That's a good sign! Since the reaction can get worse with each exposure, be sure to wear well-protecting gloves to be SURE you don't let the sap touch your skin again! Otherwise, your allergies don't seem to be especially dangerous. Just use caution, and you should be fine. Better yet, have someone else make the cuts in the plants!

TYVM! Much appreciated. I get the assumption that hardly anybody is allergic to the sap of most house plants (a theory supported by the fact that there would be more info out there about it if it was common, like the glut of info about latex in Euphorbias in particular.) And that this assumption is probably behind the suggestion of having someone else do it, but on the off chance that they also happen to get a reaction, I wouldn't ask anyone to do that. Made me LOL tho!

Tiffany
I too got some kind of rash after cleaning up a pile of overgrown plants and weeds in my yard. As soon as I saw the raised rash, I used 'Head n Shoulders' shampoo and it took about 1/2 hour but the itch was gone and the rash is receding. I always keep some H&S shampoo handy for this.
Also I just read that natives once ate Huernia plants to keep from starvation and it's nick name was starvation plant. I would have not eaten for at least at year before I would try something like that. I never heard any thing about it being toxic. Same with Stapelia.
What have you found?
Stush

TY, Stush. Stapelia has latex, as does Huernia. Many edible plants (plants with edible parts, or parts that can be processed to be edible,) have latex in them, like sweet potatoes, figs, papaya, cashew.

Hope your rash continues to recede!

Some of the list I pasted are toxic by contact with sap, some by ingestion, some via both. Not everyone has the same sensitivities.

Trouble with old stories is that they can't be backed up. I have heard most plants that are boiled and water removed and boiled again become somewhat edible. Like you said boiling out the toxic sap. But who can eat crap like that? I hope I never have to find out.

Bumping this back up. 'Tis the season to accidentally get a rash trimming plants.

The formatting gets lost, but it's a 3-column spreadsheet:
Botanical name, common name if known, detail about toxicity.
If anyone wants a copy of the spreadsheet, I'd be happy to email it to you, send me a PM.

Acalypha hispida Chenille Plant causes skin and gastrointestinal inflammation
Adenium
Agave Agave oxalates
Aloe nobilis Gold Toothed Aloe possible dermatitis
Amaryllis Amaryllis alkaloid
Amsonia
Asclepias milkweeds, butterfly weeds latex sap
Asparagus densiflorous Sprengeri Sprengeri Fern possible dermatitis
Asparagus setaceus plumosus Asparagus Fern dermatitis
Brossimum
Caladium Caladium oxalates
Calla Calla oxalates
Carica
Carissa latex
Castilla latex
Catharanthus latex
Celandine latex
Ceropegia latex
Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum may give dermatitis
Codiaeum variegatum Croton many species contain croton oil, a strong purgative which causes gastroenteritis
Colocasia Elephant ear oxalates
Convallaria majalis Lily-of-the-Valley glycosides
Crinum Crinum alkaloid
Cyclamen persicum Cyclamen a case of poisoning was reported in 1798
Cyperus alternifolius Umbrella Plant toxic
Dieffenbachia Seguine Dumbcane oxalates
Epipremnum Pothos oxalates
Euphorbia Crown of Thorns, Poinsettia toxic, latex sap
Euphorbia latex
Ficus Creeping Fig, weeping fig, rubber tree possible contact dermatitis via casual contact and/or latex sap
Fockea latex
Glechoma hederacea Creeping Charlie, Ground Ivy toxic
Hedera helix English Ivy toxic
Helleborus niger Christmas Rose glycosides
Hoodia latex
Hoya latex
Huemanthus Blood lily alkaloid
Huernia latex
Hydrangea Hydrangea cyanogenetic glycoside
Lactuca latex
Lantana Lantana berries of some species toxic
Maclura latex
Mammillaria latex
Mandevilla latex
Manilkara latex
Mimosa pudica Sensitive Plant possibly toxic
Monstera deliciosa Split Leaf Philodendron oxalates
Morus latex
Narcissus Narcissus alkaloid lycorin
Nerine Nerine alkaloid
Nerium Oleander Oleander glycosides
Pachypodium latex
Papaver latex
Parthenocissus quinquefolia Boston Ivy oxalates
Persea americana Avocado possibly toxic
Philodendron hastatum various cultivars oxalates
Philodendron scandens & various synonyms Heartleaf Philodendron oxalates
Plumeria/Frangipani latex
Poinciana gilliesii Bird-of-Paradise toxic
Polygonatum Jack-in-the-pulpit oxalates
Primula Primrose possible dermatitis
Rheum rhaponticum Rhubarb oxalates
Rhododendron occidentale Azalea toxic
Rhubarb Rhubarb oxalates
Sansevieria Snake plant, mother-in-law's tongue oxalates
Scindapsis Devil's ivy, Pothos oxalates
Solanum Bittersweet nightshade, Jerusalem Cherry solanine
Sonchus latex
Spathiphyllum peace lily oxalates
Stapelia latex
Stephanotis latex
Syngonium podophyllum Arrowhead Plant oxalates
Tabernaemontana latex
Taraxacum latex
Toxicodendron Poison ivy, oak, sumac urishiol
Tradescantia Wandering Jew, Purple Heart, Rhoeo spathacea oxalates
Wrightia latex

Very interesting and helpful thread! Just read through everyone's posts without skipping and was absorbed.

