Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac rashes: advice from a Sarasota Florida dermatologist

Itching is not always the first symptom to appear when one comes into contact with a poisonous plant. For many of my patients, the first time they realize that they might have come in contact with poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac, comes when they consult me ​​about a rash they have developed. These weeds are the most common cause of allergic reactions in the United States.

A rash from these weeds develops when the skin comes into contact with an oil called urushiol. Urushiol is found in the sap of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. It oozes from any broken part of the plant, including the roots, stems, and leaves. After exposure to air, urushiol turns brownish black, making it easier to detect.

Contact with urushiol can occur in three ways:

• Direct contact: touch the sap of the toxic plant.
• Indirect contact: touching something to which urushiol has spread. The oil can adhere to clothing, animal hair or skin, sports equipment, basically anything that has come into contact with a broken part of the plant.
• Contact with airborne urushiol particles, which can occur from burning poisonous plants. This can cause a rash when it comes in contact with your skin.

A rash caused by any of these plants can affect almost any part of your body, especially where your skin is thinner. Redness and swelling occur first, usually followed by blisters and severe itching. The fluid from the blisters of these rashes does not spread the rash. Within a couple of days, the blisters can crust over and begin to scale. Traditionally, it takes 10 days or longer for a rash to heal.

The best advice I can offer to help prevent the misery of a poison ivy rash is: STAY AWAY. The best way to know which plants to avoid is by learning to identify these poisonous plants. Their appearance may change slightly throughout the seasons, but they remain toxic throughout the year. A key characteristic for identifying poison ivy and poison oak is in the leaves – they always come in three at a time. Therefore, the popular saying “sheets of three, watch out for me” is a good rule of thumb.

Follow these simple rules if you think you have been exposed to poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac:

• Wash exposed areas immediately with running water. The water should prevent the urushiol from spreading to other parts of your body. Do not use soap at this time. Soap can pick up some of the urushiol and spread it to other parts of your body.
• Take a regular shower with soap and warm water within 30 minutes of exposure. Make sure you’ve cleaned the exposed area under running water before using soap.
• Wash your clothes as soon as possible. Don’t wait and don’t wash a full load of laundry with the clothes you think have been exposed to the poisonous plant. You can transfer urushiol to carpets or furniture if you’re not careful.
• Be sure to clean up any other item (s) (such as camping gear, fishing gear, etc.) that may have come in contact with the oil.
• You can ease the itchiness of mild rashes by taking cold showers and applying over-the-counter products like calamine lotion or Burrow’s solution. It can be soaked in a warm bath with a solution of oatmeal or baking soda to relieve itching and dry up oozing blisters.

I always recommend that you see a board certified dermatologist if you know you have been exposed to one of these weeds. A dermatologist can properly diagnose your rash and can prescribe cortisone or other medications that can prevent blisters from forming.