SNEEZY DOES IT

Hayfever, wasp stings and prickly heat…our guide to surviving summer

Lynsey Hope

Published: 22:25, 22 May 2019
Updated: 9:21, 23 May 2019

THIS is that itchy, sneezy time of year when we check the pollen count more often than the weather forecast.

Hay fever isn’t the only issue. The warmer months bring a number of other problems for allergy sufferers.

Top tips to help allergy-sufferers from Dr Adrian Morris, of the Surrey Allergy Clinic

Dr Adrian Morris, of the Surrey Allergy Clinic, shares his advice with us.

Hay fever

GRASS pollen triggers allergies, often from May right through until the end of July.

Tiny seeds come off the grass and go into your airways, triggering an allergic reaction. That is why your eyes run and you wheeze and sniff.

It can be very debilitating.

Hay fever makes your eyes run and you wheeze and sniffCredit: Getty - Contributor

THE FIX: Hay fever symptoms can be treated with antihistamines and nasal sprays But you can also work to reduce your exposure to pollen in the first place.

Pollen counts tend to be higher in the mid-morning and early evening, so avoid going outdoors at those times if you can. Perhaps wear wraparound sunglasses to protect your eyes.

Alternatively, smear Vaseline around the edges of your nostrils to stop pollen grains going further into your airways.

Wasp stings

WASPS and bees are more active in the summer, posing a problem if you are allergic to their stings.

Often, people will ask to have their child tested for a wasp or bee allergy. But you can’t be allergic unless you have already been stung. The first time you will get a localised swelling. The next time, your whole leg will swell up. The third time, you might have a potentially life-threatening anaphylactic shock.

A wasp sting can cause you to go into a potentially life-threatening anaphylactic shockCredit: Getty - Contributor

THE FIX: If you or your child has a severe reaction to stings, you may need to carry an epipen.

You can be desensitised to the reaction but it is a long process that can take five years.

In the meantime, try to avoid stings in the first place. Wear dull clothing, as wasps and bees are attracted to bright colours. And don’t have sugary drinks outdoors.

Prickly heat

THIS red, itchy, pin-prick rash often strikes when you go from a relatively sun-free environment to a hot place.

It mostly affects women aged from 20 to 40 and appears on all parts of your body that are exposed to the sunshine.

It is also common in early summer, before people have had chance to adjust to warmer weather.

A red, itchy, pin-prick rash often affects women aged from 20 to 40Credit: Getty - Contributor

THE FIX: Be prepared. If you are prone to prickly heat, it is a good idea to take some antihistamines a couple of days before you jet off on your holidays.

Prickly heat can last for weeks and it can ruin a break.

People with severe prickly heat may need to take oral steroids, prescribed by a doctor.

Unfortunately, sun cream will not prevent this, as it is more to do with heat and ultraviolet light.

Swimming pools

HIGH levels of the chemical chlorine – which is put into swimming pools to keep the water clean and protect swimmers from harmful bacteria – can irritate skin.

People might find their skin dries up and becomes itchy after taking a dip. The chemical can irritate eczema and trigger its symptoms, such as flaky, red skin.

While it is not an allergy, it is certainly an irritant.

Pool chemical chlorine can irritate eczema and trigger flaky, red skinCredit: Getty - Contributor

THE FIX: Have a shower immediately after you have been swimming in a chlorinated pool to remove all traces of the chemical from your skin.

While your skin is still moist, apply a moisturiser or emollient to keep the skin from drying out.

Suncream

A LOT of sunblocks you can buy contain titanium, parabens, fragrances and other chemicals.

All of these ingredients can cause contact dermatitis, which is a type of eczema. It means you may get a rash a day or two after applying suncream to your skin.

Chemicals in suncream can cause contact dermatitis, which is a type of eczemaCredit: Getty - Contributor

THE FIX: A topical steroid cream is better than an antihistamine for treating this kind of rash. But you would need to get that prescribed by a doctor.

You may want to try an emollient cream that goes directly on the skin. Some are leave-on creams that create a protective barrier over the skin to lock in moisture.

If you suffer badly from this after using different creams, you will need to see your GP to try identify the trigger.

Insect bites

SOME people are prone to getting large, localised allergic reactions if they are bitten by a mosquito.

The bites can be incredibly itchy, very unsightly and red.

Insect bites can be incredibly itchy, very unsightly and redCredit: Getty - Contributor

THE FIX: If you get a bite that flares up, take an antihistamine.

Also, make sure you have some one per cent hydrocortisone cream in your travel first aid kid in case of a reaction to a bite.

You can buy the cream over the counter without a prescription and it will relieve the itching you feel if you are bitten by mozzies.

Vitamin B is also thought to be a natural insect repellent. If you take the tablets before you go on holiday – or throughout the summer – you might be able to avoid getting bitten in the first place.

Citronella candles can help keep mosquitos at bay too.