Other rashes you have had.
• Your outdoor activities, work, and hobbies.

How is it treated?

If you get a mild rash, you can take care of it at home.

• Apply a wet cloth, or soak the area in cool water.
• Use calamine lotion to help relieve itching.
• Try not to scratch the rash. Scratching could cause a skin infection.

See your doctor if the rash covers a large area of your body or your symptoms are severe. A severe rash may be treated with prescription corticosteroid pills, creams, or shots.

How can you prevent the rash from poison ivy, oak, and sumac?

If you think you have touched any of these plants:

• Wash your skin right away with plenty of water and mild soap (such as dishwashing soap) or rubbing alcohol. Rinse often, so that the soap or rubbing alcohol doesn’t dry on the skin and make the rash worse.
• Use a brush to clean under your nails.
• Wash any clothing or other items that might have the oil on them. Do it right away.

The best way to prevent future rashes is to learn to identify these plants and avoid them.

When you can’t avoid contact with the plants:

• Wear long pants, long sleeves, and closed shoes to help keep the oil from getting on your skin.
• Wear vinyl or leather gloves. Rubber (latex), cotton, or wool gloves offer no protection.
• Use a barrier cream or lotion, such as Ivy X Pre-Contact Skin Solution. It can help keep the oil from coming in contact with your skin.
• If you did not use a preventive product and you have had contact with plant oil, clean it off your skin with an after-contact product as soon as possible. These products, such as Tecnu Original Outdoor Skin Cleanser, can also be used to clean plant oil from clothing or tools.

Experts say not to burn plants like poison ivy, oak, or sumac. When these plants burn, urushiol attaches to smoke particles. Exposure to the smoke can cause a rash on your skin. Breathing in the smoke can also hurt your lungs.

Avoiding and treating for contact with poisonous plants – School of Medicine – News

Poisonous plants cause the most common allergic reactions to the skin, affecting as many as 50 million Americans each year, according to the American Skin Association. University of Alabama at Birmingham associate professor of Emergency Medicine, Walter Schrading, M.D., says it is important people are able to identify poisonous plants, prevent an allergic reaction and treat skin irritations after contact.

Identification of poisonous plants

The three most common types of poisonous plants are poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. All three plants produce the same resin called urushiol, which helps the plant retain water. The colorless resin exists on the stems and leaves of these plants, causing toxic effects within 24-48 hours of coming in contact with skin.

Poison ivy is a three-leaf plant that is found on the East Coast in moist, shady areas. It is a vine plant that often grows up trees.

Similarly, poison oak is a three-leaf plant found on the West Coast and some Southern states, growing in shrubs. The plant may have clusters of green-yellow or white berries on the vine-like plant.

Poison sumac is found in wet, marshy regions around riverbanks and looks like a small tree or shrub, sometimes growing 15 feet tall or more. The stem has seven to 13 smooth, oval leaves that are arranged in pairs.

“The adage, ‘Leaves of three, let me be,’ is a good one stick by,” Schrading said. “When working in the yard or exploring outdoors, it is important to be aware of your surroundings and the plants that you come in contact with.”

Virginia creeper is often mistaken for poison ivy. The imposter plant looks like poison ivy, but has five leaves. Often, the two plants grow together. Although it is not as allergenic as poison ivy, raphides, the sap of Virginia creeper, can cause skin irritation and blisters in sensitive people when it punctures the skin.

Prevention of an allergic reaction

Poisonous plants are a common cause for skin rashes. Urushiol is found on the poisonous plants year-round, even when the plants are brown and not fully grown. Precaution should be taken even in the fall and winter months.

“Prevention is key when you are outdoors,” Schrading said. “If you are in an area that contains weeds or overgrowth, it is best to take precautions to protect your skin from interacting with the resin that comes off the plants.”

A few precautions to take:

• When outdoors in wooded areas, wear long pants and long sleeves to avoid contact with poisonous plants.
• If you are gardening and suspect poisonous plants in the area, use gloves to extract the plant.
• Use Ivy Block, an over-the-counter topical containing Bentoquatam, which protects skin from urushiol. It should be applied every four hours.

