For those who have had a reaction to a wood

[TellicoTurning]

what did you use to stop the itch and irriation.

I don't know what wood I've reacted to as I was turning a bowl from multiple varieties of woods, some Canary wood, Bopcote, Nicaraguan rosewood, some spectaply and maybe a couple of others I don't remember right now... my arms were covered by my long sleeve smock, but around the wrists I itch to high heaven, plus my face and the insides of my elbows.... it's driving my crazier than normal.

 

[nava1uni]

It may be the Rosewood since it is highly allergic. If you have sensitive skin that could cause a rash. Many turners are sensitive to the rosewood family of woods

 

[PreacherJon]

Wow.... sorry to hear this. I've never encountered a reaction to any wood. Maybe the same for Poison Ivy? Cortisone cream/ointment and calamine lotion?

 

[Displaced Canadian]

For me it was Lacewood. I tried several things but had to give up turning it.

 

[mark james]

Several species for me (any Rosewoods; Bloodwood is really bad for me).

But I also get poison rash EVERY year. Live in the middle of infested woods. I kill whatever I can see, but the root system keeps it virulent. Some of the vines in the backwoods are 1-2" thick - old and nasty

Hydrocortizone.
Benadryl
Benadryl Gel

 

[Jay]

Over the counter "Cortizone 10 Ointment" which is hydrocortisone 1%. Use the much cheaper generic brands all of which have the same percentage of hydrocortizone. The one that worked the best for me was the one that has aloe. However, I am told many people have allergies to aloe.
Worked for me.
Jay

 

[maxwell_smart007]

Some woods cause increasing allergic reactions the more you are exposed to them, so be careful!

 

[mark james]

Some woods cause increasing allergic reactions the more you are exposed to them, so be careful!

Yes, yes, yes... did I say yes! For me, after being sensitized, EVERY exposure was worse than the previous.

It is manageable, but I need to be diligent with my timbers, know what I am turning. I rely on my wife for assistance with the protocols... I married a polymer chemist.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Several species for me (any Rosewoods; Bloodwood is really bad for me).

But I also get poison rash EVERY year. Live in the middle of infested woods. I kill whatever I can see, but the root system keeps it virulent. Some of the vines in the backwoods are 1-2" thick - old and nasty

Hydrocortizone.
Benadryl
Benadryl Gel

I know about the poison ivy... so far I think I've eradicated it on my property, but when we first started working on the place I cut some , then left the tools in a storage area until we could get back up to TN about 4 or 5 months later... the oils from the PI was still on the tools and I got another case... I get nasty clear blisters and weeping from poison ivy... as a 12 year old, I climbed a tree once without a shirt... my dad has just ripped all the poison ivy vines off the tree.... I was broke out from my belly button to the top of my shoulders... miserable times.

Over the counter "Cortizone 10 Ointment" which is hydrocortisone 1%. Use the much cheaper generic brands all of which have the same percentage of hydrocortizone. The one that worked the best for me was the one that has aloe. However, I am told many people have allergies to aloe.
Worked for me.
Jay

No problems with Aloe here... I've used it for a sun burn once and it worked fine for that... I'm going in to pick up a prescription for LOML, so while in the pharmacy, I'll get a tube of cortisone and give that a try..

 

[TellicoTurning]

I picked up a tube of cortisone and it seems to help quite a bit... thanks for the info.

 

[PatrickR]

If you want to isolate the one(s) you are reacting to simply make some dust from a piece, add a little water to form a slurry and put a spot of it on your skin. I'm not a Dr but know this is the old fashioned way of finding what is causing such reactions.
I'm lucky and don't react to any wood that I know of but the poison ivy sucks.

 

[penicillin]

If you react to certain woods, then you must cover up when you are working with them to prevent (or at least reduce) exposure that can trigger worse reactions. Once you are sensitized to certain woods, your body is "trained" to react negatively to them. Each time you are exposed, your body gets more "training" and your body reacts more vigorously to it. Some people are forced to quit working with certain woods.

Cover your hands, arms, and other parts of your body that may be exposed when you work with woods that give you an allergic reaction. Peel the covers off carefully and then shower immediately after you are finished. It may not stop all the issues, but it will slow down the progression.

The best thing to do is consult an allergist for their recommendations.

Here is an example of someone with severe reactions to turning wood:
https://www.woodworkingtalk.com/threads/new-turner-and-very-allergic-to-wood.226630/

My father was a physician. One night at family dinner, he told us about a patient that he admitted to the hospital for poison oak exposure. The patient was trying to prove to his friends that he was immune to poison oak. To demonstrate his "immunity", he rubbed poison oak all over his arms, legs, body, and face. After the hospital stabilized his condition, he was very uncomfortable for a while, with blisters and drive-you-mad itchiness.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I don't need to rub it all over myself... just talking about it makes me itch.

When Dianne and I were looking at property here in TN, one salesperson showed us a place that was overgrown with poison ivy... I was very negative about the property and the guy started telling us how he wasn't allergic... he even picked a leaf and chewed it.... gave me the total willies.
When I was a kid we lived near another family that we shared a far with.... the neighbor was burning some poison ivy and his youngest son walked through the smoke... he wound up in the hospital broken out all over his body and even inside his mouth... we nearly lost him.

 

[howsitwork]

Just to add to what Mark said about treatments and Penicillin said about precautions.

Bear in mind that the dust will be circulating airbourne for a while after you finish. I use an air helmet when working Bankasia pods also a full set of overalls , although I draw the line at gloves currently. When finished I vacuum and dust everything down ( still in mask) and then peel off the overalls and air helmet outside of the workshop in open air . Shake the filters of the helmet clean outside. If I've used the drum filter I take great care ( mask etc ) when emptying it ( cos can't easily get it outside to do so , so all my movements around it are really slow and careful not to dislodge dust )

With bankasia I then shower and apply hydrocortisone cream to exposed skin, only a little bit but it reduces the issue to mild irritation. I'm trying stabilizing some bankasia as it's the fine red fibrous layer that irritates my skin.

Use a mild soap eg baby soap to reduce oil loss from your skin too

 

[Curly]

Benadryl sometimes will help when you start to react. Once you do start reacting to a wood then you better rethink about how you work with it and it's family if at all. Super dust collection, covering up, cartridge masks, clean up after etc.

 

[PatrickR]

As for me, having to go through such precautions would take a lot of the fun out of it. If I was having reactions to wood I would want to know exactly which ones and would avoid them altogether. If it couldn't be determined then plastics would be the choice.

 

[Bats]

I use an air helmet when working Bankasia pods also a full set of overalls , although I draw the line at gloves currently.

Is banksia supposed to be especially bad, or just something you've had a reaction to in the past? I've never turned it, but I've frequently been right on the cusp of picking some up.

As for me, having to go through such precautions would take a lot of the fun out of it. If I was having reactions to wood I would want to know exactly which ones and would avoid them altogether. If it couldn't be determined then plastics would be the choice.

Yeah, I kinda feel the same way - and since PAPR just ain't in the budget, it would be "Just one word. Plastics. There's a great future in plastics."


edit: under "Similar threads" the forum just showed me an old one from 2010 asking if anyone ever had a reaction to turning PR... so maybe there's a great future in only some plastics.