Day after ‘riot’ of colours, patients with skin problems flood hospitals

BHOPAL: After a fun-filled Holi, many citizens are still reeling under its side-effects. Chemical-laden colours and gulaal have caused severe allergic reactions in the eyes and skin besides causing breathing difficulties among many people.
Several city doctors told TOI that around 70% patients, who came to them on Thursday and Friday, showed reactions to colours and side-effects of bhang.
Senior medical officer at J P Hospital, Dr Saurabh Jain, said, “Around 900 people came to the OPD during the peak hours of Holi, from 12 pm to 8 pm, out of which more than 30% cases were related to allergies in eyes due to colour and respiratory disorders from inhaling gulaal and other sorts of colours. Many people also came with skin rashes and allergies due to chemical-based colours. Apart from this, around 40-50% cases were related to injuries and accidents caused to due to overconsumption of bhang and alcohol.”
He added that about 600 out of 900 patients, who came in during the peak time, were Holi-related cases.
Pulmonologist Dr P N Agrawal also said that many people suffering from respiratory problems had congestion in chest and trouble breathing while children suffering from asthma faced severe attacks due to cold water and inhaling powdered colour.
“I felt that due to several campaigns related to a safe Holi, the number of Holi-related cases saw a decline as compared to last year, but even then, there were many people who had asthma attacks and had fever after playing Holi with cold water. People suffering from respiratory problems had chest congestion and trouble in breathing and wheezing,” Agrawal added.
Dr Lokendra Dave also recounted similar cases and advised people to see the doctor immediately instead of trying home remedies before the infection worsens.
“A number of patients try to treat the condition with home remedies, thinking that it is not something major and will go away in a day or two. This kind of lax attitude causes the infections to worsen. Many such cases will reach the hospitals and private doctors in a day or two,” said Dave.
Agrawal also advised people suffering from respiratory troubles to drink warm water and go for stream inhalation for relief.
Dermatologist Akhilesh Agrawal, who has attended to more than 10 patients since Thursday suffering from skin allergies and rashes caused due to colours, said: “There are no guidelines to make colours and many manufacturers use industrial dye and metals to manufacture colours that cause rashes, redness, irritation and itching on the skin. Besides, people use volatile substances like kerosene, petrol etc to remove the colour which further irritates the affected area. Friction with cloth while rubbing also increases dermatitis,” he said.
“Applying petroleum jelly or coconut oil before exposing the skin to colours reduces the level of penetration and can prevent allergies.”
“In Bhopal, the percentage of people suffering from skin allergies caused due to Holi colours has reduced as people are now more aware and use non-allergic and herbal colours during the festival,” he added.