Do poinsettas cause rashes

Answer 1

I am not a doctor, nor have I done scientific tests with any substantial population size. I have, however, personally experienced a reoccurance of some red blotchy patches and smaller sores on my hands and wrists after handling poinsettia plants. I am pretty sure that these red sores and splotches are from contact with the poinsettia. I like the plants and my mom has had them in the house around Christmas time since a was little. More recently, with all her kids out of the house, she's been giving us each one for a decoration around the holidays. I suspected that I might have some mild alergic reaction to these when I was about ten years old. With this tradition she has taken up, I am now 99% sure that the rash like syptoms are from me carrying, watering and basically touching the plant. It happened again this year. Within a day of getting the plant, fluffing it up some and putting it on the kitchen table.. blam.. the rash. Had not experienced those symptoms since I disposing of the last poinsettia after Christmas last January. Thankfully, the itching hasn't been that bad and the rash seems to fade in and out while having the plant around and then disappears within, I believe, a couple weeks of the plant disappearing.