Cow Parsley/Parsnip sap burns?

I know all about Giant Hogweed and its sap which causes awful skin burns and blisters if exposed to sunlight before washing off, however can it's lesser relative Cow Parsley/Parsnip cause lesser burns?

I ask because a couple of weeks ago I suddenly developed some pinkish-red patches on the back of my right hand - the patches were a little sore, very slightly swollen, a little itchy and there were three extremely tiny blisters.

I'm still not sure what caused this - on the day that it appeared I do remember dropping a tool in some long grass and on reaching down to pick it up felt a slight sting, but all that was present in that grass was a few nettles and thistles so I thought no more of it until the patches later appeared.

However, a day or two before that I had been cutting about half a dozen small cow parsley plants (I wasn't wearing gloves) so perhaps the sap from one of those got onto my hand? Maybe there was a delayed reaction or I simply didn't notice anything amiss at first.

The pinkish-red patches are slowly fading (VERY slowly!), shrinking a little and darkening a bit, the tiny blisters have gone. There's no soreness, perhaps one area is still ever so slightly itchy at times but rarely.

To the touch the patches are now a slightly rough texture with smoother areas and they look a bit like scars.

I've not really treated the area (except with some calamine lotion) as the patches haven't caused me any great problems, I am though curious as to the likely cause.

 

It sounds like nettles to me, if you get badly stung it can get fairly uncomfortable for a day or so and it can cause a rash.

 

Several of the umbellifers can cause a rash of sorts particularly if your skin is sensitive and the area is exposed to strong sunlight (chance would be a fine thing here this year, but maybe your weather has been better than ours).

Hiwever there are other plants whose sap can burn in the sunshine … even grass sap can cause a problem for some folk.

I’m no doctor so this is only a personal recommendation but I find treating such things with an Aloe Vera gel or other mild burn relief cream to be helpful.

 

Sounds like nettle stings to me, particularly because you felt the sting straight away. I find that antihistamine cream helps (I keep some in the house for insect bites, which I react badly to) but aloe vera is good too.

 

Thanks for the replies and tips, to address a few points:

- The marks on the back of my hand appeared two weeks ago and, while fading very slowly, are still easily seen.

- I've had nettle stings before but they've never looked like this, in fact usually the 'worst' that I've had from one is a mostly white-ish 'lumpy' appearance with some pink and it disappears within a day or two. I've been spiked by thistles too but, again, they've not caused anything like this. That said, different varieties of nettle and thistle can presumably cause different reactions.

- Yes, I've actually had some intermittent sunshine in my area, some sunny periods too so I'm leaning more towards it being something sap-related. I didn't though realise that some grass saps could cause issues for some people.

 

The worst I have had is Euphoria sap on my arm and then exposed to sunshine, it took the whole of the summer that year for it to go away.

 

I get a rash and blister marks from sticky weed (cleavers). Depending on where they get me the marks can last days. I always feel it get me then after 30 mins it stings but after that there is usually no pain even though it looks quite bad.

I might be weird though, runner beans always make my arms red and itchy where I touch the leaves!

 

Now that's very interesting about the sticky weed, I had been pulling up some of that too now that I recall, the damn stuff is everywhere. I wish there was an easy way to stop that weed.

 

Sticky weed doesn’t bother me, rash wise, which is just as well as it pops up everywhere here.
I do get a horrible prickly rash from hops. We inherited several along our back fence which seem impossible to kill off. They’re good for wildlife, apparently, but seem intent on world domination and it’s an annual battle to keep them contained

 

Radish leaves do for me.

 

When I pick the pods from peabeans I have to wear long sleeves and gloves otherwise I have rashes on my hands and arms. Dwarf French beans can also be an issue but not so bad.