How do you prevent hives or heat rash after gardening?

[Gardeningsideeffects]

How do you deal with heat lumps? (I think they are also known as hives).

I have spent an hour gardening this morning and my mouth and arms are covered in heat lumps.

Ive already had two fexofenadine today, GP says I can have 4 a day (directed by allergy clinic).

Do you have any other solutions that might help prevent these? Other than putting an ice block on them once I've finished gardening and shower off the allergens?

Do you know for sure what you're reacting to? Could it be a sun allergy?

I'm the same. The only thing to do is avoid your allergen, but that's rubbish if it means you can't do the things you like to do. I react to sun, bites and various plants. And fexo is the best antihistamine. Showering off your allergens and staying cool in cotton clothes is also the only other thing you can do really. Its really shitty because I love the sunshine and the warmth and my garden.

So no magic answers here just solidarity.

Antihistamines would be the first port of call, but bear in mind each person reacts to each type differently, so what works for one person may not work for you.

You can buy generic AH rather than expensive branded ones - just ask the pharmacist.

I feel for you, I had a long term hives/urticaria issue many years ago and I still live in fear of it returning.

GP says I can have 4 a day (directed by allergy clinic).

Heat rash because of light exertion at 24 degrees (about the temp before 10am today even in hot places) seems odd. Did allergy clinic identify heat as the important trigger? Do you normally, reliably, react like this to gardening? Also, coming up that fast isn't how heat rash tends to work, in contrast to a contact rash which would typically happen fast.

Wearing long sleeves & gloves would minimise contact with irritant sap. but those items would make you hotter if you really are reacting to heat. Then maybe very early gardening is your safest bet. But overall sounds like a plant or plant sap not the heat is the problem.

Did you notice stinging or irritation right away or does the rash come up some time after you have been in garden?

Yes, my thought too. I have PMLE and was thinking it may ve that due to the sudden increase in UV.

The fexofenadine aren’t branded - fexofenadine isn’t a brand, that’s the drug name. She will also likely have 180mg which is only available on prescription

Have you consider CIU rather than allergies?

https://acaai.org/allergies/allergic-conditions/skin-allergy/chronic-hives/

Poor you
Antihistamine before starting. Plus long sleeve top and leggings, as well as gloves.
I try and get done earlier in the morning / approaching dusk (or have even put the parasol up as I go around).

Hi all, it never occurred to me that it was due to the sun itself, I do think it's pollen landing on me as the same thing happens when I kiss the digs when they've been for a walk in the summer. Pollen transfers to my face.

Ive always been a bit allergic to lots of things. I had a prick test as a child in the mid 1980s. GP has offered to refer me but I don't see the point at 48! Cats, pollen, dust etc. Etc.

I could cover up and I could not garden, but I'd rather not!

I suppose I wondered if anyone has a better solution than fexofenadine?

Usually I have the heat lumps all day (not a heat rash I mean the things others call hives) then in the evening I'll scratch them and end up with sore excema for a day or two.

Any other anti histamines that work? Anything dietary that stop this?

OR suck it up?!

I take fexo year round, then ramp up in February for tree pollen.

Fellow high does fexo user here - I don't have the answer, but to stop the scratching stinky old Lanacane is a genuine godsend if you don't use it already. Yellow tube. Works better than anything else I have ever tried.

@Arlanymor thank you that's the exact tip I was hoping for!

Oh so you're so welcome and I really do feel your pain. I will be honest - doesn't smell amazing! - but it really does take the itch out really quickly. I literally carry it in my make-up bag now!

Just spotted my 'does' typo - dose! Think I need to cut my nails...