None that I've heard of Bihai. 'Course, there could be the possibility of bacterial "floaties" that abound in greenhouses. Microbes and other nasty flotsam probably thrive in the humid enviroment. Get some of those arm sleeves from a nursery catalogue. Myself? The red marks from scratches and nicks disappear pretty quick.

Actually I have heard that brom spines exude some kind of mildly toxic substance. I can't remember where I read that..... one of the old Journals probably.

I don't have a problem if it's just a surface scrape, but when they break off under your skin and you can't get them out right away it can get pretty inflamed. Not nearly as bad as some of the spiny Euphorbias though.

Nitrile gloves are great for protecting your hands, it's my wrists that always have a red ring around them. I have some long-cuffed leather gloves that I use for rough work, but for delicate jobs you need to be able to feel what you're doing.

I wear gloves and arm protection so chemicals put in/on the plants dont enter threw my skin

bihai,it sounds like you may have an alergy.When I work on triming,potting,etc on the broms at the Bot.Gdns.,the next day it looks like my hands and arms have the measles.But no rash,just dozens of red dots and scratches that are gone in about 3 days.I rub on some Johnsons first aid cream the first day,and it helps to get a fast healing.I've never used gloves,just don't like the clumsy feeling.
bob

Thank goodness..for this topic!I thought I was allergic or crazy!After working with some of my plants.my hands have been on fire.the itching is unbelieveable..I have even clawed and self mutilated myself,trying to ease the discomfort!....and you wouldn't believe the concoctions I've used to try and get some relief and nothing working but time...man...the pain is right up there with fire ants!.

could be pesticide or fertilzer causing the rash too...mine was

Yeah, that sounds like something else causing that. I've never had any itching or burning rash from broms.

This will sound a little strange, but trust me it works. I also get a much milder itch and rash after trimming and potting. I use Preperation H cream which always stops the itching and burning. If you think about it, what do they claim it does?? LOL

I keep it out in the greenhouse just for cuts, scraps and insect bites. It does seem to speed healing time to about half also. I asked my doctor about an allergy to the plant and she thougt it had more to do with sensitive skin.

Anyhow, give it a try and hope it helps you.

LOL Patris, Preparation H is an old "beauty secret" of the stars! I saw it on Good Morning America once. TV people use it as a quick fix for bags under the eyes....supposedly it tightens the skin right up! Supposed to be pretty harsh on that type of skin though.
I have some Retinol gel (prescription) that they gave my daughter for severe excema...that stuff is like an instant facelift, but its so harsh its not worth it to even use it.

I think Plove and I may have an allergy to whatever it is that broms secrete.

I have pretty sensitive skin when it comes to plants and also fireants.

I discovered after a fireant attack that if I mix antibiotic cream and benadryl creme together, that my bites/scratches/pricks heal very quickly.

I had the same reaction when potting up some bromeliads for a plant sale yesterday. I asked Houston Chronicle's Lazy Gardener and she sent me this link. It turns out that there is a cross reaction to bromeliad sap if you are allergic to latex. Pineapples too. I have been stuck by pineapple spines as well and was uncomfortable but it wasn't such a fiery pain. Apparantly these plant cousins share a common allergen: thioprotease bromelain.

I am, indeed, allergic to latex and the reaction is the same as the original post mentioned: fiery burning and redness. I've been on antihistamines since I got scraped and it's still itchy and painful. Some of those bromeliads are so beautiful I'm pretty sad about this. I'll just have to love them from afar, I guess.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bromeliad allergic reaction

I also get badly affected with red whelts where spines dig in. I use ti-tree oil diluted slightly with water and all is well and the sooner it's applied the better. It is an antiseptic and should be available in most countries, so maybe bacteria are involved. The best way to avoid this issue is to wear long airy latex gloves for the big'uns and shorter ones for smaller spiny stuff.

Pedro

Neosporin with pain relief. Put it on and overnight my swelled painful blisters and scratches are absolutly gone. I put it on like I would suntain lotion. Quite a bit.

I get red welts too, from handling neos especially, and find that aloe vera gel is the best thing for relieving the discomfort and promoting rapid healing. Also, as Pedro suggested, tea tree oil is helpful too.
Mitche

It's not pesticides. I'm allergic to eating pineapple and I had the burning hives reaction to touching another bromeliad.

I got an extremely allergic reaction from pineapple once. How was I to know you were supposed to detach it from the plant before eating!!!!

