(BlackDoctor.org) -- You can’t have Christmas without a Christmas tree. Some prefer artificial trees, but most prefer live ones. While bringing home a live Christmas tree marks the beginning of the holiday season for many, the mold that thrives on its branches can trigger weeks of suffering for some.
“Christmas trees are another possible source of mold exposure during the holiday season,” said study co-author Philip Hemmers, M.D., an allergist and immunologist with St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport, Conn. “Mold allergies peak in the fall, and we see a second peak with a lot of our mold-sensitive patients during the holiday season. Our findings correlate with this second peak of mold sensitivity.”
Hemmers recommended that people with mold sensitivity keep a live Christmas tree in the house for only four to seven days. An artificial tree may be a better option for those with mold allergies, he added, but they carry their own set of problems, especially if they've been stored in the attic or basement where they can collect dust and mold.
Allergies Need Attention Although Christmas trees are not a problem for most people with allergies, said Dr. David Khan, an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, there are things you can do to minimize their impact.
“If one is mold-allergic, running an air cleaner in the same room as the tree could theoretically reduce the mold exposure, but this has not been studied,” he said. “For some people who are sensitive to odors, the aroma from the tree, which most people like, could irritate their nose and cause symptoms. For these people, avoiding live trees may be best.”
In addition to Christmas trees, there are other potential holiday allergens, said Dr. James Sublett, section chief of Pediatric Allergy at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky. These can include foods consumed at holiday parties, such as nuts and shellfish, and Christmas ornaments and lights that have been contaminated with dust or mold.
“Store Christmas decorations in plastic containers that you can wipe off, since cardboard can potentially have mold,” Sublett advised. “Also, wear a N95 dust mask when bringing stuff out of storage.”
