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djkgrounds
26-02-2016, 11:48 AM
Has anyone ever had an allergic reaction to Agave plants when cutting them up for removal?

I was cutting one up with my pole saw and barely into the first cut and my arms and legs felt like they were on fire. Washed them off with little effect. Woke up the next morning with a fairly bad rash on both inner forearms and on my legs.

Looked into it and found it is common for some people to have allergic reactions? and there is no real way of getting rid of the rash, other than taking some anti-histamines and using some cortizone cream which might help. Also that some people have had the rash come back up to 1 year later

My rash has come up very similar to the pic below, but not quite as bad thankfully

Lesson learnt, wear long pants and sleeves when cutting those plants, And to let the offsider cut them up as he didn't get any reaction from them.

8748

4 Gardens
26-02-2016, 05:25 PM
Had a similar reaction to arum lily...zantedeschia

Went away after a few crazy days of pain

Always wear long pants / sleeves / gloves when near them now

Fred's mowing
26-02-2016, 06:27 PM
Absolutely !
3 of us were doing a cleanup many many years ago.
Within minutes of us handling the agaves, we all broke out into a rash.
I headed to the Chemist who advised us to use cortisone cream which definitely helped.
I have removed agave since but no more touching :talk2hand
Its fairly easy, just use a pole chainsaw, a long handled pitch fork, & if you really need to handle them, welding gloves or the like.

It was a long time ago but my memory was of extreme itching.
Cheers Fred.

djkgrounds
26-02-2016, 07:31 PM
Absolutely !
3 of us were doing a cleanup many many years ago.
Within minutes of us handling the agaves, we all broke out into a rash.
I headed to the Chemist who advised us to use cortisone cream which definitely helped.
I have removed agave since but no more touching :talk2hand
Its fairly easy, just use a pole chainsaw, a long handled pitch fork, & if you really need to handle them, welding gloves or the like.

It was a long time ago but my memory was of extreme itching.
Cheers Fred.

I was using my pole saw, as my main chainsaw chain was lose from cutting down a pine tree. But yeah, longs sleeves and gloves from now on with them. And yeah, extreme itching and burning. I am holding great restraint from itching my arms thats for sure, My legs on the other hand, not so much.