About Poisonous Plants
About Poisonous Plants
Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac can all cause an allergic reaction. Poison ivy is found in almost all the U.S. Poison oak grows along the West Coast and from the Mid-Atlantic states down through Florida. Poison sumac grows east of the Mississippi from Canada to central Florida and in Louisiana and Texas.
All contain urushiol, a toxin that causes an allergic reaction. About 85% of the population will develop an allergic reaction if exposed to poison ivy, oak, or sumac, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Identifying Poisonous Plants
Poison Ivy
Has three tapered leaves growing out from one node on the stem and in late summer white berries.
Poison Oak
Generally has three oak-shaped leaves per stem and in spring white or tan berries.
Poison Sumac
Can have 7 to 13 leaves on a stem and in winter white berries.
Skin rash causes
The skin rash is an allergic reaction to a poisonous, oily chemical called urushiol that is found in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac plants.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, a person can come across urushiol through:
- Direct contact: When a person touches or brushes against a poison ivy, oak, or sumac plant, urushiol will bind to any exposed skin within 10 to 20 minutes.
- Indirect contact: Urushiol can adhere to inanimate objects (i.e., clothing, garden tools, camping gear) or pets, although pets will not react to the toxin. When a person touches these objects, urushiol can cause an allergic reaction.
- Airborne contact: When these plants are burned, urushiol is released into the air. The toxin can coat exposed skin and can be inhaled into the lungs, causing a severe allergic reaction. If poisonous plants are chopped or mowed, urushiol may be released into the air and cause a reaction.
Recognizing Symptoms
Symptoms typically appear within a few hours after exposure. Like any allergy, poisonous plants can irritate people differently. Typical symptoms include:
- General redness or a linear lesion, due to brushing against the leaf.
- Itching can be intense or unbearable.
- Fluid-filled blisters that may ooze or weep.
- Swelling.
A poisonous plant rash typically persists for 10 to 14 days. Longevity of the allergic reaction varies for each person, however, and can be longer. If symptoms last longer than a few weeks, consult a physician.
A severe reaction must be treated by a physician. A severe reaction can include:
- A widespread rash without improvement within a few weeks.
- Oozing from blisters.
- A fever greater than 100 degrees and/or a rash that affects eyes, face, genitalia with major swelling.
Treatment After Poison Plant Exposure
A: Wash skin and fingernails immediately after exposure.
Use soap and water or a non-irritating cleanser to remove urushiol (the oily plant toxin that causes a reaction). Scrubbing or washing to the point of irritation is unnecessary and may cause further discomfort.
B: Apply a non-prescription medicated formula that relieves symptoms once they occur.
An effective non-prescription treatment consists of:
- Antihistamine to stop the reaction: Apply a cream with antihistamine to the affected area regularly until the rash stops. Antihistamine temporarily blocks histamine receptors, thus preventing symptoms.
- Analgesic to soothe the itch: Apply a cream with a topical analgesic to affected skin to help soothe the itch. Analgesics provide temporary relief from pain.
- Calamine and/or medicated formulas to relieve itchy, dry skin: Calamine dries the rash. Medicated formulas also temporarily cool and comfort skin.
Enjoy the outdoors without the worry.
Experience fast relief from poison ivy itch and irritation with Ivarest
Treating with Ivarest Products
For maximum effectiveness in treating symptoms of a poison ivy, oak, or sumac reaction, both Ivarest Poison Ivy Itch Cream and Ivarest Poison Ivy Itch Spray should be used for comprehensive, fast acting and long-lasting itch relief.
Ivarest Poison Ivy Itch Cream’s double relief formula provides fast acting and long-lasting itch relief in three ways:
- Max strength antihistamine helps stop the reaction.
- Benzyl alcohol adds additional local analgesic action to sooth itch fast.
- Calamine helps soothe skin itch and dry oozing, weeping blisters.
And the cream applies easily and dries quickly to provide a protective covering that holds medication in place.
Ivarest Poison Ivy Itch Spray is the perfect complement to the Ivarest Poison Ivy Itch Cream. It also offers fast acting and long-lasting itch relief with proven medications:
- An analgesic to stop the itch.
- A skin protectant to help dry the rash.
The no-drip, clear formula allows the spray to be used throughout the day when hand washing after application isn’t practical, or anytime additional relief is needed. It works well when you are on-the-go.
Severe poison ivy is best treated by a physician. For severe poison ivy, systemic steroids from a doctor are the treatment of choice.
Ivarest products are safe to use on children 2 years of age or older. For children under 2 years of age, consult a doctor. If either Ivarest Poison Ivy Itch Cream or Ivarest Poison Ivy Itch Spray is swallowed, get medical help, or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
