Posted on 07/14/2018 7:50:17 AM PDT by SMGFan
A Virginia teen suffered significant burns to his face and arm after reportedly being exposed to hogweed. Alex Childress, 17, was inflicted with second-and third-degree burns after unknowingly touching the plant while he was working outside at his landscaping job on Tuesday, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Childress reportedly believed the plant was a weed and went to remove it from the ground.
A person's skin can burn and blister after coming in contact with sap from the plant. Childress’ father, Justin, recalled to the outlet how his son told him he had a “really bad sunburn.” “The top layer of skin on the left side of his face basically was gone and appeared to be like a really bad burn that had already peeled,” the elder Childress reportedly said. The teen was brought to the hospital on Tuesday after his mom – who is a nurse – suspected that the plant could be responsible, the Times-Dispatch reported. A link to a GoFundMe page called “Alex’s Burn Recovery Fund” was posted on what appeared to be the father’s Facebook. In it, the teen explained the series of events that led to his burns, saying he was “trying to make a little extra spending money” before setting off for his freshman year at Virginia Tech.
He said he “unknowingly cut down and carried a ‘giant hogweed’ plant” and as a result was burned on his face and arm.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
The sap of the giant hogweed plant is phototoxic; when the contacted skin is exposed to sunlight or to ultraviolet rays, it can cause phytophotodermatitis (severe skin inflammations). Initially, the skin colours red and starts itching. Blisters form as it burns within 48 hours. They form black or purplish scars that can last several years. Hospitalisation may be necessary.[9] Although media reports have suggested that eye exposure to the sap can lead to temporary or permanent blindness, the risk of permanent blindness is not supported by existing research.[19]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_mantegazzianum
Mighty Hogweed is avenged
Human bodies soon will know our anger
Kill them with your hogweed hairs
Heracleum Mantegazziani
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTuJQL8GBqY
Good question. We have them coming into our area now. I thought poison ivy was bad, but this is worse.
my neighbors have lost their mind over this hogweed.
Amazing that such a noxious plant species was imported onto this continent.
Or a salad?
Strike by night! They need the sun to photosynthesize their venom!
Wipe them out! We must destroy them.
Maybe WeWork folk can serve up some of this at their company picnic.
What did they do?
“Strike by night! They need the sun to photosynthesize their venom!”
Strike at night after all day of storing up to sap you.
Queen Anne's lace
LOL. You forgot the "sarcasm" tag. Noxious things nastier than hogweed keep slipping into our country each and everyday.
OK Kent. :)
they are on the neighbor hood FB page declaring if u find this weed, call 911.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.