Contact dermatitis

The severity of the rash will depend on the person and his or her allergic reaction. There is a group of patients who have a genetic predisposition to an extreme reaction based on their heredity.

Contact dermatitis is the skin rash caused from exposure to poisonous plants. It is a red, linear rash that burns or itches, and oddly enough, some symptoms may not occur until 10-14 days after contact. Severe symptoms will include small bubbles forming on the skin, swelling around the contact dermatitis, skin leaks and skin crusts.

Typically, the extremities — or legs and arms — come in contact with urushiol. The rash can spread to areas that may not have been exposed due to touching the plant, like touching or scratching the ears, nose, etc. If the resin is on clothing, it can be transferred if bare skin comes in contact with the clothing item.

Pets can also transfer the resin from the plant to humans. It rarely affects pets, as their fur acts as a protective barrier.

“If a dog brushes up against a plant, then you pet the dog, you come in contact with urushiol and could have an allergic reaction,” Schrading said. “If you have an unexplained rash, this could be the culprit.”

Treatment for skin contacted by urushiol

More than 85 percent of the population will have some type of allergic reaction when their skin comes in contact with urushiol. Ten to 15 percent of those people will have a severe reaction to the poisonous plants.

“When people have contact dermatitis, they tend to scratch the rash, damaging the skin. This becomes a vicious cycle and keeps the skin from healing fully,” Schrading explained.

If you suspect that you have come in contact with a poisonous plant, rinse the area with soap and water or rubbing alcohol as quickly as possible. If using rubbing alcohol on children, use sparingly.

Once you have contact dermatitis, it will take one to two weeks minimum to heal. Here are a few options for treatment at home:

• Use a topical cortisol steroid like hydrocortisone, available over the counter, to treat the rash.
• Calamine lotion serves as a soothing agent and promotes drying of the skin to heal the rash.
• Aluminum acetate paired with a cool compress provides relief during the blistering stage.
• Soaking for 15-20 minutes in an oatmeal bath can soothe the itching sensation.

If the allergic reaction spreads to a lot of the body and swelling of the face and eyes is experienced, a physician can prescribe an oral steroid to help promote healing. Seek medical treatment if the allergic reaction is on the face, as cortisol may not be safe to put on the face.    

Plant dermatitis | DermNet NZ

What is plant dermatitis?

Plant dermatitis (also called ‘phytodermatitis’) is a reaction to skin contact with certain plants.

It is not always obvious which plant is responsible for the dermatitis (also known as eczema). Sometimes a rash may develop without direct contact with the plant; the juices may be on clothing or the fingers. A plant cause for dermatitis is suspected when there is a linear or streaky pattern. It is nearly always asymmetrical.

The rash may take various forms. Some plants only cause a rash if the sun is shining on the skin at the same time. This is called photocontact dermatitis. Big blisters appear on exposed parts which have been in contact with the plant. Anyone can get this kind of plant dermatitis, which settles leaving pigmentated patches, which may last several months. When caused by perfume, it is known as ‘berloque dermatitis’.

Irritant contact dermatitis arises in those with sensitive skin, if they’ve handled the plants too much, or if the plants have prickles or barbs. Stinging nettles cause contact urticaria.

Other plants cause a rash only in certain people who have developed an allergy to them. This is called allergic contact dermatitis. A number of cases of very allergic contact dermatitis resulting in facial swelling and blistering of exposed parts are seen every year due to Rhus trees (Toxicodendron succedaneum), which are specimen trees with lovely autumn colours. Primula obconica and chrysanthemum can also cause allergic rashes. Not everyone is allergic to these plants, but those who are may even get rashes from pollen carried in the wind.

Allergic contact dermatitis to a plant is not contagious and the blister fluid does not spread the rash. The rash appears between four hours and 10 days after exposure to the plant, depending on individual sensitivity and the amount of contact. Sometimes more rash appears after treatment has begun due to bloodstream spread of the allergy to other areas (autoeczematisation).

Plant dermatitis

Compositae dermatitis images supplied by Dr Shahbaz A. Janjua

What is the treatment for plant dermatitis?

