If you have been outside these past few weeks, you will have no doubt seen the clumps of tree pollen on the ground. And if you have been around people these past few weeks, you will have no doubt seen the clumps of tissues clutched in most people’s hands. It’s that dreaded time of year for one in five Americans… pollen season. I am, unfortunately, one of the afflicted 20%, and I find that the end of April/beginning of May wreaks havoc on my eyes, nose, and throat. Having dealt with my allergies for the past nineteen or so years, I have come up with a few tips that make this season a little easier to bear.
Visine (or any kind of redness/dryness/itchiness relief eye drops): If your allergies tend to give you itchy, itchy, ITCHY eyes (like mine do), eye drops are key. They soothe the irritation and take away the redness from your constant rubbing. You don’t want to be walking around campus with crazy, red eyes. As one of the lovely card-check ladies at Frist told me the other day, “I look like I’m smoking marijuana, here!”
Claritin/Benedryl/Zyrtec/any over-the-counter allergy medicine: You might be averse to popping pills, but honey, OTC allergy medicine is a lifesaver. Claritin is nice because it’s 24-hours, but I personally prefer Benedryl, even though you have to take two pills every four hours (it’s probably a psychological thing, but I feel that the more pills you take, the stronger the effect). The difference before taking allergy medicine and after is huge, and your quality of life will drastically improve if you shell out a few bucks for a pack.
Tissue Packets: They are small and compact and perfect for anyone dealing with a pesky nasal drip. Instead of surreptitiously dabbing your nose with your hand or your sleeve, just open up your backpack or purse and pull out a tissue packet to daub the flow. Just watch out for less-prepared moochers!
Vaseline/Petroleum Jelly: Lotion works fine to soothe irritated noses, but have you tried putting lotion right around your eyes? Because I have, and I ended up spending fifteen minutes weeping and trying to flush out my eyes with hot water. Lotions BURNS! Vaseline (or, if you have it Argan Oil) helps out when you’ve rubbed your eyes raw, without setting your eyeballs on fire.
Hot Water + Towel: When none of the above works, the best method for me has been to wet a towel with hot water and just press it over my eyes for a few minutes. The itchiness stops, the redness goes away, and your eyes feel so much more refreshed afterwards. And, it’s super convenient and free!
Avoid Make-Up/Contacts: I found that when I tried to wear eye make-up, I just ended up rubbing it off. And with contacts, they ended up on the other side of my eyeball. Contacts also trap in pollen particles, which just about sounds like the worst possible thing. So switch to glasses during the allergy season, and play up that sexy-chic librarian look.
I hope that helps! And, of course, feel free to leave a comment with some of your own tips.