Is it possible to be allergic to a Christmas tree?

[edbermac]

I'm 49 and as far as I know, I have no allergies. I've noticed the past 3 or 4 years when I get my tree I get a rash on my hands and my eyelids and under the eyes get tingly and a little swollen. I wore gloves today when I got the tree but my eyes have swollen a little again.

Anybody else? :shrug:

[Jamastiene]

1. A live tree? Yes.

You can develop allergies later in life to something you have never been allergic to before. Even if you aren't allergic to the tree itself, you could be allergic to something on the tree.

[Scooter24]

2. I have a slight allergy to pine...

I can tolerate the smell, but if I handle it, I break out in a rash.

So yes, it is possible :) Hence why I stick to the fake trees. Plus it saves me from having to constantly vacuum around it.

[KitchenWitch]

3. Oh yes

I am allergic to tree pollens...Live trees make my eyes water.

[KitchenWitch]

4. Oh, and you could also be allergic to the "paint" on the tree

Many commercial Christmas trees are painted green.

[lakemonster11]

5. Eww, where do they do that?

[KitchenWitch]

6. Not sure

Bring a commercial christmas tree and set it up next to a natural evergreen tree and you will see that it is painted.

[AtomicKitten]

7. Hell yes.

Haven't gotten one in a few years. I sneeze and my eyes run; it's delightful.
Last tree I got I had flocked pink. That didn't bother me as much.

[DanCa]

8. Yes my brother Doug is allergic to scotch pine. (nt)

[purr]

9. I didnt get allergies until I was 18..

and I have a severe allergy to trees and mold.

[BooScout]

10. I'm 45...

I figured out about the rashes, watery eyes and sneezuing and Christmas trees about the time I hit 35...up until then I never had a problem. I switched to an artificial tree aboput 5 years ago and have had no problems since.

[LaurenG]

11. My sister is allergic to pine trees

She had a battery of tests run and it turned out that oranges and cockroaches caused reactions in her too. Cockroaches eeewwww.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

12. As if one needs further incentive to stay away from roaches.

Eww.

[LaurenG]

16. I'd never heard of an allergy to roaches

Nice huh. yuck

[xmas74]

13. Allergies can come about at any time in your life.

I do the same thing to live trees and cats but I've learned to live w/ it.

[SW FL Dem]

14. Yep

My whole family has allergies to pine trees in varying degrees. My mom can't come near a live tree, the rest of us get headaches or itchy eyes from certain types of trees. We all react differently but we all react.

[crispini]

15. Could be pesticides.

I heard on the radio that the average tree absorbs something like 25 POUNDS of pesticides during its growth. Since it's not for food they can and do put anything on the tree to make sure it looks nice. And it could certainly could outgas those chemicals in your home or when you touch it....

[Metta]

17. Yeah, it's common in Texas.

Cedar fever or pine fever, I don't remember exactly. A friend of mine who lives there says that once the weather turns wickedly hot, the air just cooks the evergreens and they release some of their oils from their leaves. She says it's a big problem.

[flamingyouth]

18. Absolutely.

I am allergic to them.

[Dangerously Amused]

19. Yep. My brother and I were allergic to the Christmas tree as kids.

[MidwestMomma]

20. Try a Douglas Fir next year

My daughter is allergic to the Scotch Pines but the fir trees don't bother her. Plus the needles are all soft and gentle. They usually cost a little more but if you don't want to go with an artifical tree, they work really well and are pretty.

I think it's the sap in the pine but I'm not sure. Hope you feel better soon.