Just got back from my usual 6 month freeze/burn session with my Dermatologist, and while discussing the construction of his new home, we got on the subject of “contact dermatitis” affecting people in the trades.
Specifically, he would like to know what kind of wood or wood products that have given ya’ll rashes or other skin problems. This would include the old treated stuff, the new ACQ, MDF, or other woods, domestic or exotic. It would be nice to know the Latin name if possible, but the common name will be OK too.
I’ve already posted this in BT.
Thanks
Tom
Replies
I go thru the same thing about every 6 mos. also. Too much sun as a kid. My wife gets pretty itchy/sneezy whenever she is around much walnut sawdust or sanding.
You really gotta watch out for the three major kinds: basil cell, squamous cell, and melanoma. The first two aren't so bad. I had a "melanoma in situ" come up on my back and get to the size of a nickel in less than two months. It's real black and irregular like an India ink stain. Doc looked at it and sent me right on to a "MOHS" surgeon, and he cut a lamb chop outta the back of my left shoulder. Actually, very little discomfort during and after the procedure. Laying on my stomach while he cut, and he plops down the piece he removed in a tray about a foot in front of my face. Didn't know I saw it until I commented to him that it was larger than the last lamb chop I had. He kinda blanched and put a cover on it. Left his office and went down to Sears and loaded up my new 30 gal. compressor, took it home and hooked it up and shot some WB lacquer outta my HVLP unit. Point is, it can kill you quick, so have someone check your back and scalp once a month...at least.
BTW, a "MOHS" surgeon removes tissue and examines it under magnification (on site)until he finds no malignant cells within the radial periphiry of the required removal area. With melanoma, I believe it's 5 MM around the malignancy. They generally cut until they find no cells. If they find cells out of that area, you go to radiation.
I've had'm frozen, scraped and cut off for over 30 yrs. So far no melanoma and now I have developed psoriasis around my eye brows, and ears so that makes it hard to know what to treat with what. So if you are young and read this exchange do watch out for sunburn and use sunscreen and hats, etc. Taint no fun.............
Black Walnut dust makes my palms itch and get red in the palm lines. Irritates my nose too and makes me sneeze.
Also, members of the Rosewood (Dalbergia family) can cause varying degrees of dermititis. Anywhere from very light to very extreme. The more your exposed, the worse it can get, for some people.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)
PlaneWood
Hello tom
We had a chap in our workshop that reacted with any Teak or similar timber , his eyes and nasal passages would swell up as if he had spent 10 rounds with a heavyweight boxer. He always had to go out on site when we had a teak job (not many people use teak these days ,cost and conservation. ) Research on nasal cancer was linked to Beech by a specialist many years ago (working in Oxford uk) because of all the winsor chair and furniture factories around High Wycombe uk. Some of the urea type adhesives cause skin dermatitas Just remember to keep all areas clean and enjoy many years of working with a fantastic material. To look, touch and smell.
regards teabags
Tom I posted a reply I got from the CDC a month or two ago with several academic type articles. It is somewhere in the archives. KDM
The Bill of Rights
December 15 1791
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Tom ,
It seems many years ago I got a reaction from Birch lumber , the only other problem I have noticed is from the solvent based Famo Wood putty I still use . When contact was made with my left palm , I would experience dry itchy cracking skin and it would get very red and irritated . The rash would never go away . When I was trying to figure out what was causing it I stopped using my left hand to ever touch putty , I don't even put the lid on the can with my left hand anymore . Also found out that MEK solvents caused the same reaction , the solvent in famo Wood is similar if not the same . What is strange is my right hand can touch it but not my left .Go figure ?
dusty
Tom,
I've seen severe allergic reaction (breathing difficulty) with a worker when using Imbuya.
Personally, Padauk makes me a bit sneezy but nothing too serious. I have also had an allergic reaction when exposed to linseed oil in large doses.
Since woods are, after all, vegetable material, you can probably find someone somewhere who reacts to just about anything.
DR
I remember seeing a number of posts on wood reactions - try searching the archives for "wood allergies" or "wood allergic" or "wood allergy" one of those should bring up info for you and possibly all 3 might bring up some differant hits. I have heard that some woods can be VERY irritating with even the tiniset of splinters - there was a post from someone whose hand swelled up and the cause was a small splinter from a tropical wood he had been working with.
Here is link with some info: http://www.workershealth.com.au/facts023table.html
1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
Edited 9/15/2005 9:30 am ET by Ricks503
for me it's makore - just takes 1 or 2 cuts and my whole nasal system tightens and breathing is tough. it's the only 1 i have ever reacted to.jerry
I haven't work a wide variety of woods yet, but cedar gives me fits. Walnut a little bit. Spalted maple requires major overall protection.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Thanks for the reply. The doc is looking for surface irritation such as rashes, itching, and burning, similar to poison Ivy. You are the only female to reply to this post, so let me know how/or if the species you mentinoned affected only your skin.
