WHAT ARE POISON IVY, POISON OAK, AND POISON SUMAC?

What is poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac?

Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are plants that are found all over North America. Leaves, stems, roots and berries of all of these plants cause the same type of skin rash. Half  of  the people who come in contact with these plants are sensitive to the oils of these plants. The rash usually lasts about 2 weeks. You probably touched one of these plants if:

• There is an area of skin with very itchy streaks or patches of redness and blisters.
• You get a rash 1 or 2 days after being in a forest or field.

How to take care of poison ivy, poison oak, or sumac rash?

• Wash the skin.
  Wash the skin with any soap as soon as possible.
• Cool soaks to reduce itching.
  Soak the area with the rash in cold water or massage it with an ice cube for 2 minutes as often as necessary.
• Steroid creams.
  Apply an over the counter steroid cream 4 times a day to reduce the itching. Try some nonprescription 1% hydrocortisone cream. Check package instructions for use and side effects.
• Benadryl.
  If the rash still itches, give Benadryl pills (available over the counter) every 6 hours as needed. Read and follow package instructions.  WARNING: Do NOT give Benadryl pills if using topical Benadryl.
• Contagiousness.
  The fluid from the sores themselves cannot spread the rash. However, the oil or sap from the plant can cause the rash for about a week. The oil or sap may stay on a pet's fur or on shoes or clothes. Wear gloves to wash your  pets and/or clothes. Wash pets/clothes with soap and water as soon as possible. Remove the clothing while wearing  gloves to prevent contact with the oils.

How can I help prevent poison ivy, oak, or sumac?

Wear long pants and socks when walking through woods that may contain poison ivy, oak, or sumac. Talk with your doctor about using preventative medication like Ivy X before going into wooded areas or weeding your lawn. 

Call your doctor during office hours if:

• The itching becomes very bad, even with treatment.
• The skin looks infected (you see pus or soft yellow scabs).
• The rash lasts longer than 2 weeks.
• The rash spreads.
• You have other concerns or questions.