Nearly everyone has worked a summer job in high school, at one point or another. Maybe you flipped burgers, worked at Walmart, manned a golf cart, or ran with a landscape crew for the off-school months. One Virginian teen, Alex Childress, was thrilled when he first landed a summer job of his own with a residential landscape team in 2018. And why not? Now he could save money for college, gain some independence, and start building his resume like every other young person in America.

However, Alex’s excitement for his newfound job soon took an unexpected turn after he had a chance encounter with the invasive hogweed plant. In just a matter of hours, the teen received injuries from the plant that would result in an admission to critical care.

Revenge Of The Hogweed

Around noon on July 10, 2018, Alex was settling into his new landscaping job nicely. Removing plant debris from people’s yards, he did not hesitate when he came to a giant plant surrounding a Fredericksburg home. Cutting away, a part of the plant fell on Alex’s face and right arm (he was wearing a sleeveless shirt at the time). Alex didn’t think anything of the incident at the time and made quick work of throwing the removed plant pieces away.

That night, Alex came back to his parent’s place in Spotsylvania County, and took a shower.“I thought I just had sunburn, so I didn’t really pay any attention. Then I got in the shower and I started rubbing my face,” Alex recalled to People. “I thought it was just a little bit of skin at first, but then big chunks of my face were falling off.” (1)

Obtaining Treatment

Jumping out of the shower, Alex showed his mother his injuries. A nurse at Richmond’s Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Alex’s mother suspected right away that hogweed was the culprit. She rushed Alex to a local hospital but was then directed to take him to VCU to access the burn center.

Once at VCU, Alex was diagnosed with second- and third-degree burns before being sent into a medical shower (again!). Speaking to People, Alex said “[Doctors] had me stand in the shower for an hour and a half, scrubbing my body with soap to bring the PH level down. I had hot water running over open wounds, that was probably the worst part. That or the burn treatment where they scraped off the dead skin.” Alex remained at VCU for the rest of his treatment and spent two days in critical care. Toxicology reports officially confirmed the cause of Alex’s burn was hogweed in this same timeframe too.

“I have to change the bandages every day,” he said in July of 2018. “It’s painful. Every time I take the bandage off there’s drainage. My arm is bleeding because the skin is trying to heal. It’s more than half my face and from my wrist up to the top of my bicep on my right arm.” Alex used several ointments and followed special instructions from the VCU to complete the management of his burns from home. He reported his skin feeling chapped, wind-burned, and sensitive as a result of his injuries. (1, 2)

Hogweed – What Is The Danger?

From southwest Asia, the hogweed plant has been traditionally used as an ornamental garden plant. But in North America, this invasive plant is seen as more of a nuisance and a threat to native habitats. It is common to find hogweed in ditches, abandoned pieces of land, and near streams.

The clear, acidic sap of the hogweed plant is what makes this plant so dangerous. Symptoms such as inflammation of the skin, scarring, temporary blindness, and burns, can take up to 48 hours to evolve. The effects of hogweed sap on human skin are expedited if exposed to sunlight and moisture.

To prevent an experience similar to Alex’s ensure you know what hogweed looks like and avoid purchasing or trading the plant (especially as a novice gardener or landscaper!). If there is hogweed in your yard or garden, avoid removal without protective gear, aim to remove in April (before seeding), place the plant in a plastic bag (do not compost or burn), and seek a professional’s advice if you’re the smallest amouunt unsure of how to safely handle the plant. Seek medical help if the plant comes in contact with your bare skin.

Wild or cow parsnip can cause a similar reactions to hogweed, so it is overall worthwhile to do your research before removing any unfamiliar plant from your yard! (3)

Moving Forward

For Alex, he is thriving with the support of his family and friends. Though he will not be sunbathing anytime soon (survivors of hogweed can be asked to stay out of the sun up to two years after exposure), he plans to go to college and keep warning others about the harmful plant. “I don’t want to go through this again. I’d like to bring awareness to everyone else so it doesn’t happen to other people.” (1)