Poison Oak Rash

Poison Oak Rash






Poison oak rash also known as sumac rash is a type of allergic reaction caused by exposure to poisonous plants. It largely occurs on people who are exposed to outdoors environment, more particularly to bushes and garden.

Poison oak is a type of plant growing in many states of America. You can see this creeper along the banks of river with shining green leaves and slender red stem. It is largely seen on the West Coast region and poison sumac grows along the banks of River Mississippi.

The plant grows as a shrub or vine depending on the climate.

Causes :

Allergic reaction on the skin is caused due to direct skin contact of these shrubs. When a person gets in touch with the resins of these plants he may develop Skin Rashes. The resins enter the skin quickly causing skin rashes. Normally this type of skin rash is not contagious and the person should wash away the oil completely to avoid spreading.

There is every chance for the droplets of plant oils to enter your clothing and tools like shoes, which may later enter your skin for causing skin rash.

Touching the pets or clothing that has contacted the plant resins can spread rash. If you are exposed to burning plants of ivy or sumac it can cause skin rash with blisters since oil particles are carried away by wind.

Symptoms :

Some of the signs of poison oak and Poison Ivy Rash are itching, irritation, red bumps or blister formation on the skin. The oil of the plant penetrates into your skin causing red patchy rashes. In due course, it can cause red blisters of large size with fluid inside. The skin rash may vary from mild to severe and the symptoms will be present for 4-7 days.

Treatment :

Home care treatments are available in plenty. First if you suspect poison oak rash you should wash the affected skin area with soap water. It is very much necessary to wash the skin thoroughly since the plant resin will enter the skin quickly.

To avoid spreading of rash to other parts of the body you can scrub your fingernails using brush. Do not use the same clothing without washing since it can have some particles of plant resins. Wash the clothes and shoes you have used in the garden or river banks. It can spread through your pets and hence you have to bathe the animals immediately to remove any oil content on their fur.

If there is itching on the lower legs, you can apply calamine lotion or hydrocortisone lotion. Avoid sitting in hot places since body heat can increase the itching sensation.

Bathing in oatmeal gives you great relief from itching. Immerse yourself on bathtub that contains oatmeal for some time. Soaking in aluminum acetate solution will also reduce itching.

In case creams and lotions are not effective in controlling itching you can take antihistamine pills. If there is severe itching with swelling you can consult your doctor.

Medical :

Your doctor will examine the affected area and give corticosteroid drugs (prednisone) either in the form of injection or oral pills depending on the intensity of rash. Antihistamines are given for managing itching immediately.

For people with wheezing or Asthma problem, you can use albuterol or any other bronchodilator for dilating the airway. If you feel like fainting lie down on the floor and keep your legs elevated so that it helps blood flow to the brain.

Burning of the plant can aggravate itching since the plant resins can spread through smoke entering your skin.

Pictures of Poison Oak Rash :

Images, Pics, Pictures and Photos of Poison Oak Rash

How to prevent?

Always wear long sleeves or full covered clothing when you are planning to visit areas of river banks where poison oak or sumac largely grows. You can apply ivy block lotions or creams on the legs and hands to prevent the oil from entering your skin.

You need to educate your children about the harmful effects of ivy and oak plants. Keep your pets away from them. Wash the clothes and other accessories once you get back home.

Poison Oak Rash – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Pictures, Contagious

Poison Oak Rash – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Pictures, Contagious

What is Poison Oak Rash?

This is a form of irritation of the skin known as “allergic contact dermatitis”. The rash of poison ivy is triggered by the body’s sensitivity to some irritant that is in poison ivy as well as other comparable toxic plants, for instance poison sumac and poison oak. Every one of these plant lifes has a resin that is oily and is known as urushiol which irritates the skin causing the rash.

Even though the itch from the rash from poison ivy is very bothersome, the really great news is that this rash or one caused by poison sumac or poison oak really is not that serious. The treatment consists of methods of care to relieve the itching pending the reaction healing.

Poison Oak Rash Symptoms

Symptoms and signs of the rash of poison ivy consist of

• Itching


• Redness


• Blisters


• Swelling

Frequently, the rash resembles a straight line due to the way the plant brushes against the skin. However if the individual comes into contact with pet fur or a piece of clothing that has urushiol on it, the rash can be spread out more.

