Description

Poison ivy rash is caused by an allergic reaction to the oil / resin called urushiol (u-ROO-she-ol). This oil is in the leaves, stems and roots of poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac.

Wash the skin immediately if you come into contact with this oil, unless you know you're not sensitive to it. Wash off the oil may reduce your chances of getting a rash poison ivy. If you develop a skin rash, which may be very itchy and last for weeks.

You can treat mild cases of poison ivy rash at home with soothing lotions and cold baths. You may need prescription drugs for a rash of severe or extended — especially if it is on the face or genitals.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of a poison ivy rash include:

  • Redness
  • Itching
  • Swelling
  • Blisters
  • Difficulty breathing, if you have inhaled the smoke of burning poison ivy

The poison ivy rash often appears in a straight line because of the way the plant brushes against your skin. But if you develop a rash after touching a piece of clothing or pet fur that has urushiol on it, the rash can be more widespread. You can also transfer the oil to other parts of your body with your fingers. The reaction usually develops 12 to 48 hours after exposure and lasts two to three weeks.

The severity of the rash depends on the amount of urushiol that you put on your skin.

When to see a doctor

Seek emergency medical attention if:

  • You inhale the smoke from burning poison ivy, and difficulty breathing

See your doctor if:

  • The reaction is severe or widespread
  • Your skin continues to swell
  • The rash affects the eyes, the mouth or the genitals
  • The blisters in the discharge of pus
  • You develop a fever over 100 ° F (37.8 C)
  • The rash does not improve in a couple of weeks

Causes

Poison ivy rash is caused by an allergic reaction to the oil / resin called urushiol. It is found in poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. This resin oil is very sticky, so it easily sticks to your skin, clothing, tools, equipment and pet's skin. You can get a poison ivy reaction from:

  • Touch the plant. If you touch the leaves, stem, roots or berries of the plant, you can have a reaction.
  • Touching contaminated objects. If you walk through some poison ivy, and then, after the touch of the shoes, you can get urushiol on their hands. You can then transfer to your face or body by touching or rubbing. If the contaminated object is not clean, the urushiol on it can still cause a reaction in the skin of years later.
  • The inhalation of the smoke of the burning of the plants. Even the smoke from burning poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac can irritate or damage the nasal passages or lungs.

Pus that oozes from the blisters do not contain urushiol and not spread the rash. But it is possible to obtain the poison ivy rash from someone if you touch plant resin that is still on the person or contaminated clothing.

Risk factors

The risk of a rash is higher if you participate in outdoor activities that put you at higher risk of exposure to poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac:

  • Cable or telephone line installation
  • Camping
  • Construction
  • Agriculture
  • Fire fighting
  • Fishing from shore
  • Forestry
  • Gardening
  • Hiking
  • Hunting
  • Gardening

Complications

If you scratch a poison ivy rash, bacteria under the nails can cause the skin to become infected. Consult your doctor if the pus starts the secretion of the blisters. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. A serious difficulty breathing, and swelling of the mucosa of the lungs can result from the inhalation of urushiol.

Prevention

To prevent poison ivy rash, follow these tips:

  • Avoid the plants.Learn to identify poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac in every season. When walking or performing other activities that could expose these plants, try to stay on cleared roads. Wear socks, long pants and sleeves when outdoors. If camping, make sure to mount your tent in an area that is free of these plants. Keep pets running through wooded areas to the urushiol does not adhere to your skin, then you can touch.
  • Wear protective clothing. If necessary, protect your skin by the use of socks, boots, pants, long sleeves and thick gloves.
  • Remove or kill the plants. Identify and remove the poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac your yard or garden. You can get rid of this type of plants through the application of a herbicide or by pulling them out of the ground, including roots, while wearing heavy gloves. After you remove gloves with care and wash of them and their hands. Do not burn poison ivy or related to plants, because the urushiol can be carried by the smoke.
  • Wash your skin or the fur of your pet.Within 30 minutes after exposure to urushiol, use soap and water to gently wash the harmful from the resin of your skin. Clean the nails of the hands also. Even cleaning up after an hour or so can help reduce the severity of the rash. If you think that your pet may be contaminated with urushiol, put on a long rubber gloves and give your pet a bath.
  • Clean contaminated objects.If you think that you have come into contact with poison ivy, wash your clothes quickly in warm, soapy water, ideally in a washing machine. Handle contaminated clothing carefully so as not to transfer the urushiol to yourself, the furniture, carpets or appliances. Also wash as soon as possible with any other item that came in contact with the plant oil — like outdoor gear, garden tools, jewelry, shoes and even the laces of the shoes. Urushiol can remain stable for years. So if you put away a contaminated jacket without washing it and carry it out, a year later, the oil in the jacket can still cause a rash.
  • Apply a protective cream. Try over-the-counter skin products that are intended to act as a barrier between the skin and the oil resin that causes the poison ivy rash.

