Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are plants that contain an irritating, oily sap called urushiol. Urushiol triggers an allergic reaction when it comes into contact with the skin, resulting in an itchy rash, which may appear hours after exposure or up to several days after exposure. Apply cold compresses to itchy skin. You can make a cold compress by moistening a clean washcloth with cold water and wringing it out so that it does not leak.
Then apply the cool cloth to itchy skin. The allergic reaction to poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac is usually contact dermatitis. This can occur 24 to 72 hours after exposure. Dermatitis is characterized by itchy bumps and blisters.
Sometimes swelling occurs in the contact area. Eventually, the blisters rupture, ooze, and then crust. Corneal transplants becoming more common An emerging treatment option for men under active surveillance Talking to your doctor about your LGBTQ+ sex life I'm too young to have Alzheimer's disease or dementia, right? P. I am very allergic to poison ivy.
My husband currently has a poison ivy rash that he got while cutting down some bushes in our yard. I'm afraid I'm going to get a rash. Is it contagious? As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of the last revision or update of all items.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified physician. Harvard Medical School Health Alerts Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss, from exercises to strengthen the core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical breakthroughs and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts. Stay on top of the latest health news from Harvard Medical School Plus get a FREE copy of the best diets for cognitive fitness.
If you touch poison ivy with a pair of pants or a shirt and don't wash it after contact, you could develop another rash if you touch clothes. You can also spread the oil to another person if it comes into contact with clothing that has been in contact with poison ivy. The rash occurs only where the vegetable oil has been in contact with the skin, so a person with poison ivy cannot spread it through the body by scratching. Poison ivy rashes may appear to spread if urushiol oil gets trapped under the nails and the itch is scratched.
The leaves of the poison ivy plant are green in summer, but may turn red, orange, or yellow in spring and fall. The sap of the poison ivy plant, also known as Toxicodendron radicans, contains an oil called urushiol. If you scratch a poison ivy rash, bacteria under your nails can cause skin to become infected. However, it is possible to get poison ivy rash if you touch the plant resin that is still on the person or contaminated clothing.
Calming burn treatment can also relieve itching and inflammation on skin affected by a poison ivy rash. Poison ivy is native to all states except California, Alaska, and Hawaii, and can also be found in Central America, Mexico, and Canada. Poison ivy rash often appears in a straight line because of the way the plant rubs against the skin. There are actually four poisonous plants in this group, since poison oak has a Western and an Eastern variation.
More than 4 in 5 people will develop an itchy, red, inflamed skin rash when they come in contact with poison ivy and its urushiol oil. A number of other essential oils, such as calendula, chamomile, and eucalyptus, may be helpful in reducing symptoms of poison ivy rash. Finding poison ivy is easy in the United States, where it grows virtually everywhere except Alaska, Hawaii, and some desert areas of the southwest. .
