Many people look forward to and enjoy putting up their Christmas tree each year. But for some it may bring unexpected side-effects – hayfever or allergy. However, a few simple steps can reduce the sneezing, coughing and runny nose and eyes…
Without realising it, many people could be bringing airborne allergens into their home when they buy their fir tree or get their tree out of the attic or storage. Christmas trees can harbour all sorts of allergens, so when you bring them into your front room, this could be the trigger for your seasonal sneezes and sniffles.
Pollen grains can collect in the bark of a real tree, not from the pine tree itself, but from other plants. Live Christmas trees can also collect mould on their trunks and needles, and trees that have been stored for a while will have collected more mould as well as dust. Moulds release spores, which can cause allergic reactions. Artificial trees can also trigger the sneezes. If you have stored your tree since last year, it will have accumulated a layer of dust which will be dispersed when it is disturbed.
These allergens can then be released into the air when the tree is brought into the room, and cause hayfever symptoms in sufferers. This condition is known as Christmas Tree Syndrome. Around 35 per cent of people in the UK suffer from an increase of hay fever like symptoms at Christmas, with real trees causing most problems.
Airborne allergens expert Max Wiseberg offers some useful tips. “Hosing down your tree before taking it into the house, or after getting it out of storage, can help get rid of some of the mould and spores – though it’s probably best to get someone who isn’t allergic to do this!
You should also take care when decorating the tree, or again get someone else to do it, as allergens will be disturbed as you move the tree into position and move the branches to hang the baubles and add the lights.
Putting up the tree as late as possible will help minimise the risk, whilst an air purifier may also help. Or you could try applying an allergen barrier balm such as HayMax around your nostrils to help stop the allergens getting up your nose.”
The HayMax organic, drug-free allergen barrier balm has been proven in independent studies to trap both indoor and outdoor airborne allergens from entering the body. If this keeps a sufferer below their trigger level, they will have no allergic reaction.
HayMax™ retails at £6.99 per pot and is available from Holland & Barrett; Booths supermarkets; selected Morrisons, Waitrose and Boots; independent health stores, chemists and pharmacies; and haymax.biz.
