cactus trauma?

Who would think, right? I'm not sure if I'd go so far as to say trauma, but apparently anything goes. So what happens if you have a traumatic encounter with a cactus? It is probably pretty unlikely that you will suffer penetrating trauma unless you find a cactus with particularly long spines. But what you may get is dermatitis. The picture of papules above is typical of dermatitis secondary to cactus pricks.

Dermatitis from a cactus generally occurs because of the mechanical irritation. There can be immunologic or infectious reactions as well, though. The cactus spines can scratch the skin causing wounds or excoriations, and the spines may break off in the skin or subcutaneous tissue causing papules or nodules.

Apparently it is the smaller spines that are more troublesome than the long scary ones. This is because the little ones can be barbed, making removal difficult. If they aren't removed, dermatitis can persist for months. A popular and successful method for removing this tricky bristles is to cover the area with sticky plaster or hot wax and then quickly removing it.

I have to say this is a new one for me. I didn't know this much about a cactus or cactus care until I had a recent clinical encounter with a cactus run-in. But now we all know a little more!