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Posts Tagged ‘Poison ivy’

When playing outside, or wherever you are outdoors, its important to avoid coming in contact with a poison ivy plant. Learn ways to identify this plant so that you can avoid it should you see it. If you come in contact you can develop a rash or even blisters. Most people will be immune to this plant, however avoiding it is better than trying to see if you are immune or not.

Does the phrase ‘Leaves of three, let it be’ sound familiar? You probably used this as the method, to recognize this plant. While its true that it does have three leaves, many other plants have three leaves together. Some other characteristics to look for are, the middle leave is bigger and is on its own longer stalk. Erect shrubs and a climbing vine will also be found on this plant.

Your instinct will probably be to try and weed it out. Using the weed eater, can have the oils of the plant sprayed all over you, thus doing what you were trying to avoid. If you try to burn it, you the oils can also be carried through the smoke, leaving you to also come in contact with the oils that cause the rashes. You should spray it with a herbicide. Do not spray too much causing the liquid to drip out of the leafs, or spreading the herbicide to other plants.

If you come in contact with it, you should remove any clothing worn when you came in contact with it, including shoes. Rub alcohol on your skin that has been affected. After the alcohol, rinse with cold water. Do not use hot water, as it will only open up your pores, thus allowing the oil to get into your skin. Oil can get on the soap you are using to wash off the area, so do not use any until you have rubbed alcohol and rinsed with cold water. Also make sure you have carefully washed under your fingernails, as you may have gotten oil under them. It would be wise to stay away from plants that day or avoid going outside, as your skin will be extra vulnerable. If washed properly within the first 5-10 minutes of coming in contact you can avoid getting a rash.

The oils of the poison ivy plant can remain on your clothing for even a year. Make sure you wash all your clothes you were wearing that day thoroughly. Also wash everything that came in contact with the plant including your pets.

You should keep look for any symptoms of a rash. Your skin will be red and will be itchy. Those red areas will then turn into bumps and could also create blisters.

To treat a rash, you can take cold showers and also apply cold compresses. Rubbing ice cubes on the affected area can also give temporarily relief. Applying topical liquids or lotions on the rashes can bring relief as well. A rash will typically last about a week and last up to three weeks.

If you come in contact with a poison ivy plant, and you were immune, do not assume this will always be the case. Your body will change through out the years as you get older. You can also lose immunity each time you come in contact with it. You should learn characteristics of this plant so you can recognize it. Also get rid of it the proper way to avoid getting it on yourself.

Searching all over for ways to avoid and treat poison ivy? Get the ultimate inside scoop on top Poison Ivy Cures in our Cure for Poison Ivy guide.

Poison ivy is a plant that will cause an itchy skin rash when it touches your skin. The plant is a very common one and can be found growing on the ground or as an intertwining plant on tree trunks and branches. It will be situated between other plants and this can sometimes hide it from view or from recognition.

This plant contains urushiol which is oil. The oil attaches to the skin when it makes contact with it. Since it seems that most people are allergic to this plant, as soon as you make contact with it, you will get a red, itchy rash.

Since the oil makes contact with your body through touch, any other items you touch, be it tools or gear or shoes, will be affected. If you burn the plant it is also dangerous as the oil is retained in the smoke and this can settle on your skin and cause the rash.

An eruption will appear within 48 hours after your skin has been in contact with the plant’s oil, but there are instances when this takes a few days to show up. If you transfer the oil to other parts of your body through touching your skin, the rash may well become bigger and spread over a larger area of your body. The rash and the blisters are not infectious as the plant oil will already have been taken in to your skin or it will have been washed off the skin. Scratching the eruption may cause infection if there is any dirt under your fingernails and this will cause sores to form. The blisters will begin drying up within a few days and then the eruption should start to go away. This time period is dependent on the severity of the allergy.

As soon as you think you may have come into contact with poison ivy, use cold water to clean the area. The use of cold compresses and taking cool baths will have an impact on the relief of the itchiness of the areas that are affected. The oil is quite potent and will be active for a long period of time and therefore wash everything that has come into contact with it. This includes sports gear, tents, shoes, tools and all the clothes you had with you.