Avoid the plants. Learn to identify poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac in every season. When walking or performing other activities that could expose these plants, try to stay on cleared roads. Wear socks, long pants and sleeves when outdoors. If camping, make sure to mount your tent in an area that is free of these plants.

Keep pets running through wooded areas to the urushiol does not adhere to your skin, then you can touch.

Wash your skin or the fur of your pet. Within 30 minutes after exposure to urushiol, use soap and water to gently wash the harmful from the resin of your skin. Clean the nails of the hands also. Even cleaning up after an hour or so can help reduce the severity of the rash.

If you think that your pet may be contaminated with urushiol, put on a long rubber gloves and give your pet a bath.

Clean contaminated objects. If you think that you have come into contact with poison ivy, wash your clothes quickly in warm, soapy water, ideally in a washing machine. Handle contaminated clothing carefully so as not to transfer the urushiol to yourself, the furniture, carpets or appliances.

Also wash as soon as possible with any other item that came in contact with the plant oil — like outdoor gear, garden tools, jewelry, shoes and even the laces of the shoes. Urushiol can remain stable for years. So if you put away a contaminated jacket without washing it and carry it out, a year later, the oil in the jacket can still cause a rash.

Diagnosis

In general, you do not need to see your doctor to be diagnosed with a poison ivy rash. If you are going to a clinic, it is likely that your doctor diagnose your rash by looking. Usually it is not necessary to perform more tests.

Treatment

Poison ivy treatments usually involve methods of personal care in the home. And the rash generally disappears spontaneously in two to three weeks.

If the rash is widespread or the cause of many blisters, your doctor may prescribe an oral corticosteroid, such as prednisone, to reduce the swelling. If a bacterial infection that has developed in the eruption of the site, your doctor may prescribe an oral antibiotic.

Lifestyle and home remedies

A poison ivy rash with the time will disappear on its own. But the itching can be difficult to treat and make it difficult to sleep. If you scratch their blisters, which can become infected. Here are some steps you can take to help control the itching:

  • Apply an over-the-counter cortisone cream or ointment (Cortizone 10) for the first few days.
  • Apply calamine lotion or creams that contain menthol.
  • Take oral antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), which may also help you sleep better. An over-the-counter antihistamine that does not make you so sleepy is loratadine (Alavert, Claritin, and others).
  • Soak the affected area in cool water bath, which has about half a cup (100 grams) of baking soda or oatmeal-based bath product (Aveeno) in it.
  • Place cool, wet compresses on the affected area for 15 to 30 minutes several times a day.

Preparing for your appointment

It is likely that you will not need medical treatment for a poison ivy rash, unless that spreads widely, it persists for more than a couple of weeks or is infected. If you are concerned, it is likely that you first consult your primary care physician. He or she may refer you to a doctor who specializes in skin disorders (dermatologist).

What you can do

Before your appointment, you may want to list all medications, supplements, and vitamins you take. Also, the list of questions that you would like to ask your doctor about your rash poison ivy. Examples include:

  • How long will this last eruption?
  • Is it contagious?
  • It is OK to zero?
  • You are going to scratch the spread of the rash?
  • You are going to pop the blisters spread of the rash?
  • What treatments are available, and which do you recommend?
  • What can I do to help control the itching?
  • If the rash does not go away or gets worse, when do you think I need to make another appointment with you?
  • How can I avoid this in the future?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor may ask you a series of questions, such as:

  • When did you begin experiencing symptoms?
  • Has had a similar eruption in the past?
  • He has dedicated time outdoors lately?
  • What steps have you already tried?
Symptoms and treatment of poison ivy rash