Plant dermatitis is self-limiting. It clears up without treatment, as long as exposure to the plant is avoided. Topical steroids, and sometimes by oral steroids may be necessary to treat the rash. If there are blisters, compress the areas for 15 minutes twice daily with a mixture of a tablespoon of white vinegar in a litre of water. Ice packs or cold showers will temporarily relieve itching. Steroids are less effective when the skin is blistered. Avoid soap as it irritates.

Prevention

The only way to prevent plant dermatitis is to avoid contact with the responsible plant when it has been identified. Your dermatologist may be able to organise allergy testing (patch tests). We do not test for reactions to the most strongly allergenic plants because the tests could themselves create a new allergy. Many plants also cause irritant dermatitis and so patch tests must be performed and interpreted by an expert.

Skin Irritations Caused by Plants for Trainers and Supervisors

Objective: Identify plants that can cause skin irritations and ways to avoid skin irritations.

Background

Many plants can cause skin irritations in humans. Some workers may be more sensitive to certain plants than other workers. Generally, there are five categories—poison plants, allergenic plants (and plant parts), skin irritant plants, stinging plants, and thorn plants.

• Poison plants include poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. They all contain a toxin called urishiol. This toxin is present in the sap of the plant. Touching this type of plant can cause skin rashes and blisters. See the Tailgate Safety Training module Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac for more detail.
• Allergenic plants (and plant parts) include, among others, orchids, tulip bulbs, chrysanthemums, and dahlias. They cause allergic reactions in some people. The pollen in these plants can cause hay fever or asthma.
• Skin irritant plants include, among others, poinsettias, penciltrees, daffodils, hyacinths, and buttercups. These plants can cause skin irritations.
• Stinging plants have nettles. Touching a nettle can cause a toxic reaction. However, the reaction has no lasting effect.
• Thorn plants include, among others, roses, blackberry and raspberry bushes, and black locust and honey locust trees. Infection can result from an embedded thorn. A scratch can also cause an infection especially if dirt gets into the scratch. See the Tailgate Safety Training module Thorn Bushes for more detail.

How to Avoid Skin Irritations

• If you handle plants, wear gloves, a long-sleeve shirt, and long pants. Wear work shoes or boots. Do not wear open-toed shoes or sandals.
• Never burn plants that may be toxic. Toxins can be present in the smoke.
• Learn what problem plants grow in your area and how to identify them.
• If you touch a poisonous plant, obtain treatment immediately. See the Tailgate Safety Training module Poison Ivy, Poison Sumac, and Poison Oak for more detail.
• Never eat wild berries or plant leaves.
• After handling plants, always wash your hands and other exposed skin before eating, drinking, smoking, or going to the bathroom.
• Wash your clothes separately in hot water. Clean your shoes with rubbing alcohol and water.
• If you have a severe reaction to a plant, such as a rash or blisters, see a doctor.

Review These Important Points

• Learn to recognize what problem plants look like, such as dahlias, hyacinths, daffodils, and blackberry bushes.
• Wear proper clothing to lessen the chance of plants touching your skin.
• Always wash your clothing separately in hot water.
• Never eat wild berries or plant leaves.
• Never burn plants that may be toxic. Toxins can be present in the smoke.
• Obtain treatment immediately if you develop a rash or blisters.

About These Modules
The author team for the training modules in the landscape and horticultural tailgate training series includes Dee Jepsen, Program Director, Agricultural Safety and Health, Ohio State University Extension; Michael Wonacott, Research Specialist, Vocational Education; Peter Ling, Greenhouse Specialist; and Thomas Bean, Agricultural Safety Specialist. Modules were developed with funding from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Grant Number 46E3-HT09.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the U.S. Department of Labor.

Answer Key

1. F

2. T

3. T

4. F

5. F

Quiz: Skin Irritations Caused by Plants

Name____________________________________

True or False?

1. Wash your shoes separately in hot water after handling plants.     T      F

2. Burning plants can release harmful toxins into the air.     T      F

3. After handling plants, always wash your hands and other exposed skin before eating, drinking, smoking, or going to the bathroom.     T      F

4. Eating wild berries is okay if they look ripe.     T      F

5. Wear short-sleeved shirts so you can spot skin reactions easily.     T      F

90,000 Burning “fingerprint”. What plants can be dangerous to humans? | HEALTH

With the onset of hot days, more and more Tyumen residents began to see doctors with burns, blisters, redness after contact with herbs. The influx of such patients occurs only in sunny hot weather, and up to seven people turn to only one dermatologist per day.

