> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Noses all know it’s the season - URL: https://www.smdp.com/noses-all-know-its-the-season/ - Published: 2007-04-03T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T00:21:18.000Z - Author: Kevin Herrera - Tags: local, Santa Monica, #archive-import *Seasonal allergies return to Southland* CITYWIDE Sneezing, wheezing, sniffling, snoozing, scratching, hacking and grouchy. No, these aren’t the names of the Seven Dwarfs. They’re all common symptoms of allergy season. Every spring and fall, the hot, dry Santa Ana winds blow through town, bringing along with them dust and pollen that affect those with allergies, giving them runny noses, itchy eyes and often a nagging cough. Many develop asthma that can be fatal. Then there are those who have perennial allergies, such as those who cannot have dairy, peanuts or shellfish. Some suffer from both perennial and seasonal allergies, making their daily lives rough. “My daughter, she’s allergic to everything,” said Elena Hess as she walked along the Third Street Promenade. “Wheat, dust, pollen, cats, snow, fruits like peaches... her allergies get much worse in the spring and summer.” Tuesday’s pollen count for the Santa Monica area, according to www.pollen.com, is projected at 8.3 — considered medium-high. On Wednesday and Thursday, the pollen count will be 9.5, which is deemed high and should serve as a warning to allergy sufferers. But for those like Hess’ teenage daughter, medication is getting better at treating the symptoms, and a new test for allergies is making it easier for people to learn what exactly to watch out for and how to protect themselves. The new testing, known as ImmunoCAP, is a simple blood test that any primary care physician can administer,with results known within 24 to 48 hours. The old and most popular method of allergy testing is the skin prick test, in which a patch of skin, usually on one’s back, is pricked by a needle containing a small dose of an allergen.Doctors wait 15 to 30 minutes to see if there is a reaction to determine if a patient is allergic. While the method is said to be relatively painless, there are those who remember it being unpleasant, including Brian Sapp, who was excited to learn about the new blood test. “I’ve noticed in Southern California a lot of people have allergies,” said Sapp, who blames this on the “dirty” L.A. environment. “We live in the desert, and I guess people just have to put up with it.” Sapp may have a point. Those living in Southern California have it rough compared to those who live where there are seasons, said Dr. Leonard Fromer, an allergist who has been in private practice in Santa Monica for more than 20 years. While most locations get a break from pollen, Southern California does not because of the extended growing season, meaning those with certain allergies receive no respite. “I tell patients that pollen season starts on Jan. 1 and ends on Dec. 31,” said Fromer, who sits on the state Department of Health Services IMAP Advisory panel for Allergy and Asthma, and is on the faculty of the Department of Family Medicine at UCLA. “We live in a climate that, for a large part, something is blooming year round,” Fromer added. “The concentration of most pollens is in spring and fall, but in a desert climate like we have — with the sun, the warmth, and add water by irrigation — you have a serious concentration of pollen in the air and everyone feeling miserable.” Developing an allergy depends largely on one’s DNA and interaction with nature. Studies have shown some identical twins to not be allergic to the same things. For some reason, the number of people developing allergies has increased rapidly over the last two generations, Fromer said. There are several theories, but one that is gaining the most support, is the belief that the way in which we live, with more industrialization, congestion and concentration of populations, has contributed to the increase. “There is a tremendous epidemic of allergies and asthma,” Fromer said. “There are about 21 million people with asthma in the U.S., and of those, 90 percent of kids have allergic asthma as do 60 percent of adults. “If untreated, it can be fatal.” Lucky for those afflicted, medication, including cortisone steroid nose sprays, are improving and as more people get tested, the better off they will be, Fromer said. However, one with allergies must constantly be aware of their surroundings and what they are eating, protecting themselves against triggers that can cause an attack. “My allergies have gotten better since I’ve been in So. Cal because it’s drier down here,” said Kelli McCarthy. “I don’t really know if that’s the reason, but I’m happy.” ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/040307-01_01.jpg) BUZZ KILL: It seems that bees are the only ones not affected by season allergies brought on by pollen. (Photo: Photo courtesy) *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 3, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/040307.pdf?ref=smdp.com)