Learn how to prevent poison ivy and what to do if you accidentally touch the plant.
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
If you and your family enjoy outdoor activities like gardening, camping, or hiking, odds are that sooner or later someone will come into contact with poison ivy. Brush against it, and the result can be an itchy rash, but a few simple measures can help prevent that.
First, follow the old adage, “leaves of three, let it be.” Avoid any plants with three leaves, a hallmark of poison ivy.
Remember that the leaves won’t always be green. They can be reddish is spring, and yellow, orange, or red in fall. They might also have berries.
If possible, wear a long sleeve shirt, long pants, boots, and gloves whenever you’re gardening or going into the woods.
You can also apply a poison ivy blocking lotion before you venture out. These products work by forming a barrier on your skin and preventing the oily substance in poison ivy that causes rashes, known as urushiol, from seeping in.
Taking action soon after you’ve been exposed can also prevent a rash. Rinse your skin with soap or water or rubbing alcohol to remove any urushiol. Also, wash your clothes, gardening tools, even the dog, so they don’t rub the chemicals onto your skin.
Not everyone who’s exposed to poison ivy will get a rash. But about 60% to 80% of people will. It can appear within hours of touching the plant or as late as five days later.
If you end up with a rash, treat the itch with a smear of calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream. Apply cool compresses or add a cup of colloidal oatmeal or baking soda to your bath.
Try not to scratch since this can cause an infection. Poison ivy is usually more of a nuisance than a danger, but you should see a health care professional if you have trouble breathing or swallowing, your eyelids swell up, you’re running a fever, or you have a rash over most of your body.
Fortunately, the rash is not contagious, so family members with poison ivy can get all the TLC they need without putting anyone else at risk.