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Onion allergies, Lily Rash

Onion allergies, Lily Rash
I’m often asked about onion allergies and actually I do see quite a few cases of onion allergy -- it isn't at all rare. I'd like to caution those with an allergy from eating onions to watch out for all the onion relatives when gardening. These would include all the alliums, plants such as gardener's garlic, and all of the Lily family members. Anyone with allergy to onion is at increased risk to also be allergic to the sap of any kind of lily, daffodils, narcissus, iris, tulip, tiger lily, day lily, lily of the valley, agapanthus, Alstromeria, and so on.
The sap can cause what's called lily rash, and it can be a persistent and terrible rash. Direct contact with sap is not always needed to get the rash, as sometimes it can happen from mere casual contact with lily leaves, or from bulbs.
Perhaps of all the dermatitis type conditions I come across triggered by contact with Lily Family members (Liliaceae) the most serious is the itch or itchy rash caused by contact with sap from Agave americana, the Century Plant. This particular itch is very long lasting, will come and go and then suddenly return again, often many years later. One last thought here: I'm also seeing more and more skin rash from aloe vera products. Aloe is also a lily relative (onion relative), so keep that in mind, too.