Q. I’ve got a bad reaction on my hand between my thumb and forefinger that I think resulted from pulling an unknown weed. It isn’t responding to my usual treatment, a concoction of tea tree oil, witch hazel and rosewater.
This is a crusty, itchy rash like a very severe case of mango poisoning I had several years ago. I fed my little dog mango, he loved it and gave me kisses on the side of my face. The resulting horrible rash kept me in my apartment for a week.
Now I don’t get within five feet of a mango, so that’s not the problem. But it is driving me nuts. Can you recommend a remedy? I don’t have insurance, so I’m hoping you’ll know of something natural, or at least over-the-counter.
A. People who are sensitive to mango may develop a similar rash when exposed to poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. Perhaps you were pulling one of these plants out of your yard.
We have heard from several readers that gentle swabbing with vodka can help relieve a poison ivy rash. Topical hydrocortisone cream (Cortaid, Cortizone, Dermolate, etc) can also help somewhat.
For a mild case of poison ivy or a mosquito bite, one or two seconds under hot water can ease itching for hours. The water needs to be uncomfortable, but not hot enough to burn.
8/23/18 redirected to: https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/mango-skin-allergy-mimics-poison-ivy/