Basically, summer residents suffer from phytophotodermatitis, but any person can experience a reaction from contact with plants after walking outside the city, swimming in flowering water and even walking barefoot on the grass.Doctors expect mass appeals during haymaking.

“Phytophotodermatitis combines two reactions at once: to the sun and plants. They are combined because the sun affects the plants. In hot weather, under the influence of sunlight, they secrete essential oils, and when a person sweats, his sweat gland ducts expand, this contributes to the penetration of the allergen from plants into the skin. That is why such diseases practically do not occur in cloudy weather, ”says Lyubov Makarova, specialist in medical prophylaxis at the regional dermatovenerologic dispensary.

Common lumbago (sleep-grass) causes burns on the skin. Photo: From personal archive / Elena Kozhina

Most often sedge, hogweed, primrose and others cause such a reaction. These plants secrete allergenic essential oils.

Without contact

As a rule, signs of illness appear immediately after contact with the plant or throughout the day, in some cases on the second or third day. After exposure to the allergen, edema may occur, after which small bubbles, the opening of which leads to microlysis with a clear liquid in the middle.Necrotic ulcers may appear on the skin, affecting not only the upper layers, but also extending deeper and leading to the appearance of scars. And after recovery, age spots may remain in this place.

Blisters from phytophotodermatitis are often confused with signs of food allergies and even burns.

“It happens that patients come and say that they apparently got burned somewhere and did not notice it themselves, but in fact it is phytophotodermatitis,” says Lyubov Makarova.

Most often, rashes appear on the feet, hands and knees – in those areas that are in contact with grass.

Treatment of the disease is individual and depends on the area and depth of the lesion. With phytophotodermatitis, the first thing that needs to be done is to stop contact with the plant that caused it. Most often, it is treated locally, with the help of ointments, lotions and powders. It is also forbidden to sunbathe at this time, both in the sun and in a solarium.

For the prevention of phytophotodermatitis, you should try not to contact the grass on sunny days, do not lie on it without bedding, try not to walk barefoot and not swim in a flowering reservoir.

Topic

Which herbs should not be touched with your hands?

Hogweed

Its juice on contact with the skin can cause severe burns, up to the 1st degree of severity. It is especially dangerous during flowering in sunny weather. Sometimes, after a couple of minutes, under the influence of sunlight, in the place where the hogweed juice got into, inflammation begins and a bubble swells. With prolonged exposure, deep, long-lasting ulcers are formed, leaving scars.

Larkspur (delphinium)

Poisonous plant from the insidious buttercup family. May cause allergic reactions (burning and itching) on ​​contact with unprotected skin. If you breed delphiniums as decorative flowers, work with them with gloves. And do not allow children to pick beautiful flowers.

Ash (burning bush)

Vapors of essential oil released during seed ripening can severely burn in heat even at a distance of up to two meters.

Meadow parsnip

Causes almost the same burns as hogweed. Once in the meadow, pay attention to light greenery on 1.5-meter stems with nondescript flowers of the same color – do not touch it.

Buttercup

It is no coincidence that wild and domestic animals bypass these yellow flowers. Poisonous buttercup juice causes irritation, itching, blisters on the skin. So collecting bouquets from them and even sniffing is not worth it.

Lumbago (sleep-grass)

Another relative of the buttercup.Both wild and cultivated species are poisonous. The juice causes burns on the skin in the form of redness, blisters and abscesses.

Notes

Which plants can cause phytophotodermatitis? Nettle, sedge, euphorbia, primrose, hogweed

See also:

Dangerous plants

Severe burns can be caused by hogweed, a silage crop introduced to the USSR in the late 1940s.

