Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Sumac

Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Sumac

These notorious plants all belong to the toxicodendron genus. Every part of the plant contains a clear, oily substance called urushiol, to which most humans are allergic. However, even if you’ve been fortunate enough to touch poison ivy, oak or sumac without getting a rash in the past, you should still be careful. You can develop an allergy with repeated exposure, and your sensitivity can increase over time.

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Similar plants in the toxicodendron genus can be found across North America and East Asia, but not in Europe.

Recognizing Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac
“Leaves of three, let it be! Hairy vine, no friend of mine!”

There are other plants with leaves in clusters of three or hairy vines, but keeping clear of anything with these characteristics is a good start towards keeping safe.

Toxicodendron plants shed their leaves in the winter, which can make them harder to spot, but remember: the allergenic substance remains present all year round and can trigger symptoms during any season.

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Poison Ivy

Poison ivy can grow either as a vine or shrub. Its  leaves range in color from bright red to green depending on the season. Look out for plants with three-fold leaves – stems which support one larger leaf at the tip, and two smaller ones on either side.

Two forms of poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans and Toxicodendron rydbergii) are found across the United States and much of Canada, as well as some mountainous regions of Mexico, while a third (Toxicodendron orientale) is found in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

Poison Oak

Poison oak is usually more shrub-like, typically growing to around three feet high, but it can also sometimes grow as a vine. Its leaves tend to be more rounded and sometimes scalloped like oak leaves. But be careful – poison oak is a great imitator, and its leaves can take on a surprising variety of shapes, textures and colors. Poison oak leaves can be shiny or dull, green or red and many colors in between, but a giveaway sign is their lighter green, hairy undersides.

Poison oak usually has leaves in clusters of three, but some varieties can have clusters of five or seven. Western or Pacific poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) grows across western regions of the United States and Canada, while eastern or Atlantic poison oak (Toxicodendron pubescens) is found in south-eastern and central parts of the United States.

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Poison Sumac

Poison Sumac

Poison sumac is a shrub often found in wet, marshy areas across the eastern United States and south-eastern Canada. Its reddish stems support seven to thirteen long, pointed leaves,
arranged in pairs with a single leaf at the tip. Harmless sumac plants have clusters of red, upright berries, while poison sumac berries are green and hang in drooping
clusters.

Symptoms

The first symptoms of exposure to urushiol can occur within a few hours of contact or up to two weeks later. The rash caused by poison ivy, oak and sumac will usually clear up in about five to twelve days. Symptoms can include:

  • An intensely itchy rash that may be visibly red in lighter-skinned people
  • Bumps (papules) that turn into blisters filled with fluid
  • Swelling

The severity of symptoms varies greatly depending on your individual sensitivity to urushiol. In general, symptoms are unpleasant but not dangerous. But inhaling the smoke of burning plants can allow urushiol to enter the
respiratory passages and can have serious effects on your health. In rare cases, an extreme reaction to urushiol can trigger anaphylactic shock, in which case you should seek immediate medical attention.

Prevention

Learn to recognize the plants and teach children to do the same. Wear long sleeves and pants if you’re likely to be walking through brush, and heavy gardening gloves if you’re going to be working with your hands in a wooded area. Remember that even after a poison ivy, oak or sumac plant dies, urushiol remains on every surface, so
reactions can occur in any season. Even if you haven’t touched the plant yourself you could still be
exposed– urushiol, the allergenic substance, is color-less and sticky, so it’s easily spread via clothing, shoes,
blankets and outdoor tools. However, the rash itself isn’t contagious and cannot spread from one part of the body to another.

If you think you may have touched a poisonous plant, clean the area immediately with either soap and water or alcohol – hand sanitizer and a tissue can also help remove the urushiol. Remember to clean under your nails, but don’t scrub your skin too hard, as this can worsen the rash. Wash anything that may have come into contact with the plant with soap or detergent as soon as possible.

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Treatment for Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac

Symptoms of poison ivy, oak and sumac will usually clear within two weeks, and typically self-care at home is all that you need. It’s important to avoid scratching and popping blisters to avoid secondary infections, which can be more serious and long-lasting.

  • The cooling natural camphor and menthol in Sarna® Original anti-itch lotion will rapidly soothe the skin, making it easier for you to resist scratching and causing further damage.
  • Take short, cool baths or showers – hot water can worsen the rash.
  • Placing a cool compress or a wet washcloth on the rash can help soothe the skin.
  • Oral antihistamines may provide relief – but be aware that these can cause drowsiness.
  • Do not use topical anti-histamine creams and lotions. These do not help and can actually make symptoms worse.
  • Do not pop blisters – you risk opening up the skin to infection.

