Be very, very careful. Rashes are not something to mess with, especially if they are "raised" as in the photo. Hives can get out of control, and you can go in anaphylatic (sp) shock. This can result in death within an hour. Your throat can swell so much that your breathing is cut off, and you can die that way as well. The body is not recognizing what you have been exposed to, and so it over-reacts, trying to protect itself, Its your immune system in overdrive, basically. I've had allergies to all kinds of things that has gotten worse with age. I have over a dozen food allergies, and things I touch during the day. Most are never identified. Its so bad that the doctor has put me on Atarax three times a day, and my troubles are mostly gone. If you're that bad, you should consider it too. It got so bad that I was having panic attacks, afraid I'd get the lip, tongue and throat swelling, and die before I could get help. Its turned into a phobia as a result.
I don't want to scare anybody, but this should not be taken lightly. For some people, the more you're exposed to the world, the more allergies you seem to acquire. But for many, antihistamines, such as Atarax, can help tremendously. I wish I'd started taking it many years ago! Before I was taking it, I'd get a hive or two several times a month that would itch like the dickens for days. Atarax can be a little sedating to some people, but that's fine for me, because I'm high strung and have anxiety. When you ask an expert, their answer is always the same--AVOID the trigger. So if certain plants set you off, it could get much worse in time, and personally, it would not be worth it to me to take that kind of risk.