I am wondering the same thing.I have been horribly sick for over 3 months. Really weird and painful phenomenon.. I thought it was a fire ant bite, because it stung so bad for hours. Then insects started clinging to me a

Thought it was bed bug . Threw out the bed, then fleas.Finally went to the Dr..oh, looks like scabies.that went on for a month.I was a magnet for insects! I clean houses for a living..and its all making since right now. Any info would be tremendously helpful so I can get well. Things I noticed is I'm dehydrated, bad rashes come and go, spores in the air that quickly grow into fungus little creatures!! They are in my hair, skin,eyes, everything that comes into my house gets a spore on it..the rash stings like fiberglass with either a circle or line of dots.I also have what looks like heat rash on my upper chest.I got parasites in my hair, mouth and skin!! Totally disgusting...it was yesterday that I realized these spores are not the normal spores...and I was cleaning a house which I started right about the time I got sick.The house/office which no one lives in but it very nice has like 20 bromiades...one huge fern like one that I never have liked because I have to plug the vacumn in behind it and it pricks me..I hate it! Well, yesterday I noticed one of the small ones on the back of the toilet in which I'm moving these all the time cleaning under them...no gloves.Anyway, underneath was fungus and yellow and some black..totally looked unhealthy.I then started thinking about these plants and how they survive... I took pics of all of them in and underneath, came home and looked at the photos and damn there are the same fungus I have on my skin and hair! I have been through hell..3 ER visits, 2 doctors next a dermatologist.No one else is sick in my house..which I couldn't figure out..I 100% believe these can be toxic for humans, if they are not taken care of properly.obviously these are not. These are the traits I have noticed..you get dehydrated, soap suds up with slimy bubbles, plastics they will suck the air out of anything and are looking for water.they curl paper, including tp, napkins, paper towels, baggies.. They fform shapes of what fungus they are..I am so very sick and do not know how to get the spores out of the air.I am on my 2nd dose of antibiotics and itch cream..Can someone help..since a puzzle to all doctors.. They drain me like a vampire..nothing is safe as it has brought parasites to my body now....this is a horror movie...

P.S. anything I drink dances for hours because of bacteria..the spores can grow on wood, paint,walls human everything..and I have lost 15 lbs because I cannot eat.. They have gotten into the freezer and refrigerator and anything..there us no safe place! I know I sound crazy but this is making sense as to why its not typical mold or mildew that I thought was my house!! No, it is these plants .how can I move the spores outta my house..and all in my car! Like I said, no safe place..it is driving me crazy.I missed the whole summer bc I was sick, fatigued and rashes all over me..

It has been over 3 months of hell from these plants.I am living on an air mattress..tons of $ on all kinds of medications, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, q tips, cotton balls, tea tree, lotions, shampoos, soaps, not to mention thinking I was so contagious I wash my sheets and vacumn everyday..electric bill went up $70 a month more.. Bc of all the towels and not knowing what I had.I am on Kflex, antifungal cream, and hydroxyzine...and the parasites cleanse I did and the antibiotic. Don't let anyone tell you they are not toxic!!!! I now know what has made me sick..Now.. I am their host it seems..So, how can I get the spores to detach from me and my home? I have got to know bromide language(be nice if I could spell it). ..I need to get well and live again not hide away from the world..and be sick and tired and itchy. And I itchy as in feels like fiberglass in me! Also I think these spores or my skin leave little salt Crystals in my bed.

I had the same reaction today!!! Never used chemicals in my garden and my arms are on fire and red with scratches & welts!!

I’ve had an allergic reaction in past when pulling them out of my garden. i did the same yesterday and the painful almost pimple-like welts appeared on my forearms. starting to spread to legs. gonna go to dermatologist

I get this burning and itching from bromeliads as well after being scratched by them on my hands and arms when re-potting them.

I've found that if I wash my arms with a fairly strong mix of Dettol and water for a few minutes, the burning and itching is gone. Of course the scratches will still be there for few days but are painless.

I'm now kinda wondering if it isn't bacteria reacting with sweat on the arms.

If you have this reaction, you are almost assuredly allergic to latex and probably react to hevein-rich foods with some sort of reaction as well, whether you realize it or not. Do you have skin rashes, headaches, asthma...? If so, google “latex-food allergy” and start keeping a food diary to see which of those foods are triggers.

Also, do not touch rubber garden hoses. As they get old, with exposure to the sun and high-then-low temps, tiny bits of latex will break off into the water and contaminate (for you, anyway) the soil and any food plants you might eat. Good luck. Control is possible. https://itchylittleworld.com/allergic-reaction-to-latex-womans-story/

A. McMurry. I'm not allergic to latex, not allergic to anything in fact. But I have bad reactions to Broms.

I've read all the comments. My Bromeliads have never had anything applied to them. Nothing but rainwater. I divided a cluster of them for transplanting. I knew I was scratched up, but I had no idea that it would get so much worse throughout the evening. When we work outside in the Florida heat, we get into our salt water pool as soon as we quit working. You would think that would have helped. But it did not. The welts were flame red and warm to the touch. Itch, burning, just miserable. Here is what my arms looked like...keep in mind that the color in the photo is not accurate. It was much more vivid red and swollen. I am not allergic to anything like latex, pineapples, etc. This took me by surprise...

I separated some bromeliads yesterday and omg! My arms have red welts and scratches all over them .. I got into a tepid shower this morning and felt like I was being scolded. My rash is not itchy just very sore and red

Pulled one weed out of one today felt burned like a stove. Definitely feels like a chemical burn...

I also have scratches all over my arms - but i wasn't scratched by them. It happens every time i touch bromeliads. bloody scary stuff my arms r burning and stinging