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Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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Posted by
srg215 6b nj (
My Page) on
Sun, Jul 29, 12 at 21:12
| I thought I had poison ivy (maybe it is) but it seems to happen after handling my zucchini and squash plants. It's not just where the plants have touched my skin, it seems that I spread it on my neck and chest. Can this be from those plants or should I assume there is poison ivy n my garden bed? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| A person can be allergic to just about anything or any plant for that matter, so it is possible that you are allergic to them. I would check around for poison ivy, oak, or sumac though as well, just to rule that out. If you have sprayed them with anything, it could also be a reaction to that... |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| It is 'possible'. Not common but possible. A few people have a similar reaction to tomato plant leaves. If you rule out the presence of any other poisonous plants in the bed or nearby, the more likely cause, then you can do a skin patch test on a small area with a leaf to see if that is the cause. If it's positive then it is long sleeve shirts and gloves when working with them. Dave |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| I find zucchini leaves irritating. I don't get a rash, but I don't like handling them. I try to wear my gloves. Poison Ivy is worse than just a rash. It's very itchy to the point of pain and usually spreads and oozes. We have it in our yard and I get exposed occasionally. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| Agreed, not a rash but they definitely can leave my hands/arms itchy. I try and remember to harvest will gloves, otherwise just rinse your arms under water when done. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| I get that after touching my zucchini plants too. I always notice it, but I never have to really do anything about it as it clears up in a day or two. I especially get it when I don't where gloves and one of the prickly spines stabs me... |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| I get a rash. It stings (doesn't itch so much) pretty badly for a few days or up to a week if it's really bad. It doesn't spread on me though, and it doesn't blister like Poison Ivy - it just stays a flat red blotchy rash. I find wearing long sleeves and gloves helps a lot. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| I get a rash from handling many plants. Most often my tomatos but i think I have gotten rashy from my squash and cukes. It is not bad though just red rash slighly morbilliform looking but not itchy ... or only mildy itchy. Only lasts for a few hours. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| I noticed it the other day too! Every time I go and pick a courgette my right wrist and arm tends to sting and actually swells slightly but within an hour it's back to normal. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| I think mine must be poison ivy then. It's incredibly itchy and has small clusters of blisters |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| Ooh, sounds like it. I get irritation from the zukes but I planted a crookneck from the nursery this year and that thing has SPINES! Thinking of pulling it out anyway - it's shading my eggplant too much. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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Yes! I get it from zucchini plants, bean plants, and strawberry plants.
Solutions: if the leaves touch you, spread baking soda on the area with some water to form a film. Leave on a minute, then rinse off. takes the itch away. Long sleeves -- if it's hot, I use a poly-pro shirt (thin polyester fabric) and wet it down well. Keeps me cool. If it dries, I go in a soak the arms again. So sorry if it's poison ivy. You could order Rhus tox from homeopathic pharmacy -- works well on it. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| Don't assume it's poison ivy. I've only recently realized that I'm incredibly sensitive to squash and cucumber leaves and very quickly develop poison-ivy -like pustules.(had blamed a different plant) If I rub or scratch the affected area even the slightest bit, the rash spreads and itching intensifies. Sometimes, I have to resort to prescription strength topical ointment. Good luck. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| When I have been out and close to the zucchini if my legs get up against the leaves while I am weeding or doing anything else that causes me to get that close, I get something, either feels like itchy bug bites or something, irritating my skin. I have taken to coming in and rubbing clear hand sanitizer on my legs right after, the alcohol in this product seems to cut through and take the itches right away (OK sometimes it takes two applications) |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| Mine just started about 3 weeks ago. Anytime I work around my cukes or summer squash my hands and arms break out in welts and itch like crazy. Have to be sure to wear long sleeves and rubber gloves to pick or care for them. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| Humm, I didn't realise that could happen. I just work around the squash and zucchini, no problems. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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I have a particularly "spikey" variety of zucchini that does the same to me.
If you can find some or grow some Jewel weed, try rubbing it on the affected area after working in the garden, it has a natural chemical that neutralizes plant toxin especially poison ivy. It's just a good plant to have around in case you need it, plus it has really pretty little pitcher flowers. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| The leaves and stems are covered with urticating fibers which can be irritating. These are small glass-like fibers that break off in your skin when you brush against them. There is no toxin injected when this happens, it is rather like the rash that is caused by handling fiberglass insulation. The same thing happens to me, but goes away after a few hours. Try something soothing like Aloe lotion on the rash. Steve |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| I have a few with some very spike leaf vines, and I do itch after handling them, though no rash. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| I get itchy from many of the summer veggie plants: squash/zucchini, melons, beans, okra. But it usually clears up pretty fast. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| I just searched for rash/vegetables. I thought I might have mosquito bites but it itches terribly and when I rub the places it spreads. Looks a lot like poison ivy but I know I did not get exposed to it. This is the first year. I have tomato, cucumber and squash plants. I guess it might be the cucumber and squash plants. I will try the leaf test to find out which one or all of them cause this rash. I will protect myself though from now on - long sleeves, long pants and gloves even at 90+ degrees. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| It spreads, It's very itchy and creates clusters of blisters?? Wow, that's worse than any "contact rash" I've ever experienced... even with fire coral when I was scuba diving! I go out and thin out the leaves of my zucchini once in a while, and yeah I mean they have some pokey hairs and spines, but nothing I can't handle if I watch what I'm doing. I carry a bouquet of large zuke leaves to the garbage bin and as long as I'm not trying to give myself leave splinters, I'm usually ok. IF you have poison ivy in your vegetables, wow I mean find a way to pull those suckers out! Put on a suit and gloves and get them outta there. Poison ivy is nasty, nasty stuff. If there's no PI, then perhaps you're allergic to the plants? If it's spreading, that's the red flag for me. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| I break out into hives where my skin has come in contact with the squash leaves and I itch like crazy! soap and water seems to take care of it. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| I get a tiny rash from cucurbits when handling them but my skin overreacts to most things so it doesn't surprise me. Someone told me the little spines are a defensive mechanism to deter birds. My skin freaked out with stinging nettles. I know everyone's skin does but mine lasted for 24 hours. Someone had grown the nettles in the plot I inherited this year and I didn't see them at first but I definitely felt them lol. |
RE: Anyone else get bad skin rash from Zukes or squash plants?
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| I get bad rashes from squash plants and have to go on Prednisone at least once per summer. Recently I forgot my gloves when in the field and thought I might as well just pick anyway. I have a small but very painful rash on my hand where everything touches. I am trying to find something natural to actually heal it. It itched before it blew up but now it just hurts. I have an ointment from the dr but want something to cure it faster. |
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