Christmas Trees and Indoor Allergies

Filed in archive Dust Mite Allergies , Hay Fever , Living with Allergies , Mold Allergy on November 15, 2007

Just a bit more than a month to go, but I know that a lot of you are already getting the trimmings ready for your Christmas trees. I know a lot who have opted for artificial trees, and they even have them up already!

If you have dust mite allergies, make sure you get your tree and trimmings a good wipe down before setting them up. If you're getting a real pine tree, note that they can pose a problem for people with mold allergies. According to this report,

"Our study demonstrates that a live Christmas tree can be a significant source of mold spores. Therefore, we recommend families with allergies in general and mold allergies in particular not keep a live Christmas tree in their homes for more than a few days at most, and remove it sooner if there are signs of increased allergy symptoms," Santilli says.

Rebecca Gruchalla, MD, PhD, chief of allergy at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, says the relationship between live Christmas trees and a rise in indoor mold spores comes as no surprise, particularly since most Christmas trees are cut well in advance of the holidays and stored in a moist environment before being placed on a lot for sale. Then they're then taken home and placed in water too, she says.

So whether you go for artificial or real Christmas trees, be sure to give them a good shake outdoors. Maybe even tie your tree to the roof of your car and drive around the block with it, or use a leaf blower if you have one.