Can you 'contract' hay fever?

Sconsey

Hi,

Just wondering if hay fever is the type of condition that you are born with or could you contract it at any stage in life?

I am trying to decide if I am coming down with a cold or if I have hay fever (never had hay fever before so it's probably a cold).

Thanks

carpenoctem

You can develop hayfever later in life, I did this myself and have gone to be tested to confirm this. I think it's the same with most allergies.

JuliusCaesar

yup. got a nickel allergy in late 20s and exzema in my mid 30s. (Family history of asthma) :-(

Alun

Not only can you develop allergies and sensitivities late in life, sometimes exposure to one allergen can make you allergic to other things you previously weren't allergic to, whether you've previously been exposed to them or not.

I do woodturning as a hobby, and as such I have to very careful with regard to exposure to wood dust while sanding. Tropical woods are the worst offenders, and it's well known for people who get exposed to a new wood they've never worked with before, usually wood dust on the skin of the arms and hands resulting in rashes etc. to then suddenly become allergic to other woods they've been working with for years with no ill effects whatsoever.

Also, prolonged exposure to some allergens can have the same effect. I suffer mainly from birch pollen hayfever, and in the past few years I've started to develop a slight sensitivity to some nuts and fruits. It's not severe, but I just get slight tightness in my throat when eating them. It's called "Oral Allergy Syndrome" apparently.