I have many, many toxic and poisonous plants from hardy to tropical. Only tropical plants I have had a reaction from is Diffenbachia, and Pandanus. With Diffenbachia, I avoid contact with the leaves, but it is relatively minor anyway. With Pandanus, the issue is primarily those species with the spines..., and I still love those despite the minor dermatitis. My real problem is urushiol oil (plants in the family Anacardiaceae), that means I need to exercise great awareness around..., poison ivy, mangos, cashews, and Royal Purple Smoke Tree (Cotinus)..., among many others in this large botanical tribe. I love eating mangos and even grow the tree (no problem), but when I have a poison ivy inflammation, I avoid all contact with Anacardiacea.

Thank you for adding your info, Ricardo.

My daughter is very allergic to poison ivy. When she was in college she got a terrible rash on her face. The dr was convinced she had been exposed to poison ivy, but we finally determined she had actually been exposed to the skin of a mango. She is not affected by the fruit itself but in peeling the fruit then touching her face she got those terrible blisters. From what we read at the time it is well known in Hawaii..

I know I told many people about this. I found that 'Head n' Shoulders' shampoo works great for treating my poison ivy exposure. Stops itch right now and clears up rash. If heavy exposure I let the cream set for 10 minuets then rise. Some times several times a day. Works for me.

Stush2019 said: I wanted to add. 'Head n Sholders' is not just an old wives tell. Like so many other soaps and oatmeal or even bathing in clorox. Which some times works but at what cost.
There is an anti-itch and then the lanolin lotion. A one two punch. There may be other anti-itch medications that may work as well. I noticed that generic lotions don't seem to be as effective as orginal Head n Sholders. I wish some one would have told me about this 10 years ago.
Stush

I'll say the same for Noxzema.

Tried and true, rub it in like a lotion after a shower.
The name hints at "no eczcema" and it has helped me a lot with dry skin, rashes, plant burns.

Stush2019 said: Deb,
I have used the H&S on my dog and it seems to help her out. I wonder if something like Avon's 'Skin so Soft' could help out. It's oils could smother the fleas and repel them. Used to use on our dogs until they came out with K-9 advantix.

Glad to hear the H&S seemed to help but I really can't recommend it.

Not to diverge from the thread too much but dog and cat shampoos are pH neutral, human shampoos aren't. The difference can really mess up a dog's skin.

Next time I get latex burns I'll have to give it a try though, thank you.

I once got severe blistering from Spathiphyllum pollen. Very, very itchy with blisters 1" wide and 1/2" high. It was on the inside of my elbow on the thinner skin. I've gotten it on the backs of my hands with no problem, but that time was really bad. Since then I'm sensitive to the scent as well.

I guess I am just lucky, do not have any allegies. Maybe wearing gloves would help

Ed, You may just be careful enough to avoid getting a good douse. Good lesson to learn here.

It's been years but poison ivy used to nail me hard when I was a kid in NC.
Grew up with it, worked with it extensively doing yard work, outdoor jobs, camping, hiking.

Worst ever, probably 17.

Night before leaving on a family vacation to the southwest I stayed at a friend's and we built a small fire and gathered wood in the dark...

By the next evening it was up and down the insides of my fingers. I spent a week going through about 30 BandAids per day to keep them wrapped. Not the best idea but we were on the road, and it kinda worked.

That sounds awful! I got it so bad when I was 12 that I voluntarily got a cortisone shot, which knocked it out by the next day. It was everywhere on me, legs, arms, face, pure hellish misery, worse than chicken pox.

I discovered while camping about 10 yrs ago that being under a canopy of PI while it's raining didn't cause a rash on me. I was SO relieved!

The rash I get from so many of my houseplants if I get the sap on me and don't wash it off immediately is identical. It took years for me to figure it out.

I guess I'll tell my story; When I was 11 my family bought our first house. There was poison ivy in the over grown hedges and all I had was scissors and tried to cut the overgrown bushes on a hot summer day. Next day with sunburn and all I was red all over and bumps. Next day I looked like a monster. Face swollen eyes closed shunt. Every inch of my body affected and hot with no air condition. Wish I could have died. Took three weeks to get over it. Useless lotions and soap that did nothing. Used bleach with bath water which worked some but extremely painful.

How awful!