There are more than 40 species of hogweed in total. Most of them do not bring any harm to us, unlike Sosnovsky’s hogweed.He seized gigantic territories, roadsides and “no-man’s” areas.
What measures should be taken in case of contact with a plant, therapist of the medical prevention center Tatyana Dorofeeva said:
– Unfortunately, not everyone realizes how poisonous Sosnovsky’s hogweed is, and even arrange photo sessions against the backdrop of giant stems with huge umbrellas.
Meanwhile, this “occupant” contains furocoumarins in the leaves, stem and roots, because of them, the sensitivity of human skin to ultraviolet rays quickly and hundreds of times increases.And hence the burns of the first or second degree.
During the flowering period (July – August), the “harmfulness” of the hogweed increases. If you do not take any measures, edema, blisters form on the affected area of ​​the skin, there is a risk of infection and ulceration. When a burn from a cow parsnip reaches 80% of the body, a lethal outcome is not excluded.

How to treat burns
It is necessary to cover the affected skin area with a thick cloth, wash it thoroughly with soap and water. Apply degreasing agents (a weak solution of potassium permanganate, alcohol, furatsilin lotions) and any remedy for burns (panthenol, bepanten, levomekol).If allergic reactions occur, take antihistamines.
At least two days after contact with hogweed, sunlight should be avoided. In case of large burns, blisters, as well as if the face, eyes, mucous membranes, feet have suffered from hogweed, you should immediately consult a doctor. The course of treatment will depend on the extent and extent of the burn.

Familiar strangers
Sosnovsky’s hogweed is not the only botanical threat to health. There are other plants, familiar to us from childhood, which should not be brewed, but even smell and touch them.
So, some types of buttercups are poisonous, containing caustic juice, which leaves burns. When it gets on the mucous membranes, it provokes coughing and laryngeal spasms.
Many gardeners grow rhubarb on their plots, make pies, salads from it, some do not mind crunching the stem. But not everyone knows that the leaves and root of this plant contain a large amount of oxalic acid and its salts. Consuming rhubarb raw can cause a burning sensation in the stomach, kidney problems, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Everything is dangerous for the wolf bast.If you pluck a twig (it breaks off with difficulty), irritation will appear on the skin. But even worse is eating red berries. Of course, you can’t eat a lot. But if you accidentally swallow a handful, you can get a dangerous dose of poisons that cause difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps.
Castor oil plant (pictured on the left) is often found in urban flower beds and garden plots. Children are especially attracted by its fruits – red, brown or green capsules with long thorns on the outside and variegated seeds inside.Castor oil is obtained from castor bean seeds, but they also contain the dangerous substance ricin, which causes severe poisoning.
Show the children dangerous plants and tell them why they should not be eaten, chewed or rubbed in their hands. At the first symptoms of poisoning, immediately contact a medical facility.

Natalya Vladimirova
Photobank

Republican Children’s Clinical Hospital Syktyvkar

Summer burns – tips

In the summer, many outdoor travelers walking in the forest have to deal with the unpleasant consequences of contact with one seemingly harmless plant at first glance – Hogweed .In recent years, the distribution area of ​​this plant continues to expand, and efforts to combat it are insufficient.

Borshevik (lat. Herácléum) is a genus of plants of the Umbrella family, numbering more than 60 species, common in the temperate zone of the Eastern Hemisphere. They reach a height of 4 meters. Various types of hogweed are grown as ornamental plants, some as silage plants for livestock feed, some are suitable for human consumption. Some species, including the Sosnovsky hogweed, which is widespread in the forests of North-West Russia, contains photosensitizing substances in its juice that cause phytodermatitis and photochemical burns in humans.The homeland of Sosnovsky Hogweed is the North Caucasus, from where in the 40-50s of the XX century it was artificially distributed throughout the European part of Russia as a fodder crop. However, it soon became clear that it was unsuitable for food for livestock, and a side effect of its cultivation was its rapid savagery and the seizure of new territories.
The leaves and fruits of the hogweed are rich in essential oils. Contact with plants of some species of this genus can cause irritation and burns to the skin due to the fact that all parts of plants contain furanocoumarins – substances that dramatically increase the body’s sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation.The most severe burns are caused by cow parsnip, in contact with the skin on clear sunny days. But in order to get a burn, a short and light exposure to the sun of the area of ​​the skin stained with plant sap is enough. As a rule, a second-degree burn (blisters filled with a clear liquid) occurs on the affected skin areas. The time of manifestation of the burn is from several hours to several days. A special danger lies in the fact that touching the plant for the first time does not give any unpleasant sensations.The cow parsnip is also a contact and respiratory allergen and has a strong kerosene-like odor that is already felt at a distance of about five meters from the plant. If it gets on the mucous membrane of the mouth, throat can cause laryngeal edema and choking, especially in patients with allergies.

