It may feel like spring for a lot of us, but we're not quite out of the trenches when it comes to sniffles. Flu and cold season may be over, but allergy season is just beginning -- and this year it may be coming sooner than normal.
Meteorologists suspect the early arrival of allergy season due in part to one of the mildest winters the continent's seen in recent memory. The warmer temperatures and unseasonal highs means an earlier pollentation season for many allergy-causing plants like ragweed.
But for those allergic to mould, the lack of cumulating snowfall this winter means allergy sufferers can breathe a bit easier, says Stuart Carr, president of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
The warmer temperatures are also a blessing for Colleen Seto, who lives with cold urticaria -- an allergy to cold temperatures. But this isn't the kind of allergy that involves, sneezing and watery eyes, rather Steo's skin would break out into hives at the slightest touch of anything cold.
Steo, a resident of Calgary, told the Toronto Star that the rare allergy has kept her from many winter activities.
Think your allergies are bad? Here are 15 exotic allergies to things that are certainly nothing to sneeze at:
15 Weird Allergies You've Probably Never Heard Of
Raw Foods(01 of15)
Open Image ModalChances are you know someone who is allergic to particular fruits or vegetables. Certain melons, pineapple and even bananas can cause anything from red rashes to death from a person's airway swelling shut. It's a condition known as oral allergy syndrome and is a reaction not between the fruit itself but to the trace remains of tree or weed pollen found on the fruit. (credit:Shutterstock)
Chocolate(02 of15)
Open Image ModalIt seems cruel, but there are people with allergies to chocolate. The cause is often due to the cocoa, food additives, or certain parts of insects that find their way into chocolate. Symptoms vary but are usually limited to skin problems like eczema and hives. On the bright side, those living with this allergy can expect much better gifts and presents on holidays like Valentine's Day and Christmas. (credit:Shutterstock)
Alcohol(03 of15)
Open Image ModalHangovers, headaches and increasingly poor judgement aren't the only ways alcohol can affect you. While it's considered more of an intolerance than an allergy, those with an "alcohol allergy" cannot break down the enzymes in alcohol, which can result in nasal congestion and flushed skin. (credit:Shutterstock)
Heat/ Exercise/ Sweat(04 of15)
Open Image ModalCholinergic urticaria often gets lumped in as an allergy to exercise or heat, but is actually an allergic reaction to an increase to the body's temperature. Anything from spicy food to a dip in a hot tub can cause minuscule bumps smaller than a mosquito bite and severe discomfort. (credit:Shutterstock)
Deodorant(05 of15)
Open Image ModalThose allergic to deodorant are in a tough place. Do they continue using a product that can leave their skin with anything from itchy redness to oozing lesions, or do they subject those nearby to bad body odour? Fortunately for their sake (as well as everyone around them), there are a few alternatives, such as talcum or baby powder. (credit:Shutterstock)
Underwear(06 of15)
Open Image ModalBoxers or briefs? Well for some people, the answer is neither. That's because certain fabrics can lead to an unsightly rash and hours of discomfort. The source of the problem lies with the resins and dyes used in certain fabrics like nylon or Spandex. One solution is to look for chemical-free clothing with a hypo-allergenic label. (credit:Shutterstock)
Water(07 of15)
Open Image ModalTouch(08 of15)
Open Image ModalEver encountered someone who got too friendly and just made your skin crawl? Well, if you live with the condition known as demographism, even the slightest touch from someone can cause your skin to become red or break out into hives. It's believed to be caused by weak membranes in the skin cells, and treatment usually consists of antihistamines. (credit:Shutterstock)
Adhesives(09 of15)
Open Image ModalYou may have heard of people that have allergic reactions to shoes or people who break out after getting eyelash extensions. The thought is frightening, but the reality is that these people live with contact dermatitis. It's a broad term for people with an allergy to certain resins, chemical or adhesives, and when they're used on their bodies, it sparks a reaction. (credit:Shutterstock)
Sunlight(10 of15)
Open Image ModalIf you thought sunburns were bad, you haven't been diagnosed with solar urticaria. Essentially an allergy to ultraviolet light, skin exposed to the sun can break out into stinging and itchy hives after only 30 minutes of exposure. The good news is that a few minutes in the shade will allow the skin to return to normal.
Nickel(11 of15)
Open Image ModalAlso known as the cellphone or iPod allergy, those living with this allergy are not really allergic to high-tech gadgets, but the nickel used to make them. Symptoms are usually a mild rash and can also come from items such as money or jewelery with traces of nickel. (credit:Shutterstock)
Electromagnetic Fields(12 of15)
Open Image ModalRemember your parents telling you to stay back from the microwave when you were a kid? Well, those who live with electromagnetic hypersensitivity have no choice unless they want to deal with swelling and painful skin rashes. And the condition isn't just limited to microwaves -- computers and cellphones are also major sources of electromagnetic fields. (credit:Shutterstock)
Sex(13 of15)
Open Image ModalPregnancy(14 of15)
Open Image ModalPemphigoid gestitionis occurs in one out of 50,000 pregnancies and can leave the mother with blisters and welts on the abdomen. It tends to occur during the the second or third trimester, as well as after giving birth, due to antibodies that develop during pregnancy that attack normal human proteins. Topical steroids are used for treatment, though is tends to recur in subsequent pregnancies. (credit:Shutterstock)
Every Food And Drink Except Water(15 of15)
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