Poison Ivy

Author: Shannon Evans
Published on: May 1, 2001

Poison Ivy is a deceptively, unassuming climbing vine with three leaflets per stem. The leaves change from green in the summer months to red in the fall and winter. Unless you know what to look for, poison ivy plants easily become camouflaged against other vines, grasses, and weeds. Close cousins to poison ivy are poison sumac and poison oak. These plants have a resin or oil, called rhus, that when touches the skin causes dermatitis reaction resulting in inflammation, itchiness and even blistering. An excellent site for plant identification, rash pictures, product information, and articles is http://www.poisonivytreatment.com/faq.ht... .

People react to poison ivy in varying degrees. Some can pick the plant as if it were just a nagging weed in the garden. Others react so badly to the resin that they require steroid treatments for several days to stop the allergic reaction. Although rare, those who do react severely to poison ivy, might have a secondary reaction days, weeks or even months later.

First and foremost, if you know you are planning to possibly walk in an area that might have poison ivy, use a product like Multishield or Ivy Block. If applied fifteen minutes before exposure, Ivy Block can prevent a reaction all together. DO NOT apply Ivy Block to a poison ivy rash - this product prevents a rash from occuring only. The cheapest price I found for Ivy Block (4 oz for $9.69) on the net was at http://www.drugstore.com.

If you are not so fortunate as to have used Ivy Block before your hike in the woods, then the next step is to try and rinse the resin off of your skin before a reaction occurs. There are several suggestions for how to properly cleanse your skin after touching poison ivy. First, within ten minutes of contact, wash your skin with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and then rinse with water. Second, the Dial Co. has produced a soap called Fels Naptha, http://www.felsnapthasoap.bigstep.com , for years that apparently is an effective treatment for reducing a poison ivy reaction. Also, Tecnu Skin Cleanser is effective in rinsing poison ivy resin from the skin. Small children should not use any of these products without seeking medical advice.

Washing all clothing thoroughly is a must in order to prevent resin from reacting with the skin again. To remove the majority of the resin from garments, saturate clothes in isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and then scrub with a soap such as Fels Naptha. The resin can remain on clothes for one to five years thus causing recurrent reactions if garments are not properly treated.

Touching the rash will not transfer it to other parts of your body. However, coming in contact with residual resin either on your body or clothes will cause a reaction. That is why it is very important to wash your skin as soon as possible after encountering poison ivy.

If a rash crops up before you are able to wash the resin off your skin, minimizing your discomfort is the next step. Products such as Caladryl and Aveeno Oatmeal soap work well at reducing the itchiness associated with a poison ivy rash. Antihistamine medicines like Benadryl will help lower the allergic reaction overall. Finally, if the reaction is severe enough, steroids or rhus-tox medication might be needed. It is important to treat the area properly to avoid infection.

Hopefully, all of you will have a poison ivy-free spring and summer, but remember there are useful treatments available if you find yourself needing quick relief!