| Itchy Fingers: Treating Poison Ivy and Poison Oak |
By: Tina Boscha, Columnist, “Kids and Health”
On 2/4/06
Living in the Pacific Northwest during these winter days, when I look out the window, I see nothing but rain, rain, rain. My children sigh in the mornings when they ask about the weather, lamenting for summer when I tell them it's going to be cold and rainy. They want to wear shorts and tank tops and flip flops.
| "The good news is that poison ivy or oak isn’t contagious, so coming into contact with the rash or blisters won’t cause you to suddenly start itching." |
Despite their moans that summer just will never come, I remind them that spring is just around the corner – next month, to be exact. And with that comes spring fever. With any luck, my kids and yours will be spending more time outdoors, playing and skipping out the winter cobwebs and doldrums. And with the sunshine and warmer temps comes new growth – fresh grass, daffodils, and … poison ivy. It is practically a rite of passage, like losing teeth, for kids to have a tussle with poison ivy or poison oak.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, about 85% of Americans will develop an allergy to poison oak, ivy, or sumac upon exposure. Therefore, teaching your kids in advance of a hike or camping trip what to look for is always a good thing. Even if your child doesn’t come in contact with a plant, your pet or clothing might. It makes good sense to know how to treat a reaction if prevention doesn’t always work.
You may think that simply touching the leaves of a poison ivy plant will immediately cause a rash, but in fact, sensitivity usually builds up over time with exposure. And it’s not the leaves or stems that cause the horrible itch; it’s the plant’s sap, which contains a nasty chemical called urushiol. Knowing how to prevent the absorption and spread of urushiol is key to managing a reaction.
First, urushiol causes a reaction by penetrating the skin. Unfortunately, it does this rather quickly, so if you are certain that you or your child has come in contact with poison ivy, washing off affected areas is a critical first step.
Don’t reach for the soap, however. Contrary to what you might think, sudsy water can actually spread urushiol around on the body. Instead, use rubbing alcohol (you may want to stay outside during this step) to wipe off exposed skin. Water follows, and only then should you bathe with water and soap. Make sure to clean under fingernails; urushiol can hide out under there and the rash can be spread this way.
Any clothing or items that came in contact with the plants must also be cleaned. Urushiol can last quite a long time – this is not a chemical that dissipates. Instead, it likes to hang around. Wiping off with rubbing alcohol works, followed by a thorough washing. Don’t forget to bathe Fido, if the family pet came along for the hike. Most animals aren’t sensitive to poison oak or ivy, but they can carry urushiol on their fur.
If you can do all these steps within minutes of coming into contact with poison oak or poison ivy, you may have prevented the urushiol from absorbing. However, due to the speed of penetration and the fact that most of us don’t realize what happened until the itching starts, most of the time a rash will develop. This is the worst part, as the rash means lots of itching and oozing blisters.
Although the itching, oozing, and irritation will go away on its own, it’s probably not going to comfort your child very much to know this. I was never very good from staying away from my mosquito bites. The itch is just too tempting. In the case of poison ivy or oak, the itch can venture into unbearable territory. The calamine lotion of our parents’ generation can help, as can cool, wet compresses. Tepid baths with baking soda or Aveeno can also calm rash-inflamed skin, as can the aforementioned calamine lotion mixed into the water. Even a cup of raw oats can help soothe irritated skin. Hydrocortisone creams (such as Lanacort) can also help. If the reaction is severe, call your dermatologist. In a few cases, prescription corticosteroids may be needed.
The good news is that poison ivy or oak isn’t contagious, so coming into contact with the rash or blisters won’t cause you to suddenly start itching. The rash will only develop where the urushiol came into contact, but it may appear at different times (thicker or thinner skin will absorb the urushiol at different rates).
Knowing that "this too shall pass" may help, as will a good deal of patience. In a few days the rash will dissipate, and in about two weeks, it should be completely gone.
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