The first aid when the plant sap gets on the skin is to take immediate action to remove it from the skin. If possible, rinse the juice from the skin thoroughly with warm water and soap. Avoid exposure to sunlight on skin areas that have been exposed to plant sap for a week.Also, do not go to the solarium. If bubbles with liquid appear, do not pierce them yourself. You should apply a sterile bandage and seek medical help at a burn center or emergency room. In case of damage to the skin of the face, mucous membranes, eyes, you should consult a doctor immediately. In general, local treatment of burns with Hogweed does not differ from the treatment of other grade II burns. In a hospital or on an outpatient basis, regular dressings are performed with antiseptic solutions, wound dressings, ointments containing povidone-iodine, silver sulfadiazine.Healing usually occurs within two to three weeks. In rare cases, in case of untimely first aid, in debilitated patients, with a large lesion area, skin transplantation may be required.

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Why can hogweed hurt you and what to do if you get burned?

With the onset of good weather, the townspeople again began to get out of the city – on picnics, on hikes and to summer cottages.One of the common summer misfortunes is a hogweed burn. Since the beginning of the summer season, 17 St. Petersburg residents have sought medical help after burns. In the Leningrad region, about 10% of the territory is overgrown with this unpretentious plant. Today it became known about a competition among companies that are ready to take on the destruction of hogweed in the east of the Leningrad region.

“Paper” found out from the candidate of biological sciences and a dermatovenerologist, what is the danger of cow parsnip, when skin lesions appear and how to cure burns.

Outwardly, the cow parsnip resembles dill with inflorescences in the form of umbrellas and leaves, like a burdock. However, this plant can reach enormous sizes: three, four, or even five meters in height. Why is a meeting with a hogweed dangerous?

Grigory Pozhvanov
, candidate of biological sciences:

– When a person touches the cow parsnip, then there is microdamage to the leaves and the cell sap gets on the skin. In fact, Sosnovsky’s cow parsnip can not get burned if you do not find yourself in the bright sun.The fact is that negative manifestations in the form of burns develop if ultraviolet light hits those areas of the skin that were in contact with the plant. The hogweed sap penetrates well under the skin and remains there, waiting in the wings. When the skin, under which the juice has penetrated, is exposed to ultraviolet radiation, DNA damage occurs and characteristic blistering blisters appear.

Anna Karaulova
, dermatovenerologist at the dermatovenerologic dispensary No. 3 of the Admiralteisky district of St. Petersburg:

– You can take an antihistamine, and apply a spray to the affected area, which improves regeneration and trophism, that is, nutrition, tissues, or an external antihistamine in the form of a gel.After which, of course, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

90,000 from which plants you can go blind and get burns

Doctor and TV presenter Alexander Myasnikov and geneticist, candidate of biology Ekaterina Baranova in the program “On the most important thing” told the audience about plants that are very dangerous to touch.

First of all, we are talking about the cow parsnip, with which an active struggle has been waged in recent years, but it is extremely difficult to completely eradicate it.

Few people know that they used to eat it calmly, and even the word “borsch” comes from cow parsnip. Problems with this plant began after it was crossed with other species to strengthen its forage base, and it began to grow not only huge, but also dangerous.

It is well known that you can get severe burns if hogweed juice gets on your hand, for example. The doctor warns: the greatest danger lies in wait for a person if at that moment he was in the sun.

Ekaterina Baranova also warns against children making “tubes” from hogweed stems: this can lead to severe swelling of the face.

If large blisters appear, then doctors even prescribe antibiotics, since this is a severe chemical burn, and the wound becomes infected only later. But what about a person if it happened in the country?

