Jatoba wood, also called Brazilian cherry wood, is an extremely hard wood used to make floors, furniture and cabinets. It is known to cause skin irritation. Although a simple skin irritation will likely clear on its own, consider calling your doctor for any rash, as allergic reactions can sometimes be serious. If you’ve fully identified jatoba wood as the source of your skin rash, avoid future contact with it.
Allergic Contact Dermatitis
If you are sensitive to jatoba wood, you might develop irritant contact dermatitis, which can make your skin itch, turn red and swell. Chemicals, soaps and detergents can also cause irritant contact dermatitis. If you are allergic to jatoba wood, you might develop allergic contact dermatitis, which may cause a red, scaly, crusty rash on the areas of your skin that touched the wood. Common sources of allergic contact dermatitis include nickel, rubber and hair dye.
Treatment
Depending on your symptoms, you might get relief from antihistamines taken orally or applied to your skin. Take a bath or shower to remove chemicals from jatoba wood that are irritating your skin. Try adding oatmeal, Epsom salt or chamomile tea to your bathwater. Other home remedies include applying baking soda paste to the affected area and eating antioxidant-rich foods such as oranges and blueberries. Rubbing olive oil or cod liver oil on the rash may also help. Consult your doctor before treating your rash.
Wood Toxins
Wood, including jatoba, may prove harmful in ways other than as a skin irritant. Some woods contain toxic chemicals, including cyanide. The amount is unlikely to cause serious harm, but if you work with wood, use caution in handling it. If you cut wood, the dust can cause respiratory problems even if you are not allergic to the wood itself. Jatoba and other woods may be infected with fungus or other natural toxins. You can also suffer an allergic reaction to stains and sealants used to color and protect jatoba wood.
Considerations
If you’re considering jatoba wood for flooring, take home a sample to test your reaction. If you’ve already installed jatoba wood in your home and discovered you’re allergic to it, avoid contact with the wood -- wear shoes or socks when walking on the floor and cover heavy-traffic areas with rugs. If you work with jatoba wood, wear gloves to protect your hands from contact and wear a mask to prevent the inhalation of wood dust.
