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The Third Type of Dermatitis Plant is a Mechanical Irritant.
Two examples of mechanical irritants are cactus spines or thorns and the fine small irritant hairs seen on some cacti.
Mechanical irritant dermatitis is frequently the result of physical trauma caused by direct contact of the skin with the irritant. The bodily injury is usually caused by skin punctures, cuts, and abrasions from thorns, barbs, or cactus spines. The mechanical injury is usually done by an anatomically sharp spine, inducing wounds and excoriations.
Toxic Dose
The puncture from the spine can lodge deep into the skin and even get to the collagen and muscles. The issue is the spine can have bacteria and fungus on its surface that may cause infections in your body, and that the spines or hairs can remain lodged in the body.
There are no poisonous cactus species that would cause death anywhere on earth.
Pharmacokinetics
Cactus spine injuries to the skin are usually treated by removing the visible spines and applying a topical corticosteroid. With this approach…
