Poison Ivy and Poison Oak

Poison ivy, oak, and sumac are among the most common skin rashes seen in a physician's office.
Allergic reactions from these plants will affect millions of Americans every year.
These rashes are most commonly caused by contact with the plant's colorless or yellowish oil called urushiol (u-roo-she-ol).
The plant oil is released when the plant stem or leaves are cut or crushed.
The plant oil is invisible and sticky and may be carried on garden tools, pet's fur, or in the smoke of a burning plant.

Poison Ivy: A climbing vine with three serrated-edged, pointed shiny green leaves that grows in the East, Midwest and South. The vine usually grows twining on tree trunks or straggling over the ground. In the northern and western states, poison ivy grows as a non-climbing shrub. The leaves are reddish when they emerge in the spring, turn shiny green during the summer, and become various shades of yellow, orange or red in the autumn. The leaves are very fragile and readily break down, releasing the urushiol onto skin, clothing, shoes, equipment, toys or pets.

Urushiol Oil is Potent!

Only one billionth of a gram is needed to cause a rash
1/4 ounce if urushiol is all that is needed to cause a rash in every person on earth!
specimens of urushiol several centuries old have been found to cause dermatitis in sensitive people.
1-5 years is normal for urushiol to stay active on any surface including dead plants

There is a story about the hunter who got poison ivy every hunting season, no matter how carefully he kept his arms and legs covered. He wasn't getting it in the woods, but off of his hunting clothes!

Symptoms of the Rash:**

85% of the population will develop an allergic reaction if exposed to poison ivy.
The rash can affect any part of the body, but commonly the hands, forearms and face.
Once the plant oil touches the skin, it begins to penetrate in minutes.

Urushiol is virtually impossible to wash off and attaches to the cell membranes causing an immune response by the body. Within three (3) minutes after exposure to the oil, urushiol is bound to the skin proteins and cannot be washed off.***

The rash appears as a line within 12-48 hours after exposure
Redness and swelling are followed by blisters and severe itching.

The blood vessels in your skin develop gaps that leak fluid through the skin, causing blistering and oozing. Cooling the vessels causes them to constrict and not leak as much, reducing the blistering.

Within a few days, the blisters become crusted and scaly, with the rash healing in 10-14 days. Healed areas often remain supersensitive to further contact for several months.

Because the blisters don't contain the urushiol,, the oozing blisters cannot cause further spread on your body. Later breakouts of blisters, often in a line, are caused by the oil on less sensitive parts of the body.

?????????? What to do**** ??????????

Because urushiol can penetrate the skin within minutes, the earlier you cleanse the skin, the greater the chance that you can remove the urushiol before it gets attached to the skin.
If possible, stay outdoors while you rinse the area with cool or cold water. The coolness will stop or limit the blistering. Soap will only spread the oil to other areas.
Then, take a regular shower with soap and warm water. Remember to wash under your fingernails.
Clean any clothes in the washer before wearing again.
Clean anything else that might have been in contact with the plants. Don't forget your shoes.

????? What Next ?????

For mild cases, cool compresses or soaking in cool water may be effective. Oral antihistamines can also relieve the itching.
The FDA also considers over-the-counter topical corticosteriods (hydrocortisones on the label) safe and effective for temporary itching associated with poison ivy.
To help dry the oozing blisters, over-the-counter products such as baking soda and water, calamine lotion or Aveeno (oatmeal baths) might help.

For severe cases, prescription topical corticosteriod drugs can halt the reaction but only if treatment begins within a few hours after exposure.
For very severe reactions, oral corticosteroids such as prednisone might be prescribed by your provider. This is more often done if the rash is on the face, genitals, or covers more than 30% of the body. The course of treatment is often three weeks to avoid a rebound with an even more severe rash.

<<Myths and Facts about Poison Ivy****>>

Myth: Poison ivy is contagious.

Fact: Rubbing the rashes won't spread poison ivy to other parts of your body ( or anyone else's) The allergic reaction is only to the urushiol.

Myth: You can catch poison ivy simply by being near the plants.

Fact: Direct contact is needed to release the oil. Stay away from forest fires, direct burning, or anything else that can cause the oil to become airborne such as a lawnmower or a trimmer.

Myth: Leaves of three, let them be.

Fact: Right, except that poison sumac has 7-13 leaves.

Myth: Don't worry about the plants once they are dead.

Fact: Urushiol oil stays active on any surface, including dead plants, for up to 5 years.

Myth: Breaking the blisters releases urushiol oil that can spread.

Fact: Not true. Wounds can become infected and you may make the scarring worse from scratching the rash.

Learn to recognize and avoid the plant.

Symptoms:

Within a few days, the blisters become crusted and scaly, with the rash healing in 10-14 days. Healed areas often remain supersensitive to further contact for several months.

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