Sources And Troubleshooting Of The Colophony Allergy

Colophony is also termed as rosin. Colophony is the name referred to the sap which is released from the spruce and the pine trees. This tree sap is deleterious for the health of any individual who tends to get in contact with it. It may give rise to acute allergies in man. These may include minor dermatological conditions or dermatitis. Colophony allergy might also terminate to asthma troubles in man in close proximity with it. There is a reason due to which this particular sap has been brought down to an extensive usage. The reason behind is the ‘stickiness’ property, as a reason of which it is used for the development of many commercial products all across the globe.

There are a number of products wherein, colophony or rosin might have been brought into use in our day to day life. We may tend to come across these products on a domestic scale as well as at our work, but might not know that these might contain colophony.

How Does It Occur?

There may be a number of minor reasons catering to the cause of occurrence of colophony allergy. But the sole reason is catered to the immune system of man. Colophony allergies are witnessed when the immune system becomes extremely sensitive and over reactive in nature. It is this immune system which tends to release or emit certain specific antibodies in regards to the ‘harmless’ antigens that most likely tends to come in contact with external areas such as the skin or the lungs. It is solely these group of antibodies released which poses a threat to the integrity of the skin or to the proper functioning of the respiratory system inside a human being allergic to colophony.

Sources Of Colophony:

There are a number of products in which rosin is been used during its product development stage. In the domestic scale of our household, colophony is found in products such as cosmetics, medicines, adhesives, chewing gum, toiletries, common household items, paper products and in much other recreational stuff. Some of the medicines in which the presence of colophony is witnessed mostly include the wart removers, ostomy products, sprays, nappy creams and in some of the ‘cold sore creams’.

The common recreational items in which rosin might be present includes ‘athletic grip aids’, ‘sport racket handles’, ‘golf club grips’, fireworks, ‘bows’ for the string instruments and ski wax. One of the biggest applications of rosin is in the manufacturing of any type of paper products. The other kinds of commercial products that can mostly found to be present include different types of paints, enamels, varnishes, sealants, lacquers, putties, cement, tiles, floor coverings, linoleum, soldering products, print inks, corrosion inhibitors, asphalt products, lubricant and grease thickener and many more. These are some of the commonly available classes of products containing rosin in it.

Allergic Contact Dermatitis:

There are a number of possible allergic reactions indicating the occurrence of colophony allergy. If a person comes in contact with it and has probable chances of getting allergic to it, he might develop chances of acute dermatitis and asthma. Dermatitis is caused only when the concerned person comes in direct contact with the respective substance containing rosin. For the case of allergic ‘contact dermatitis’, the person develops lesions after one to three days of his contact with rosin. It might so happen that dermatitis may take place within a brief period of 24 hours to as long as a week or a fortnight too.

It time of occurrence depends extensively on the skin sensitivity of the concerned person. The location of dermatitis is centered only to the place where rosin came in direct contact with the skin area of the person. This dermatological condition has different stages of sensitivity depending on person to person. For example, if a person is bare handedly carrying pine woods in his hands, he might develop syndromes catering to skin allergies. On the initial stage, the skin tends to become swollen, red and inflamed with a burning sensation. There after it may grow itchy too.

As the dermatological condition proceeds, it may give rise to blemishes and blisters all over the allergy area, becoming intensely itchy. If the exposure of the affected area continues to come in contact with rosin, it then tends to transform the skin to become more chronic and ‘lichenified’ in nature, thus increasing the severity.

Respiratory Troubles:

Another common phenomenon that is associated with colophony allergy is asthma. Asthma is a kind of respiratory disorder that occurs during the crisis of sufficient oxygen required to inhale. The governing factor contributing towards its occurrence is the inhaling of rosin dust from any ‘favorable source’ that is likely to be present. This asthma is basically an allergic syndrome in the respective case. The severity of this medical condition depends upon the basic immunity of the concerned person. Breathing problems are most likely troubleshot with artificial inhalers.

Troubleshooting The Problem:

The only solution to the concerning problem is the avoidance of the products, the original pine sap or the saw dust containing colophony in it. It is a good and a congenial practice to wear in gloves whenever you come in direct contact with rosin or its associated products anywhere. One must ensure to have properly examined all household products or items in which there are most like chances of occurrence of colophony. The best possible way to prevent it from occurring in us is to have a detailed knowledge of all the products which have the like chances of presence of colophony.

One must be sound enough in this particular case. It is a very good practice to wear in protective clothes if there are most favorable chances of coming in direct contact with rosin or colophony. The most probable treatment procedure that might turn out to be effective is going for the similar medical treatment as in the case of eczema or acute dermatitis externally over the skin. These might include certain topical corticosteroids and emollients.