“The first task: cover your hand with a dark cloth. If you mow in the area where the cow parsnip grows, then the clothes should be rubberized,” the expert advises.

At the same time, she adds that if you do not immediately close the burn site with a dark cloth, then washing the hogweed juice with an alkaline or alcohol-containing solution will only help for 10 minutes.

Then it is necessary to keep this place closed from sunlight for at least two days.

“The dangerous period lasts from 48 to 72 hours,” the biologist warns.

Another surprising fact: it turns out that if you squeeze a lime or orange strongly, then substances that cause the same effect will “fly out” from its peel.

Dr. Myasnikov and Ekaterina Baranova also spoke about the beautiful, but poisonous flowers that grow in many summer cottages.For example, azalea and rhododendron.

“Honey collected from azaleas can cause a strong hypnotic effect, which is described in the legends and myths of Ancient Greece,” says the biologist.

It is necessary to be extremely careful with buttercups. “The caustic buttercup, which is called night blindness, can really lead to blindness, if you smear your hands in the juice of this plant, and then rub your eyes, or if you lie in the hay, and the dust from this flower rises,” says Ekaterina Baranova.

On the air of the program, she talked about other dangerous plants that many are planted, including in vegetable gardens, and how easily they can be confused with safe ones.

Even more interesting news – in our Instagram and Telegram-channel @smotrim_ru .

How to treat hogweed burns?

Yaroslav Chernov

Question answer

09 July 2020

My neighbor in the country got severe burns on her face and hands while trying to get rid of the cow parsnip.At the same time, she observed all the precautions – she mowed in rainy weather, wearing gloves and a mask. Doesn’t such protection save you from a poisonous plant?
Olga V.

PHOTOS Sergey GRITSKOV

According to experts, this is possible. The fact is that fog is formed due to dampness. Therefore, hogweed juice, along with moisture, could penetrate under gloves and a mask. And as soon as the sun came out, the toxic substances furanocoumarins, which are contained in the plant, were activated.They dramatically increase the sensitivity of the skin to UV radiation and cause photochemical dermatitis, which is similar to thermal burns.

By the way, every year in the Research Institute “Ambulance” them. Dzhanelidze is delivering about 20 patients with similar injuries. Moreover, the first victims begin to arrive just at the beginning of July.

According to doctors, hogweed is especially dangerous for children who have not been warned about the unusual properties of this plant.For example, it is not uncommon for boys to cut pipes out of its stalks in order to shoot through them, and receive burns to their lips, larynx, and hands.

Sosnovsky’s hogweed is considered one of the most dangerous plants in Russia, since all its parts are poisonous: the stem, leaves and inflorescences. At the same time, touching the plant does not cause discomfort – the burn does not appear immediately, but after a while – after a few hours or even days.

First, the skin on which the poisonous juice has gotten begins to redden, then a burning sensation appears, the skin swells, becomes covered with small blisters, which then merge into large blisters.In this case, a person may be disturbed by headaches, the temperature will rise.

Therefore, as doctors advise, the first thing to do after contact with a plant is to thoroughly and for a long time to rinse the skin on which the poisonous juice has gotten, with running water and soap or shower gel.

Hide the affected area from sunlight for at least two to three days.

If the juice gets into the eyes, they should also be rinsed immediately with water for 15 – 20 minutes, if it gets into the mouth, rinse.After that, you must take any antihistamine.

If small bubbles appear at the site of the burn, it is better not to touch them, but simply apply an aseptic bandage. If the blisters increase in size, you should consult a doctor.

If you are fighting hogweed with a scythe, you should remember that the splashes of the juice of this poisonous plant still get on your clothes and skin. Therefore, immediately after mowing, you need to wash under the shower with a washcloth and soap, then put on closed clothes and try not to get into the sun for several days.

BETWEEN THEME

In order not to get burns from contact with hogweed, you should know it by sight. This is an upright plant, the height of which can reach three meters, and individual specimens grow up to six meters. The hogweed has an inflorescence – an umbrella with white flowers. The stem, as well as the carved leaves of a light green color, are covered with hard villi, similar to thorns. The stem of this plant is hollow inside.