• Poison-ivy dermatitis is the itchy, uncomfortable rash that results from direct contact with the plant of the same name (botanical name Rhus). Other plants—such as poison oak and poison sumac—are capable of causing a similar allergic dermatitis.
• The only way to prevent this miserable summertime malady is to avoid contact with the plant’s toxic oil (urushiol oil) the sticky resin-like substance on the leaves, vines, and roots of the plant.
• Not everyone is allergic to poison ivy. Those who are must learn to recognize the plant and avoid it completely. Remember: “Leaves of Three, Let It Be!”
• If a susceptible individual comes in contact with the plant and its oil, washing the exposed area immediately with soap and water may prevent the rash. However, if urushiol oil remains on the skin for greater than twenty minutes, the allergic rash will more than likely develop.
• The extent and severity of the rash is directly dependent on the degree of exposure to the plant’s toxic oil. A poison-ivy rash may appear to be “spreading,” when in fact it is appearing gradually in a most-to-least exposed pattern. Poison ivy can also “spread” by repeated contact with urushiol oil on clothing and shoes that have not been washed with soap and water, or with the fur of pets that have been exposed to the plant.

MYTH: The rash of poison ivy is contagious.

FACT: Scratching or rubbing the rash won’t spread poison ivy to other parts of the body or to another person. The rash is “spread” only by repeated contact with urushiol oil that gets on the hands.

Treatment for poison-ivy dermatitis varies from mild to very strong anti-inflammatory creams for the skin. When the rash is extensive or involves the face, appropriate treatment may include oral steroids, like prednisone. Antihistamines, like Benadryl or Claritin, are helpful for the itching. Our office is happy to assess any rash and prescribe the appropriate therapy.