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You can get a very nasty rash if you touch poison ivy or poison oak. Most people are allergic to the resin contained in the leaves, stems and roots of these plants. So don't touch them! But what do you do if you unknowingly touched one and now you have a terrible, itchy, painful rash? This article will tell how to recognize the plant and what to do with the rash.
How do you recognize poison ivy and poison oak? Here is a good way to remember:
Leaves of three stay away from me.
Poison ivy is the most common poisonous plant of the two, it can look like a vine or a shrub. The leaves cluster in groups of three leaves on one stem out of the branch. It can grow from 2 to 7 feet high and is located in the U.S. and Canada. It grows mostly in heavily wooded areas. The ends of the leaves can be smooth or jagged. In the spring the leaves are shiny bright green. In the fall their color is reddish and will sometimes have little white berries underneath.
Poison oak is similar to poison ivy. It looks almost the same, with leaves that are in clusters of three. It also grows on a vine or a bush. The leaves are shaped very similar to the leaves of an oak tree and are green.
Not everyone is allergic to the resin oil that is on the leaves of these plants. But those that are have to touch the leaves of the plant, or another object that has touched the plant, in order to get the rash that accompanies it. There is a resinous oil on the leaves that causes the allergic reaction. If the oil from the plant is still on a person, it can spread to another person’s skin and that is why people consider it to be a contagious rash. The rash itself is not contagious but the residual resinous oil is. So be sure to wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water. After a hike in areas where there was poison ivy/oak wash clothes immediately in case you brushed up against a plant unknowingly.
A poison ivy/oak rash can appear anywhere from a couple hours after exposure to the resin to a few days after contact. The rash can last up to 4 weeks. How long and how much resin oil gets on your skin will determine how long and how severe the rash will be. Washing it off within the first 10 minutes of touching it is recommended. The rash that will appear is red, with very itchy pimples and blisters.
Calamine lotion will ease the itching of the rash. Do not use it for more than one week because it can dry out the skin and cause more problems. Taking an antihistamine, such as benadryl, will relieve the incessant itching and swelling of the rash. Apply cold compresses on and off throughout the day to soothe the skin. Aloe Vera gel can give relief also. If it appears that any part of the rash is infected see a doctor. A doctor can also prescribe a topical steroid to relieve itching in severe case.
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