Anyone allergic to pine pollen knows about the watery eyes, runny nose, clogged sinuses and violent sneezing springtime can bring. A pine sap allergy, however, can flare up in any season. The distillation process of removing turpentine oil from pine sap leaves behind a solid residue called colophony. Colophony makes its way into a long list of apparel, household and personal care items. Symptoms of colophony-related pine sap allergy include skin rashes and respiratory distress.
Products With Pine Sap
Dozens of cosmetics and topical medications contain colophony from pine sap. You'll find it in lipstick, nail polish, eye shadow and mascara. Wart removers, and hemorrhoid, blister and diaper rash creams, may cause pine sap allergy, along with colophony-containing sunscreens. Wax depilatories, first-aid ointments, adhesive bandages and dental floss are other personal care products capable of triggering a reaction. Around the house, pine sap may show up in floor, furniture, car or shoe polishes. Linoleum or tile floors are possible sources. Laundry detergent and grease removers can leave it on clothing. Cardboard and the ink and paper of newspapers can trigger the allergy.
Cause
People with pine sap allergies have immune systems overly sensitive to compounds in the colophony. Their immune systems release IgE antibodies into the bloodstream in an attempt to protect the body from those compounds. Histamine antibodies affect the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems and the skin. These histamines, not the colophony itself, cause allergy symptoms.
Allergic Contact Dermatitis
Allergic contact dermatitis typically surfaces on an allergic person's skin within 24 to 48 hours after contact with pine sap. Itchy, red inflammation is the early sign of exposure. Left untreated, the reaction may produce blisters and severe itching. Sensitive skin chronically exposed to colophony may become thick and leathery.
Occupational Asthma
Industrial workers who inhale colophony fumes, most often from solder, may develop asthma. Pine sap fumes may also affect beauticians working with depilatories, welders and employees in the adhesive, paper and tire industries. Between 4 and 20 percent of fume-exposed workers develop asthma, according to Professor Sherwood Burge of Birmingham Heartlands Hospital's Occupational Lung Disease Unit. Occupational asthma shares the coughing, wheezing congestion, runny nose and other symptoms of regular asthma. Unlike regular asthma, it usually subsides whenever an employee leaves the workplace for more than a day. Continued occupational exposure to pine sap may sensitize workers to ordinary dust, smoke and other asthma triggers.
Management
Pine sap allergy management requires avoidance of any products containing colophony. Wear gloves and protective clothing if you must handle these products. Treat existing contact dermatitis with cortisone creams or other topical medications as recommended by your doctor. Wearing protective respiratory equipment can limit occupational asthma from exposure to colophony fumes. The only sure way to avoid it, however, is to change jobs.
References
- American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology; Spring Allergies; February 2011
- DermNet NZ; Rosin (Colophony) Allergy; Vanessa Ngan; November 2010
- Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine; Allergies; Nahida Jamal
- Occupational Asthma; Colophony (Solder); Sherwood Burge
- Ohio State University Medical Center: Occupational Asthma
