Poison ivy rash

Poison ivy rash

overview

Poison ivy rash

Poison ivy rash

Brushing against a poison ivy plant can cause a red, itchy rash. Often the rash takes on a linear shape (as in the upper left corner of the photo) due to the way the plant passes over the skin.

Poison ivy rash on arm

Poison ivy rash on arm

Brushing against a poison ivy plant can cause bumps and blisters. The rash can spread from one part of the body to another if oil from the plant remains on the skin.

Poison ivy rash is caused by an allergic reaction to an oily resin called urushiol (u-ROO-she-ol). This oily resin is found in the leaves, stems, and roots of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.

Wash your skin immediately if you come into contact with this oil unless you know you are not sensitive to it. Washing the oil off can reduce your chances of getting poison ivy rash. If you get a rash, it can be very itchy and last for weeks.

You can treat mild cases of poison ivy rash at home with soothing lotions and cool baths. You may need prescription medication for a severe or widespread rash, especially if it occurs on the face or genitals.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of a poison ivy rash include:

• Rötung
• Juckreiz
• Schwellung
• Blasen
• Atembeschwerden, wenn Sie den Rauch von brennendem Giftefeu eingeatmet haben

Poison ivy rash often appears in a straight line because the plant is touching your skin. But if you develop a rash after touching a piece of clothing or pet fur that has urushiol on it, the rash may be more widespread. You can also use your fingers to transfer the oil to other parts of the body. The reaction usually develops 12 to 48 hours after exposure and lasts two to three weeks.

The severity of the rash depends on the amount of urushiol that gets on your skin.

When to go to the doctor?

Seek emergency medical attention if:

• Sie haben den Rauch von brennendem Giftefeu eingeatmet und haben Schwierigkeiten beim Atmen

See your doctor if:

• Die Reaktion ist schwerwiegend oder weit verbreitet
• Ihre Haut schwillt weiter an
• Der Ausschlag betrifft Ihre Augen, Ihren Mund oder Ihre Genitalien
• Blasen sickern Eiter
• Sie entwickeln ein Fieber von mehr als 100 F (37,8 C)
• Der Ausschlag wird innerhalb weniger Wochen nicht besser

Causes

Poison ivy plant

Poison ivy plant

A poison ivy plant typically has three leaflets branching from a single stem. It can grow as a low plant or bush or as a vine. Low-growing poison ivy plants are usually found among groups of weeds and other plants.

Poison ivy plant with berries

Poison ivy plant with berries

Poison ivy leaves vary widely in shape, color, and texture. Some leaves have smooth edges, while others have a jagged, tooth-like appearance. In autumn the leaves can turn yellow, orange or red. Poison ivy can produce small, greenish flowers and green or cream-colored berries.

Poison sumac plant

Poison sumac plant

The poison sumac plant has smooth-edged leaves and can grow as a bush or tree. Unlike poison ivy and poison oak, it does not grow in a pattern with three leaves per stem.

Poison ivy rash is caused by an allergic reaction to an oily resin called urushiol. It is found in poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. This oily resin is very sticky and therefore easily adheres to your skin, clothing, tools, equipment and your pet's fur. You can get a poison ivy reaction from:

• Die Pflanze berühren. Wenn Sie die Blätter, Stängel, Wurzeln oder Beeren der Pflanze berühren, kann es zu einer Reaktion kommen.
• Berühren kontaminierter Gegenstände. Wenn Sie durch Giftefeu gehen und später Ihre Schuhe berühren, können Sie Urushiol auf Ihre Hände bekommen. Sie können es dann durch Berühren oder Reiben auf Ihr Gesicht oder Ihren Körper übertragen. Wenn der kontaminierte Gegenstand nicht gereinigt wird, kann das darauf befindliche Urushiol noch Jahre später eine Hautreaktion hervorrufen.
• Rauch von den brennenden Pflanzen einatmen. Sogar der Rauch von brennendem Giftefeu, Gifteiche und Giftsumach kann Ihre Nasenwege oder Lunge reizen oder schädigen.

Pus that oozes from blisters does not contain urushiol and will not spread the rash. But it is possible to get poison ivy rash from someone if you touch plant resin that is still on the person or contaminated clothing.

Risk factors

Your risk of a rash is increased if you participate in outdoor activities that put you at higher risk of exposure to poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac:

• Installation von Kabel- oder Telefonleitungen
• Camping
• Konstruktion
• Landwirtschaft
• Feuer bekämpfen
• Angeln vom Ufer aus
• Forstwirtschaft
• Gartenarbeit
• Wandern
• Jagd
• Landschaftsgestaltung

Complications

If you scratch a poison ivy rash, bacteria under your fingernails can cause the skin to become infected. See your doctor if pus begins to ooze from the blisters. Your doctor may prescribe you antibiotics. Severe breathing difficulties and inflammation of the lung lining can be caused by inhaling urushiol.

prevention

Follow these tips to avoid poison ivy rash:

• Avoid the plants.Learn how to identify poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac any time of year. Try to stay on cleared paths when hiking or doing other activities that could expose you to these plants. Wear socks, pants and long sleeves when outdoors. If you are camping, make sure you pitch your tent in an area that is free of these plants.

  Keep pets from walking in wooded areas to prevent urushiol from sticking to their fur, which you can then touch.

• Schutzkleidung tragen. Schützen Sie Ihre Haut bei Bedarf durch das Tragen von Socken, Stiefeln, Hosen, langen Ärmeln und dicken Handschuhen.
• Entferne oder töte die Pflanzen. Identifizieren und entfernen Sie Poison Ivy, Poison Oak und Poison Sumach aus Ihrem Hof ​​oder Garten. Sie können solche Pflanzen loswerden, indem Sie ein Herbizid auftragen oder sie mit dicken Handschuhen einschließlich der Wurzeln aus dem Boden ziehen. Ziehen Sie die Handschuhe anschließend vorsichtig aus und waschen Sie sie und Ihre Hände. Verbrenne keinen Giftefeu oder verwandte Pflanzen, da das Urushiol durch den Rauch getragen werden kann.

• Wash your skin or your pet's fur.Within 30 minutes of contact with urushiol, use soap and water to gently wash the harmful resin from your skin. Also scrub under your fingernails. Even washing after an hour or so can help reduce the severity of the rash.

  If you think your pet may be contaminated with urushiol, put on long rubber gloves and give your pet a bath.

• Clean contaminated items.If you think you have come into contact with poison ivy, wash your clothes immediately in warm, soapy water - preferably in a washing machine. Handle contaminated clothing carefully to avoid spreading the urushiol to yourself, furniture, carpets, or appliances.

  Also wash any other items that came into contact with the vegetable oil as quickly as possible - such as outdoor gear, garden tools, jewelry, shoes, and even shoelaces. Urushiol can remain effective for years. So if you put a contaminated jacket away unwashed and take it out a year later, the oil on the jacket can still cause a rash.

• Tragen Sie eine Schutzcreme auf. Probieren Sie rezeptfreie Hautprodukte aus, die als Barriere zwischen Ihrer Haut und dem öligen Harz dienen sollen, das Giftefeuausschlag verursacht.

Sources:

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