plants causing skin blisters in fraser valley

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by robert roberts, Jul 23, 2005.

  1. robert roberts

    robert roberts Member

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    Hi can anyone help me? i have been clearing grass in a friend's field in Abbotsford, and have now developed blisters on my arms after being out in the sun. i come from Britain and had this before after cutting Giant Hogweed. the sap from this plant reacts with sunlight and caused blister on the skin which can last for up to year. Every time the sun shines the blisters will reform. I did not think there was anything like that here. It has been three years since i had contact with Giant Hogweed so i do not think this skin reaction is due to old "plant" problmes but is obviously a new problem. The field is in the raspberry growing area of bc and has been cultivated in the past but the grass has not been cut for a while. It is not poisionous ivy because it happened in grass.
     
  2. jimmyq

    jimmyq Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    could be stinging nettle, usually short irritation period, numerous small white blisters, itch like crazy but if you leave them alone for a while they go away fine. at least for me, I havent had them since I was a kid.
     
  3. robert roberts

    robert roberts Member

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    Thanks for the reply - no this is not nettles - far worse. the blisters are like hot oil has been poured on the skin. the are lasting for over a week like that, filled with liquid and very itchy. If these are similar to the condition I had from Giants Hogweed the blister becomes a raised itchy lump for about 6 months, Scars are left after they subside.
    If there is not a plant in BC that causes this i am wondering if what I have now is not a reaction to the Giant Hogweed problem I had three years ago. If that is the case I wonder why the blisters did not appear last year - very strange.
     
  4. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    Since you saw nothing but grass there is nothing to go on but your condition. Hogweed and cow parsnip are both found here, but their large parts should have been conspicuous. Both are in flower.
     
  5. growest

    growest Active Member 10 Years

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    robert--a dermatologist would of course be the best source of info on this.

    However, I do know that many weeds cause some forms of itching and rashes, most of us after decades of gardening have come to expect this after heavy weeding, esp. in tall older plants that seem to be just more irritating somehow!

    One weed to consider in your case is buttercup, since it does have the ability to trigger contact phototoxic dermatitis, which is what you seem to be suffering from. And buttercup is certainly very common in the fields I pass by in the Fraser Valley...(many seem to be more buttercup than grass).

    Perhaps your previous exposure to hogweed has also made your skin more sensitive, but I believe that buttercup can " do it" to most people anyway...

    Glen
     
  6. I too have developed itchy blister "bumps" on my wrist and a finger (so far). In Ontario, I was quite sensitive to poison ivy oil and the rash looks similar and is similarly ichy. I'm curious to what type of plant this is? I'm not sure where I got it...could have been during a horseback ride 7 days ago in the FV or up on Cypress Mountain 2 days ago. I remember that it generally took 5 or so days for the poison ivy symptoms to show.
     

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