Approximately 85% of the population will develop an allergic reaction if exposed to poison ivy, oak or sumac. While
the reaction is not typically serious, getting poison ivy can doom you to a week or more of miserable itching.
The cause of the rash, blisters, and infamous itch is urushiol, a chemical in the sap of poison ivy, oak and
sumac that binds to skin cells when it comes into contact. Urushiol that has come into contact with other objects
can remain potent for years, depending on the environment. If the contaminated object is in a dry environment, the
potency of the urushiol can last for decades.
If you don't cleanse quickly enough, or your skin is so sensitive that cleansing didn't help, redness and swelling will
appear in about 12 to 48 hours. Blisters and itching will follow. The rash, blisters and itch normally disappear in 14
to 20 days without any treatment. But few can handle the itch without some relief.
If you think you've had a brush with poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac, follow
these simple steps:
· Wash all exposed areas with cold
running water as soon as you can. If you
can do this within five minutes, the water
may keep the urushiol from contacting
your skin and spreading to other parts of
your body. Within the first 30 minutes,
soap and water are helpful.
· Wash your clothing in a washing machine
with detergent. If you bring the clothes
into your house, be careful that you do
not transfer the urushiol to rugs or
furniture. You may also dry clean
contaminated clothes. Because urushiol
can remain active for months, wash
camping, sporting, fishing, or hunting
gear that was in contact with the oil.
· Relieve the itching of mild rashes by
taking cool showers and applying overthe-
counter preparations like calamine
lotion or Burow's solution. Soaking in a
lukewarm bath with an oatmeal or baking
soda solution may also ease itching and
dry oozing blisters. Over-the-counter
hydrocortisone creams are not strong
enough to have much effect on poison
ivy rashes.
Prescription cortisone can halt the
reaction if used early. If you know you
have been exposed and have developed
severe reactions in the past, consult your
dermatologist. He or she may prescribe
cortisone or other medicines that can
prevent blisters from forming. If you
receive treatment with a cortisone drug,
you should take it longer than six days, or
the rash may return.
Common Myths about Poison Ivy:
Scratching poison ivy blisters will spread the rash.
False. The fluid in the blisters will not spread the rash. The rash is
spread only by urushiol. For instance, if you have urushiol on your
hands, scratching your nose or wiping your forehead will cause a
rash in those areas even though leaves did not contact the face.
Avoid excessive scratching of your blisters. Your fingernails may
carry bacteria that could cause an infection.
Poison ivy rash is "catchy."
False. The rash is a reaction to urushiol. The rash cannot pass
from person to person; only urushiol can be spread by contact.
Once allergic, always allergic to poison ivy.
False. A person's sensitivity changes over time, even from season
to season. People who were sensitive to poison ivy as children
may not be allergic as adults.
Dead poison ivy plants are no longer toxic.
False. Urushiol remains active for up to several years. Never
handle dead plants that look like poison ivy.
Rubbing weeds on the skin can help.
False. Usually, prescription cortisone preparations are required to
decrease the itching.
One way to protect against poison ivy is by keeping
yourself covered outdoors.
True. However, urushiol can stick to your clothes, which your
hands can touch, and then spread the oil to uncovered parts of
your body. For uncovered areas, barrier creams are sometimes
helpful. Learn to recognize poison ivy so you can avoid contact with
it.