Poison ivy is the worst. It doesn’t matter how beautiful of a summer day you’re experiencing initially—if you come home and discover an itchy poison ivy rash, you know your next week or two won’t be very fun. Luckily, there are ways to avoid this horrid summer irritant!

Our AFC Urgent Care Southcenter team explains below.

Why Does Poison Ivy Cause a Rash?

Poison ivy contains an oil called urushiol, which typically causes an allergic skin reaction for most people. In fact, urushiol causes an allergic reaction to nearly 85% of the world’s population!

When you come in contact with poison ivy, the plant releases urushiol as a defense mechanism. Also, smoke from the plant contains urushiol, so it’s possible to develop a more intense allergic reaction if the oil is inhaled. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms below, you’ve likely come in contact with poison ivy.

## Common Poison Ivy Symptoms

• Small bumps that quickly turn into blisters where the plant oil touched the skin
• Severe itching
• Redness and swelling
• Blisters that break, ooze fluid and crust over.

If I Get a Poison Ivy Rash, How Can I Treat It?

The best way to help get rid of the rash is by not scratching it. We know that’s probably not what you wanted to hear, but not scratching your rash will help prevent an infection that can lead to worse skin conditions like impetigo, which is a highly contagious skin infection.

In addition to not scratching your rash, keeping it cool and using OTC creams and lotions are effective home remedies. Hopefully, you can avoid contact with poison ivy overall this summer, and you can do so by considering the tips we’ve listed below.

Ways to Avoid Poison Ivy

• Avoid the plants. This sounds simple, but it’s important to learn how to identify poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac in all seasons. When hiking or engaging in other activities that might expose you to these plants, try to stay on cleared pathways.
• Wear protective clothing. If needed, protect your skin by wearing socks, boots, pants, long sleeves and heavy gloves when in areas that could contain poison ivy.
• Wash your skin or pet’s fur. Within 30 minutes after exposure to urushiol, use soap and water to gently wash off the oil from your skin. Even washing after an hour or so can help reduce the severity of the rash. If you think your pet may have gotten into poison ivy, put on some long rubber gloves and give your pet a bath to get rid of the oil.

Dealing with a poison ivy rash and need relief? Don’t hesitate to visit our AFC Urgent Care Southcenter team today!