Thanks again.
Tom
It's been awhile since I worked with cedar, but my recollection is that it caused itching and some redness. My skin is much more sensitive now than it was 20 years ago. Cumulative exposure, probably. FYI, cedar boards aren't a problem, but the dust is.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
I've played with all types of wood but the only one that really scares me is cocobolo. Nasal swelling, irritated skin, watery eyes and shortness of breath.
I have seen guys in a commerical shop that had bad reactions to mahogany.
Dennis
Lacewood splinters really irritate my skin, but otherwise nothing else seems to affect me...yet.
Scott
Slacker Extraordinaire
Specializing in nothing but knowledge in everything.
I work with a bunch of exotics. The only one I've ever had a problem with was cocobolo. Was sitting on my back porch, sanding, and when I wiped away the dust, both of my legs were covered with hives. Always wore long sleeves and pants since then. However, I hadn't ww'ed in almost 2 years and recently re-sawed some cocobolo. Was down with a sinus headache for the rest of the day. Took me a little to remember that I had once had a reaction to it. Haven't had a problem since, as long as I wear a dust mask.
Western Red Cedar gave me flu-like symptoms, but had no affect on my skin.
Here are some additional data, with published references.
http://www.cs.rochester.edu/u/roche/rec.wood.misc/wood.toxic
Edited to correct misspelling.
Edited 9/15/2005 7:43 pm ET by WayneL5
Good question.. I would suppose most folks do not know..
However I have a hint... I was routing Purpleheart, Lacewood, Padunk? (Not sure it was that), and Ash I used for a bench I made for my Mom..
I was sweating and got under my face shield and on my arms and chest.. Dang.. No shirt on.. BIG mistake...
Gee I had bumps all over.. I use these woods all the time without a problem..
I think it was the sweat I make.. Oh Geee.. Am I THAT BAD?
Tom: Here is link to CDC stuff re: skin reactions. Kinda academic but if you can stay awake might be worth reading. KDM
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-knots/messages?msg=25039.1
The Bill of Rights
December 15 1791
NRA Endowment Member
LEAA Life Member
CRPA Member
I HAVE BEEN IN THE TRADE FOR MANY YEARS NOW AND CAN HAVE A REACTION TO THE FINE SANDING DUST OF WHITE BIRCH. OVER EXPOSURE CAN GIVE ME A HEADACHE. LATELY I HAVE NOTED THAT IF I AM SANDING OAK FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME, I START TO SNEEZE. A FEW YEARS AGO I HAD A FOREMAN WHO DEVELOPED AN ALLERGY TO THE SANDING DUST OF OAK. IF WE WERE DOING A LARGE BATCH OF OAK DOORS, HE WOULD START SPITTING BLOOD. VISITS TO THE DOCTOR CONFIRMED HE HAD THROUGH PROLONGED EXPOSURE DEVELOPED AN ALLERGY TO OAK DUST. ALMOST ANY WOOD, IF YOU ARE EXPOSED TO LARGE AMOUNTS OF THE DUST, CAN RESULT IN DEVELOPING AN ALLERGY. SOME WOODS HAVE OILS AND SUCH THAT MAKE THIS MORE COMMON. MY GRANDFATHER WAS IN CINSTRUCTION IN NEW ZEALAND, AND MY FATHER SAYS THAT THEY TOOK PRECAUTIONS WORKING WITH TEAK BECAUSE THE OILS IN THE WOOD COULD BE VERY BAD FOR YOU. i HAVE ALSO READ THAT COCOBOLO CAN HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON SOME PEOPLE, AND ONCE YOU HAVE HAD A REACTION TO THE DUST, SIMPLE EXPOSURE TO THE WOOD OF COCOBOLO CAN RESULT IN A RETURN OF THE REACTION. ALL OF THIS IS WHY DUST CONTROL THROUGH MASKS, DUST COLLECTORS, AIR CLEANERS AND DOWNDRAFT SANDING TABLES ARE BECOMING SUCH A LARGE PART OF THE STANDARD WOODWORKING INDUSTRIES TOOLING.
I had reactions to poplar - secretions turning crusty in my nose and a strong and painful reaction to a splinter. I'm now careful to use a good dust mask and wear rubber gloves when working with it.
As a WW in my late 50's I am now allergic to all wood dust! I sneeze terribly around fine dust. Let that be a warning to you younger guys sanding and not using protection. Blood wood is the worst for me, burning skin, a real irritation, sent me to the shower. I never plan to have it in my shop again. I have a friend who reacted to Australian lace wood as if he had touched poison ivy! Nasty blisters. An other friend who was sent to the hospital by one of the members of the rosewood family. He now tests all woods of the rosewood family by taping a sample to the inside of his arm for a day before doing any work with them.
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