The doctor explained the danger of hogweed

After contact with Sosnovsky's hogweed, you can get to the hospital with severe burns. This plant can be found on roadsides, abandoned fields and near suburban areas. What is the risk of contact with hogweed, how to safely get rid of it and what to do if it has already done harm, Alexandra Fileva, an expert at the Hemotest Laboratory, told Izvestia on May 20.

"The danger of Sosnovsky hogweed is that its juice contains furanocoumarins, substances that dramatically increase skin sensitivity to ultraviolet light. When exposed to sunlight, the juice that gets on the skin can cause serious burns. Children are especially vulnerable: their skin is more sensitive and prone to sunburn, and they can play with hogweed without realizing the threat it poses. Some use the hollow stems of the plant as "pipes" or "spyglasses" and get severe burns to the face, skin and mucous membranes," she noted.

According to her, the difficulty lies in the variety of types of hogweed. Even adults sometimes find it difficult to determine exactly how dangerous a plant with an umbrella inflorescence growing nearby is to their health.

As the expert explained, in the first hours after contact with the hogweed, if a person was in the sun, slight redness and itching may appear, which many mistake for an allergic reaction. Painful blisters filled with a clear liquid appear within a day after contact. In severe cases, systemic reactions are observed: headache, nausea, fever. Burns occupying more than 10% of the body, as well as lesions of the face and neck, which can lead to swelling of the respiratory tract, are particularly dangerous. In this case, it is necessary to consult a doctor urgently.

"If contact with the hogweed has occurred, it is necessary to act immediately. First of all, you should cover the affected areas with a cloth from the sun's rays and go indoors as soon as possible. The skin should be rinsed with plenty of cool water and soap, but try not to rub it. Over the next 7-10 days, it is necessary to protect the treated area from direct sunlight, as the skin remains hypersensitive to ultraviolet radiation," said Fileva.

If redness has already appeared, you need to treat the contact site with an alcohol—free antiseptic, such as chlorhexidine, and apply a sterile bandage. The doctor stressed that the blisters that have appeared should absolutely not be pierced: an infection may join and the condition will worsen significantly. If large blisters appear, the temperature rises, it is necessary to seek medical help.

"The fight against hogweed requires a systematic approach. In order not to be affected by its juice, work should be carried out on cloudy days or in the evening, using a full set of protection: a waterproof suit, rubber gloves, safety glasses and a respirator," the expert advised.

Young plants can be dug up by the roots, making sure that even small fragments of the rhizome do not remain. For adult specimens, the method of injecting herbicides into the stem is effective — this minimizes harm to the environment. Mown plants must be burned, as hogweed seeds can ripen even on cut stems. Special care should be taken when destroying flowering hogweed. One plant can produce thousands of seeds that retain germination for up to 15 years. Therefore, all inflorescences should be carefully cut off, immediately placed in thick plastic bags, and disposed of by incineration, Fileva drew attention.

"Contrary to popular belief, hogweed does not lose its dangerous properties after drying or heat treatment. Even old dried stems can contain active furanocoumarins, so they also need to be disposed of with extreme care. After working with the plant, all clothes should be thoroughly washed, and tools should be rinsed with a strong soda solution," she added.

The doctor noted that in many regions there are programs for the destruction of hogweed with the involvement of specialists. If thickets of this plant are found near the site, you should not try to fight it alone — it is better to contact the local administration.

Earlier, on May 12, Invitro allergist and immunologist Ella Churyukina told Izvestia that with hay fever, a person may experience weakness, dizziness, drowsiness, cognitive impairment, increased fatigue and decreased performance. In addition, skin manifestations in the form of acute urticaria, angioedema or contact dermatitis are possible.