Q. I find that some glossy magazines irritate my throat, making me cough. I don’t have allergies or react to other things. Why should a magazine bother me?
A. You seem to be reacting to a set of chemicals used to treat the paper. Some chemical smells can initiate a cough reaction in susceptible people, and you aren’t alone in reacting to some glossy papers. One answer is to get a friend to iron the magazines first, before you handle it. Most of these irritating chemicals are broken down by heat, so a hot iron should prevent your reaction.
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