AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Itchy rash all over arms an face with swollen eyes

Interesting addition tacogirl...thanks!!

Seashell - I arrived late sunday and had been exposed to several posionwood trees when I had lunch at a resort. There are a few on the property where I'm living. I was told by a local that the resort I had lunch at has alot of posoinwood trees.

I will stew the bark so I can get a larger quantity to help deal with this horrible rash. It's still there, has a burning sensation kind of like a sunburn but worse as my eyes are swollen too I knew once the benadryl wasn't working that something different was going on. I knew if I went to see the doctor he would put me on prednisone and I stay away from that stuff.
Hoping it clears in 5 days like some of the other people have reported. Also hoping that my body has built an immunity to this because I really liked hanging out where I had lunch!!

Lisa
Nurse by profession

You will not build immunity, stay away from Chechen. If you are under it you can get exposure to it as well, really about the worst thing we have. Spanish name for Chaca is Indio Desnudo. Naked Indian. Your tourist name is only a tourist name and have never heard it before.

For anyone who hasn't heard the common 'tourist tree' name used in Belize and also in the USA for the Gumbo Limbo, here are some links. Very cool tree.

"The Gumbo-limbo is often referred to as the Tourist Tree because the tree's bark is red and peeling, like the skin of sunburnt tourists, who are a common sight in the plant's range."
Bursera simaruba - Gumbo Limbo

"The gumbo limbo tree is known as the "Tourist Tree" by the locals in Southern Belize. Can you guess why? Note the red, peeling bark. Remember that day you forgot your sunscreen?" Lubaantun Belize

"During a tour of the Monkey River, our local guide noticed my "affliction", chopped a small peice of bark from a gumbo limbo tree (the "tourist tree" -- has peeling red bark) and told me to rub some of the sap on my legs. Being the Human Guinea Pig that I am, I rubbed the sap on only ONE leg. By that evening, the welts on the treated leg had noticeably faded, while the untreated leg remained, well, pretty much the same. Has anybody else heard of this remedy?"
//ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/sandflies.html

http://www.rain-tree.com/gumbo.htm

You should also drink the gumbo limbo. If its really bad, another plant called John Charles works when GL doesn't for chechem. I get is bad and poisonwood is in the same plant family as cashew, mangoes and poison ivy.

I was given the same advice but rag-girl decided against that. But she was so pleased with the results that maybe she would reconsider next time.