Of the more than 60 plants that can cause an allergic reaction, three
of them - poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac - are by far the
most common and most severe. Poison ivy is found in almost all
of the United States. Poison oak grows along the entire West
Coast and from the Mid-Atlantic states down through Florida.
Poison sumac grows east of the Mississippi from Canada to central
Florida.
Poison
ivy, the most common offender, grows as low plants, shrubs and vines.
Many people overlook the presence of lush hairy vines climbing
telephone poles,
trees and even one's garden trellis when trying to determine the cause
of their poison ivy.Poison ivy has three leaves growing out
from one node on the stem.
The leaf,
stem, seeds, flowers, berries and roots contain a chemical called
pentadecylcatechol. Though no reaction occurs upon initial contact,
the allergic reaction may be induced so that only subsequent exposures
produce the poison ivy rash. Though some develop poison ivy
on the second exposure, many persons do not become allergic until
multiple exposures occur. A high percentage of adults (about
50%) are allergic to poison ivy.
Symptoms
The poison
ivy rash consists of varying degrees of redness, weeping and blistering.
Itching is sometimes intense and unbearable. The classic lesion
is linear, due to brushing against the leaf.
Poison
ivy only appears to spread because it develops at a different rate
on various areas of the affected skin. For instance, an arm
and leg exposed at the same time may develop the rash several days
apart. However, the oozing skin and blister fluid will not spread
the rash. The rash, if uncomplicated, tends to persist up to
7-10 days.
Prevention
The best
prevention is avoidance of the plants. Wash the skin and fingernails
with ordinary soap as soon as possible to remove the plant oil.
Do not wash to the point of irritation.
Burning
poison ivy plants causes the plant oil to vaporize and cover exposed
skin uniformly. This produces very severe poison ivy.
The destruction of poison ivy plants is accomplished by carefully
spraying the plant regularly (every three weeks) with an all purpose
herbicide.
Treatment
Wash
affected area immediately and follow the treatment recommendations
mentioned below:
Mild to Moderate Poison Ivy
1) Lukewarm showers and cool or tepid compresses several times a day
without soap are very soothing.
2) Apply a nonprescription medication such as Ivarest to reduce the
rash and relieve itching. Ivarest contains an antihistamine
that soothes the affected area and a skin protectant that helps dry
the rash to prevent oozing and weeping. Ivarest can relieve
the itch for up to eight hours.
Severe Poison
Ivy
Severe
poison ivy dermatitis that is widespread, persistent, or involves
the eyes, face or genitalia with major swelling, is best treated by
a physician.
Summary
Beautiful
days encourage outdoor activity. Camping, hiking, gardening,
picnics, etc. can lead to poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac rashes.
Symptoms of these rashes can often be lessened or prevented when a
medicated cream, like Ivarest, is applied immediately after exposure.
The ingredients in Ivarest promptly relieve itching and discomfort,
help dry the rash and aid healing. Ivarest is greaseless and
easily removed with water. However, if allowed to remain on
affected areas, this medication can provide symptomatic relief for
up to eight hours. Ivarest lets you work through the day and
sleep through the night free of discomfort, itch and burning.
