Pollen allergies on skin

[margecat]

I've been so uncomfortable the past 3 weeks. I only have to be outside for 10-15 minutes, and my forearms start itching. Now, it's spread to behind my ears, around my neck, and on my chest. Only 1-2 days in the beginning were my typical Spring flowering trees nasal and eye allergies. The past 3 years, it's been just my forearms. I thought I may have had a latex allergy, as I blamed it on the rubber dish washing gloves. That rash lasted 8 weeks.

Today, I was in the garden for 9 hours. Itch, itch, itch again. It pretty much went away until today. I can't take meds, I have problems with them. I bathe in vinegar and warm water or pat on diluted white vinegar on the areas, which really helps. Does pollen really cause this on skin???

 

[Jem]

Not sure of your climate, but I would think perhaps more of a mold allergy? This time a year is killer for me due to the melting snow. Wet, damp, rotten, soggy stuff outside, that as it dries, get picks up and blown about.
I do have skin reactions when I'm gardening, but it's usually just hives if I come into contact with certain plants or trees.
Dermatitis can be caused by so many things and can happen for so many reasons, so it wouldn't be unheard of that your allergy manifests as dermatitis...
You mention not being able to take allergy meds but are you able to take certain supplements?
Quercetin is known to help people with allergies. It's a natural supplement that works on the immune system.

 

[kashmir64]

Could it be something external and not environmental? Something that you are using that you weren't before. Maybe a bug repellant (some, like me, are allergic to Deet). Maybe a lotion that you have used but now are applying it more often. maybe sunscreen ,etc...

A few years ago I had oozing blisters and red blotches on my hands. No idea what was going on, even the doctor couldn't figure it out. I eliminated soaps and shampoos one by one to figure out what it was.
Turned out there was a steroid in my moisturizing lotion.

Could it be something like this that you are allergic to and not a pollen issue?