Rash from a juniper?

[theta]

Has anyone gotten a rash from working on a juniper? Over the weekend I was working on a San Jose and they do have spiky needles, my hands were irritated and red from touching the needles and being poked by them, which I expected.

But now I have a red itchy rash all over my face and neck and arm. Pretty much like poison ivy. Blotchy, extremely itchy. Trying it figure out if I accidently brushed across poison ivy, or if this really could be from a Juniper? I did touch the sap and get it on me.

Has anyone experience this severe of a rash? I've found some info online, but can't tell if the rash from junipers are more of just from handling them? Or if it can spread like poison ivy.

 

[jriddell88]

Absolutely and honestly San Jose is about the only one breaks me out real bad , almost unbearable , wear long sleeves when wiring

Try something more forgiving like shimpaku

 

[jriddell88]

Foemina is up there too!!

 

[theta]

wow ok. I had no idea it could get this bad. I've worked on them before, but it's only made my hands a little irritated. This is like worse than poison ivy :/

 

[Dav4]

My hands and forelimbs will get an irritating rash whenever I intensively work a needle juniper for a few hours and I know many others who've experienced the same thing.... never heard of it extending to other parts of the body that weren't in contact with the juniper foliage, though. If you're truly allergic to the oils in the juniper, I suppose you could react to it like one allergic to poison ivy might.

 

[0soyoung]

There is an element of similarity to handling peppers. Don't be rubbing your nose, rubbing your face, or tending to a minor itch right after you handled the pepper (foliage) - wear gloves and take them off first.

 

[jriddell88]

my forearms usually take the beating , you can apply sun screen lotion on the arms to close up pores , we also use it when installing bat insulation

 

[JudyB]

I can't handle any type of juniper foliage, I turn into a speckled tomato. Found out I am highly allergic as a kid, the other allergen they found for me was silly putty of all things. That was saaaaad.

 

[jeanluc83]

or tending to a minor itch

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Wow! I have never heard of this! I can't recall having any adverse reaction to any junipers... Yet I can guarantee you I am allergic to poison ivy, poison oak, and Brazillian pepper!

 

[0soyoung]

the other allergen they found for me was silly putty of all things. That was saaaaad.

That is sad.

But a corn starch paste is even more fun!

oozes through your fingers if you try to hold it
shatters if you throw it at the wall/floor (consider this carefully, first)
dances in all sorts of crazy shapes with vibration (as seen on The Big Bang Theory) - this is where the real kicks are
​

 

[twisted trees]

Take a knee sock and cut finger holes. Put it on and pull it to the elbow. Then take cheap cloth gloves and cut the fingers off ala Michael Jackson. You are now protected from prickly foliage.

 

[Vin]

Ask @Cadillactaste about getting a rash from a Juniper. She gets them really bad.

 

[JudyB]

That is sad.

But a corn starch paste is even more fun!

oozes through your fingers if you try to hold it
shatters if you throw it at the wall/floor (consider this carefully, first)
dances in all sorts of crazy shapes with vibration (as seen on The Big Bang Theory) - this is where the real kicks are
​

But can you use it like a ditto machine on comics, lol... (this reference may not mean anything to young folk)

 

[sparklemotion]

Most junipers definitely irritate my skin. No rashes yet, but that's probably because my standard pattern is: 1.) attempt to prune, 2.) feel pain/itching, 3.) go inside, wash hands, find gloves (I like thin neoprene gardener's gloves with latex palms). 4.) continue pruning.

If your current remedies aren't helping you feel better, I found out this year that toothpaste is weirdly effective on the itching/swelling from a severe localized bee sting reaction.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Ask @Cadillactaste about getting a rash from a Juniper. She gets them really bad.

They are pure evil!!! Even ended up with an infection from one.

Shimpaku doesn't bother me though. Nothing at all from it.

 

[0soyoung]

But can you use it like a ditto machine on comics, lol... (this reference may not mean anything to young folk)

No, sadly. Indeed, that was the greatest thing about silly putty.

The advent of super balls - life changing


Have I dated myself adequately?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

My buddy is very allergic to RMJ, the stronger they smell, the worse he reacts. Sneezing, coughing, wheezing. He was bringing one to me a few years ago and had to stop and buy trash bags to wrap it up so it could ride in the seat next to him. He was worried he’d get pulled over for having a dead body in the car! I think he still has a few he works on, but Shimpakus and San Jose junipers do not affect him. If I couldn’t work on Shimpakus, I’d probably quit Bonsai.

What is in silly putty, @JudyB ? That’s odd, and I bet an obscure item to test for.

 

[Vin]

No, sadly. Indeed, that was the greatest thing about silly putty.

The advent of super balls - life changing


Have I dated myself adequately?

Only if you know what Click Clacks are.

 

[0soyoung]

Only if you know what Click Clacks are.

Yah, but Newton's cradle was tremendously more entertaining to me. But I wasn't into the paddle and rubber ball on a rubber band either - maybe that explains it.


Oh geeze , now I've admitted to being a nerd