Your skin is a living coat, an active barrier that protects your body from potentially harmful germs and environmental chemicals. Immune system cells patrol your skin, ready to attack invaders and other foreign substances. Newspaper ink contains pine rosin, which may trigger an allergic skin reaction. Avoiding contact with newspaper ink and other products that contain rosin is the primary form of treatment for this allergy.
Allergen
The term allergen refers to a substance that provokes an allergic reaction. Pine sap contains a group of chemicals called rosin, or colophony. Several chemicals contained in rosin act as allergens in a small percentage of the population. Abietic acid, also known as sylvic acid, and abitol are among the most common chemicals that provoke a rosin allergy. Skin contact with the offending chemicals activates your immune system and sets off a cascade of events that culminate with inflammation and irritation of the exposed areas.
Reaction
Rosin allergies, including sensitivity to newspaper ink, are a form of allergic contact dermatitis. With this condition, an immune system reaction occurs in the skin at the site of exposure to an allergy-inducing chemical. The reaction, called delayed hypersensitivity, typically develops one to three days after contact. Only those areas of your skin directly exposed to the irritant become inflamed. Plant-derived chemicals are among the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis. In the "Handbook of Occupational Dermatology," Dr. Lasse Kanerva and colleagues report that rosin ranks among the top five causes of allergic contact dermatitis. An allergy to newspaper ink, therefore, is not as rare as you might think. Skin reactions to chrysanthemums, tulips, Peruvian lilies, oleanders, and poison ivy, oak and sumac also occur due to an allergic response to substances produced by the plants.
Signs and Symptoms
With allergic contact dermatitis, exposure to the allergen attracts immune cells called T lymphocytes and monocytes. The involved areas of skin turn red and itch due to substances secreted by the activated immune cells. An allergic reaction to the rosin in newspaper ink typically develops on your hands, the skin site most likely to contact the ink. Severe reactions frequently lead to skin blistering. With ongoing exposure to the rosin in newspaper ink, the skin of your hands may thicken due to chronic inflammation.
Treatment
Your doctor may prescribe a steroid ointment or cream to reduce inflammation and control itching during an active reaction. Long-term management involves avoiding contact with newspaper ink and other products that contain rosin. Although you may feel a bit odd at first, wearing gloves while reading the newspaper prevents the ink from getting on your skin.
Warning
If you are allergic to newspaper ink, you may develop allergic skin reactions to other rosin-containing products. Adhesive bandages, cleaners, furniture polishes, insecticides, disinfectants, hair pomades, cosmetics, paper, car wax, paint, chewing gum and modeling clay are among the many common products that often contain rosin. Talk with your health care provider about how to protect yourself from potential exposure to these and other rosin-containing products.
References
- DermNet NZ: Rosin (Colophony) Allergy
- University of Massachusetts: Poison Ivy: an Exaggerated Immune Response to Nothing Much
- EczemaNet: Contact Dermatitis
- Handbook of Occupational Dermatology; Lasse Kanerva, M.D., Ph.D., et al.
- Auckland Allergy Clinic: Plant Dermatitis (Phytodermatitis)
- Microbiology and Immunology On-Line: Hypersensitivity Reactions