There are several over the counter ointments and other medications that can relieve the condition of the rash. Hydrocortisone lotions and creams are excellent. Calamine lotion will relieve the itching. Anti-histamine pills may also be prescribed. Try to relax in an oatmeal bath as this will also help with the treatment of the rash.

If your fever rises or if larger sections of the body become infected, you should go to your doctor for help. Sometimes the rash will extend to your genital area or into your mouth and neck. It may affect your eyelids and this will make it difficult to open your eyes.

If there is pus present in the blisters caused by the poison ivy, you should definitely visit your doctor. If the rash does not disappear within a few days, you should get advice from your health-care professional.

Many people get into trouble with poison ivy because they do not know what it looks like or how to treat it. It is not actually ivy, which is where some get confused. It is a type of vine that is very woody and grows low to the ground. Any contact with it, no matter how brief, will probably cause a rash. Some people are naturally immune to the effects of the compound it produces that irritates skin, but most are not.

The key is knowing where it grows and then being careful in those areas. It is a plant specific to Canada, The United States, and Mexico. Nine times out of ten it grows in the woods, more toward the edges where there is more sunlight. Poison Ivy has been known to be in meadows or even on rocky surfaces, though not so much on mountainous areas. Poison Ivy prefers lower lands. The tricky thing about poison ivy is that it can grow just about anywhere–it grows well both in the shade and the sunshine.

Recognition of the plant is key for any person who loves the outdoors. The ivy itself looks harmless. There is nothing about it that would naturally indicate danger. It is always in bundles of three leaflets. They have an almond shape (pointy at one end, rounded at the other) with no teeth to serrate the edges. Many people say it is red, but this is only when it first buds in spring and when it starts to die in autumn. During most of spring and summer it goes from light to dark green.

The leaflet bundles will alternate on the vine, though the vine may not be very noticeable if it is growing low to the ground. Leaves on this plant are often shiny due to the liquid that they secrete. This is the stuff that makes you itch. Berries grow on poison ivy, as well. They are gray or white.

The vine, if you can see it, will have red hairs on it, and plenty of them. This is key to notice when you are climbing up trees. If you see this vine, stay away. Also note that the leaves may not have teeth, but they do each have a single notch that will make them vaguely resemble mittens.

There are dozens of tips and rhymes for learning how to identify them. One interesting fact is that butterflies tend to land on them. If you are suspicious of the plant and a butterfly rests on it, stay away.

Once you have figured out what the ivy is (either by looking it up or by unfortunate first-hand experience), the next step is to learn how to treat the itch if you stumble upon it. If the person goes into anaphylactic shock, get them to a hospital immediately. Sometimes a reaction can be so severe that breathing is very difficult and lose muscle control or fall unconscious. Usually the reaction is merely blistered skin that itches very severely.

Do not scratch at all and keep your hands washed. If you got it on your hands, do not touch any unaffected part of your body because you can spread the rash around easily. Anti-itch creams are the best bet to soothe you. Some have found that taking oatmeal baths reduces the itching, just like it does with the chicken pox.

Are you one of those unlucky individuals who has had a run-in with poison ivy? We have got the super inside info on how to treat Poison Ivy Rash.

There are countless gardeners through the country, many of which can tell you first hand the effects of Poison Ivy. There is a correct way and a wrong way to prevent poison ivy or eliminate poison ivy if it’s already there in your garden. The video below will show you some important steps to remember when getting rid of poison ivy in your garden or yard. You want to be very careful not to get the Urushiol Oil on your skin. A good pair of gloves that will protect you skin from the Poison Ivy oils is key.

If you do come into contact make sure you have a guaranteed Poison Ivy, Oak or Sumac Gel on hand.

Warmer weather will be here soon and many us will be venturing out on nature excursions to celebrate and appreciate and the things warmer weather brings with it. This video will give you some helpful tips on avoiding Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac while hiking. If you come into contact with Poison Ivy, Oak or Sumac you’ll end up with an itchy and rather painful rash that can last from a few days to a few weeks depending on exposure and treatment.

