A walk through the woods can include encounters with birds, small animals, and beautiful foliage. But if you encounter poison ivy along the way, you may walk away with an itchy rash as a souvenir of your nature trek.
The problem is caused by urushiol, a resin exuded by poison ivy, poison oak, and other related plants. Strictly speaking, urushiol is an allergen, not a poison--not everyone reacts to it. If you're allergic to the resin and either touch the plant directly or come in contact with clothing or pets that have been exposed to it, you'll develop a rash of itchy, oozing blisters, sometimes accompanied by swelling.
Being able to recognize these poisonous plants is the key to avoiding them and the rash they trigger. And the old adage, "Leaflets three, let it be" holds true. But if it's too late, and you have an accidental brush with the plant,here's what to do.
- Remove and wash all clothes and shoes that have been contaminated. If an article isn't washable, isolate it in a ventilated area for three weeks.
- Bathe with soap and water, then apply rubbing alcohol to the exposed skin with cotton balls. Rinse with water afterward.
- A rash may still develop two or three days after contact with the resin. If that happens, apply calamine lotion.
- Taking an oral antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine (brand name Benadryl), should relieve itching.
- If weeping blisters develop, cover them with gauze and keep them wet, with a solution of I tablespoon baking soda in I quart of water. (The fluid in blisters will not cause the rash to spread.)
- If symptoms grow worse, the rash spreads to the mouth, eyes, or genitals, or you have had severe reactions to poison ivy (or poison oak) in the past, consult a physician. To control the rash, he or she will probably prescribe steroids, to be taken orally or applied topically.
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