The allergic reaction normally progresses twelve 12 to forty-eight 48 hours after being exposed and may last up to eight (8) weeks. The relentlessness of this rash is dependent on the quantity of urushiol that is on the skin.

With most serious cases, new regions of rash may erupt after numerous days or even more after the initial exposure. This might seem as if the rash is increasing. This is more likely caused by the rate at which the skin grips the urushiol.

The skin needs to come in contact directly with the oil of the plants to be affected. Fluid from the blisters after scratching does not spread this rash, but bacteria from under the fingernails may cause a bacterial secondary infection.

See your primary care physician when any of the below occur:

• Reaction is widespread or severe


• Rash affects areas of the body that are very sensitive for instance the eyes, genitals or mouth


• Blisters ooze pus


• Fever greater than 100 F develops


• Rash does not get better within a few weeks

Poison Oak Rash Causes

Poison ivy as well as poison sumac and poison oak may all trigger contact dermatitis and this results in the itchy rash.

Poison Ivy
This is a very common weed-resembling plant that can grow as plants, bushes or thick, tree-climbing vines. The leaves normally grow three 3 leaflets to one stem. Some of the leaves have smooth edges, while other ones have a tooth-like jagged appearance. In fall, these leaves usually turn yellow, red or orange. Poison ivy may produce very small, greenish flowers and off-white or green berries.

Poison sumac
This can be a small tree or a bush. It has two 2 rows of leaflets on each stem as well as a leaflet at the tip.
Poison oak
Poison oak can grow as a bush or low plant and the leaves look like oak leaves. Just like poison ivy; poison oak grows three 3 leaflets to a stem. Poison oak might have white-yellow berries.

You're reading Poison Oak Rash – Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Pictures, Contagious posted by minhhai2d, the information is for reference only.

The substance that causes the irritation is the same for all three 3 plants – oily resin known as urushiol. When the skin touches the leaves of this plant, it might absorb some of the urushiol created by the plant. Even a very small amount of this substance can trigger a reaction. Urushiol is sticky and does not dry, so it attaches easily to the skin, tools, clothing, pet’s fur or equipment.

The continuous scratching of the rash triggered by poison ivy and having fingernails that are dirty might create a secondary infection with bacteria. This could start pus to ooze from the blisters. See the primary care physician when this happens. Management of a secondary infection is antibiotics.

Poison Oak Rash Contagious

An individual may get a poison ivy reaction from:

Touch Directly – when an individual touches the stem, leaves, berries or roots of these plants, vines or shrubs, there will be a reaction.

Urushiol remaining on the skin – Poison Ivy Rash can develop after unknowingly rubbing this urushiol on other areas of the skin. For instance, an individual walks thru some poison ivy then later touches shoes, urushiol on the hands get on the shoes which can then be transferred to the face by rubbing or touching.

Urushiol on objects – if an individual touches urushiol left on any item, such as firewood or clothing, a reaction may develop. Although animals normally are not affected by urushiol, it does get on the pet’s fur and then when the individual touches the pet, the rash will be triggered. Urushiol may remain allergenic for years, especially when kept in a dry environment. For instance, if a contaminated jacket is kept without washing it and is worn a year later, the oil on that jacket can still trigger a reaction.

Smoke inhaled from burning poison ivy, sumac or oak – the smoke from burned poison ivy, sumac or oak has the oil in it and can injure or irritate the nasal passages or eyes.

The rash of poison ivy is not contagious. Fluid from blisters does not contain urushiol and will not spread this rash. Additionally, an individual cannot get poison ivy from another person unless there is contact involving urushiol that is still on that person or on the clothing.

Poison Oak Rash Treatment

Treatment for poison ivy is normally limited to methods of self-care, and the rash usually goes away by itself within two (2) to four (4) weeks. During this time, an individual can use home remedies for poison ivy, such as cool compresses, baths in oatmeal, and OTC (over-the-counter) anti-itch medicine to get rid of the symptoms and signs.

When this rash is widespread or results in a large quantity of blisters, the physician might prescribe an oral corticosteroid, for instance prednisone, for treatment. When a secondary bacterial infection develops at the site of the rash, the physician will usually prescribe an oral antibiotic.

Poison Oak Rash Pictures