If you do come into contact with Poison Ivy, Oak or Sumac make sure you have the proper Poison Ivy treatment on hand.

With winter nearly over, and springtime just around the corner, Poison Sumac will begin to pop up in yards all across the nation as the weather warms and plants begin to thrive again. Get prepared before you come into contact with Poison Sumac. There are preventative measures you can take, such as wearing long sleeve shirts and gloves when working in the yard. The reaction you have to Poison Sumac comes from the Urushiol Oil the plants excretes.

When your skin comes into contact with Urushiol Oil the reaction is not a pretty one. Common symptoms from a Poison Sumac reaction include weepy, oozing blisters, red inflammed patches and extreme itching. Our All Stop Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac Gel is your one-stop shop when dealing with Poison Sumac reactions.

This mild formula provides the relief needed when dealing with Poison Ivy, Oak or Sumac. It will help to heal the sores from Poison Sumac and will keep the areas clean and free from bacteria so that secondary infections do not set in.

Learn more about Poison Sumac.

Poison Ivy can be deadly to some people, but knowing your enemy intimately can save your life!  Coming in contact with poison ivy can irritate your airways and also cause asthma or acute bronchitis.  In severe cases, a high dose of corticosteroids is used to tame this reaction.  On the other hand, ingestion of poison ivy can also result in serious skin lesions caused by a toxic reaction.

Even though the plant appears to be dead, the uroshiol oil still remains on the plant.  The uroshiol oil is the culprit of what creates the miserable itchy, blistery skin reactions associated with poison ivy.  While some people don’t have a reaction to the uroshiol oil, other people may be hospitalized because their reaction is so severe.   Even if you were exposed to poison ivy and you didn’t have a reaction, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re immune to it.  You can develop a reaction at any time in your life.

Poison ivy rash symptoms are usually a red itchy rash that later develops into blisters.  Always wash your skin with soap and water to eliminate the rash from spreading and remember to immediately remove all clothing.  Popping your blisters DO NOT cause your rash to spread; however it’s important to remember that scratching the area could cause a secondary bacterial infection.  Using an antimicrobial spray or gel will eliminate secondary bacterial infections.

To avoid getting poison ivy, wear long pants and shoes that cover your entire foot. If you know you’ve been exposed to poison ivy, remove your clothes immediately to avoid the oil from spreading to other parts of your body.  Then soap and rinse your skin immediately with COLD water.  Remember that hot water will open your pores and let the oil in, which could make your reaction worse.

Remember to wash any articles might have gotten contaminated by the uroshiol oil such as your boots, gloves, equipment and even your pet!

Learn more about our guaranteed Poison Ivy Treatment.

If the financial crisis isn’t enough to make you itch, now there’s even more to worry about. Scientist claim there is a distinct possibility of rampant outbreaks of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac packing more itch power than ever before because of global warming. The greenhouse gas Carbon Dioxide or CO2 is considered a major player in global warming. Increased CO2 emissions are actively facilitating the flourishing of invasive nuisance plants like poison ivy. According to research, toxic strains of poison ivy are growing faster and bigger. Climate shifts are also affecting the spread of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.

Research shows climate shifts could also change the growth patterns of certain plants. This is definitely not a good thing when those plants are irritants or allergens. Poison ivy grows almost everywhere in the United States and approximately 80% of all people are allergic to poison ivy and experience a red, bumpy, itchy and sometimes blistering skin rash when they come into contact the plant’s carbon-based active compound.

Studies claim that with the more poisonous strains the resulting rashes and itching will certainly be worse. One such study at Duke University found that urushiol oil exposed to higher levels of carbon dioxide is 30% more potent than oil exposed to common CO2 levels. In fact, some experts believe the toxicity of poison in plants like poison ivy has reached all time highs, much elevated from decades ago. Urushiol is present in all poison ivy plants at all times of the year, but the majority of reactions occur in the spring or early summer when poison ivy leaves are tender and easily bruised. The noxious substance is found on the plant’s leaves, stems, fruit, flowers and roots and can be picked up from contact with pets, tools and clothing, etc.

Learn more about poison ivy and poison ivy treatments.