Seek medical attention if…

  • You have been exposed to smoke produced by burning poisonous plants.
  • Your rash covers a large portion of your body and the discomfort is unmanageable.
  • The swelling is severe.
  • The rash has become infected, with blisters draining whitish fluid (pus) rather than clear fluid.

Call an ambulance if…

…you or someone else is showing signs of anaphylactic shock such as:

  • Difficulty breathing.
  • Feeling dizzy or faint.
  • Loss of consciousness.
  • Swelling in the face, throat or tongue.
Insect-Bite

Insect Bite

When an insect bites you to feed on your blood, it injects saliva full of complex proteins that prevent the blood from clotting until the insect has finished its meal. Some insects’ saliva also has mild anesthetic properties, so you’re less likely to feel the bite until it’s too late. The itch is caused by your body’s immune system, which releases histamine to help white blood cells reach and neutralize the foreign substance. It can take up to 24 hours for an insect bite to show up on your skin, by which time the culprit is long gone.

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Insect bites can trigger more dramatic reactions in children – with a more severe itch and visible swelling – as their immune systems are less developed. This can be alarming to parents but is rarely a sign of anything serious. However, anyone who develops a fever and flu-like symptoms should consult a medical professional immediately.

See more on when to seek medical help.

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes are always a risk in warm temperatures. In northern climates, they may only be active during late spring and summer, but they can be a problem all year round in the warmer southern regions. Areas of standing water are their preferred breeding grounds, and they also thrive in warm, grassy areas.

Mosquito bites tend to leave soft, itchy bumps that may be visibly pink or red on light-skinned people.

Prevention

Apply insect repellent, use repellent candles or plug-ins
indoors and invest in a mosquito net for your bed.

Midges and Gnats

Midges and Gnats thrive in warm, humid conditions, particularly around swamps, marshes and tidal flats. Unlike mosquitoes they appear in swarms.

Midge and gnat bites are very similar to mosquito bites, but may also cause clear, fluid-filled blisters if you’re particularly sensitive.

Prevention

Midges and gnats are attracted to dark colors, so wear light-colored clothing in areas where the insects swarm. They are also repelled by smoke, so lighting a fire outside — when you can do so safely – can keep the bugs away. You can also use insect repellent, candles and body sprays.

Midges and Gnats
Ticks

Ticks

Ticks prefer areas of dense vegetation frequented by deer and livestock. Their bite is usually painless at first, so you may only realize you have been bitten when you actually see the tick attached to your skin.

Tick bites may cause no symptoms at all or may cause itching and swelling. In most cases, mild discomfort is the only effect of a tick bite and will clear up rapidly without medical attention. But ticks can carry Lyme disease, so it is important to avoid ticks as much as possible and remove them swiftly if they do latch onto you.

Prevention

Apply an even layer of insect-repellent before going out, and wear long clothing with pants tucked into your boots or socks when walking through areas where ticks may be present. Be sure to check yourself and your pets carefully after possible exposure.

Treatment for Insect Bites

Treatment for Insect Bites

Usually self-care at home is all that’s required for insect bites. However, some insects do carry diseases, and it’s possible for skin broken by scratching to become infected. If you feel unwell after an insect bite, consult a doctor. In rare cases, insect bites can trigger anaphylactic shock, in which case seek emergency medical treatment at once.

While itching alone isn’t an emergency, it can certainly make you miserable. Fortunately there are steps you can take to find relief for your itching while reduceing the chances of making things worse.

  • If you find a tick attached, remove it carefully with tweezers. Avoid crushing the tick’s body or leaving mouth parts in the skin; this can cause infection.
  • Wash the area with lukewarm water and soap.
  • The cooling natural camphor and menthol in Sarna® Original anti-itch lotion will rapidly relieve most insect bites, making it easier for you to resist scratching and causing further damage.
  • Take short, cool baths or showers – hot water can worsen insect bites.
  • A cool compress or an ice pack can be helpful.
  • Oral antihistamines may provide relief – but be aware that these can cause drowsiness.

Seek medical attention if…

  • After a tick bite, you develop a “bull’s-eye” rash around the bite and/or flu-like symptoms, such as fever, aches and pains or fatigue, see a doctor immediately as these are early signs of Lyme disease.
  • If the bite appears infected – swollen, with warmth or redness spreading outwards from the area.

Call an ambulance if…

…you or someone else is showing signs of anaphylactic shock or serious infection, such as:

  • Difficulty breathing.
  • Feeling dizzy or faint.
  • Loss of consciousness.
  • Swelling in the face, throat or tongue.
  • Abdominal cramps, nausea or diarrhea.