> Conditions / Ailments > Poison Ivy Rash, Poison Oak Rash, Poisonous Plant Rashes > Poison Ivy Rash, Poison Oak Rash & Plant Information How do you get the Poison Ivy or Posion Oak Rash? Symptoms of Posion Ivy or Poison Oak Exposure Reducing the Risk of Posion Ivy Exposure and Rash Natural Treatments for Poison Ivy, Poison Oak & Plant Oil Rash & Itch Buy Poison Ivy Treatments & Poisonous Plant Rash Health (Click Here) - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Poison Ivy Rash, Poison Oak Rash and Plant Information Poison ivy and poison oak rashes are caused by exposure to these poisonous plants. In sensitive persons, this causes a red area that my be slightly swollen and covered with small blisters. Exposed areas such as the hands, arms, and face are most frequently involved. The itching may be intense. There are two types of poison ivy: the climbing variety (toxicodendron radicans) and the nonclimbing (toxicodendron rydbergii) or Rydbergs poison ivy. These species interbreed, look very similar, sometimes grow in the same places, and can give you the same rash. The name poison oak is often applied to the shrub-like forms of poison ivy and to at least two similar plants that are usually considered separate species of the cashew family, Anacardiaceae. The poison oak of the southeastern United States, Rhus quercifolia, has its leaves divided into three leaflets; the leaflets are densely haired and generally have three to seven distinct lobes. The white, berry-like fruits are also somewhat hairy. The poison oak of the U.S. Pacific coast, R. diversiloba, is a shrubby or sometimes climbing plant that grows to 2.4 m (8 ft) high; its three-leaflet leaves are toothed or lobed and are hairless. Both species contain poisonous substances that are believed to be identical or closely related to that found in poison ivy. In almost all cases the poison ivy plant can be defined by three leaves, and can grow on a vine or appear as an individual plant. It often grows in large patches and can climb trees. A picture of the poison ivy plant in the summer, spring, and fall are listed below. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - How do you get Poison Ivy or Poison Oak Rash? You get poison Ivy rash from touching the poison ivy plant, or touching something that has touched the poison ivy plant. The oils from the poison Ivy plant can be transferred easily from clothing or your dog. You normally get it from touching the leaves, but the stem, the vine, or the roots can give you the poison ivy rash. Though unusual, you can get poison ivy in your lungs and systemically by breathing smoke from firewood burning with a poison ivy vine on it. The oil of the poison Ivy and Oak plant is called Urushiol. Urushiol causes an allergic reaction after the first sensitizing exposure. The oil is in the leaves, vines, and roots of the poison ivy plant. Thats why tearing out the vine is so dangerous - it releases larger quantities of urushiol. The poison ivy plant oil can be transfered from clothing to any person in the household. Therefore, if you have been on a camping trip or in an uncontolled plant growth area, it is important to carefully remove and wash all clothes that may have come in contact with poison ivy. You can also get systemic poison ivy from inhaling the smoke and ash from burning plants and vines that may be attached to logs. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Symptoms of Poison Ivy or Poison Oak Exposure Some people appear to be immune to poison ivy plant oil, others may become immune over time. But you should be cautious as you can gain or lose immunity to poison ivy or poison oak at any time. Dont test your immunity by touching the plant. People change as they age. Never assume that you are immune at any time no matter what your past experience was. First signs of exposure to Poison Ivy or Poison Oak are a slight itchy red spot, which gets worse and worse rather quickly. It will spread rapidly the more you itch it as the oil is spread out in the itching process after first exposure, or if it is on your hands it will spread to what ever you touch. Poison Ivy rash can start out as a small itchy area and it cover your whole or parts of the body with large red patchy welts, sores, or fluid filled boils. Systemic Reactions may appear as recurrence of rashes after the initial rash, itch and pain go away. New oil will continue to resurface from inside your body, and the re-rashing cycle may go on for weeks. In severe cases, permanent scarring may result. It is important that you see your doctor to halt further breakouts. Systemic reactions can result from cutting, handling, or pulling the plants stems. There is enough oil on a stem to infect more than 10,000 people. When it is concentrated that much in one spot, the oil tends to be absorbed by your body more readily. Exposing an open cut, even a mosquito bite, to the plant. This allows the oil direct access to your blood system. Inhaling the smoke and ash from burning plants and other unknown causes that still remain unexplained. A picture of a common poison ivy rash is below. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Reducing the Risk of Poison Ivy Exposure & Getting the Rash Wear proper clothing: When hiking, camping, or working outdoors, where proper shoes, socks, pants, and long sleeve shirts. Most exposures are as simple as brushing up next to the poison ivy plant leaf while walking on a trail. Identify the Poison Ivy Plant: Be able to identify the poison ivy plant species in order to side step the plant on trails or when working outdoors, thus reducing the risk of exposure. Use Caution with unknown Plant Species: Be cautious when removing vines from tree trunks or ground vegetation that has no leaves or may look dead. Poison Ivy plant oils may be present. Wear Gloves: If doing gardening or working in the woods or heavy vegetation, where gloves and long sleeves that protect the wrist. Many people are exposed at the hands, wrists and knees when pulling weeds, cutting firewood, or climbing trees. Wash Clothing: Carefully remove and wash clothing after any type of outdoor adventure where the possibility of contact with poison ivy may have occurred. Many people contract poison ivy after going home and a trip is over, or another family member contracts it when washing clothes. Be cautious with shoes, socks and the ankle areas of pants. If you bring the clothes into your house, be careful that you do not transfer the urushiol to rugs or furniture. Because urushiol can remain active for months, wash camping, sporting, fishing or hunting gear that was in contact with the oil. Resist the urge to touch your body or anyone else’s: When in the wild, camping, hiking or gardening, your hands may be exposed to the poison ivy plant or may get the oil from your clothing. Then we use our hands to wipe the sweat from our forehead, neck, eyes, or arms or to itch in the groin and genital areas (common among young boys spreading poison ivy plant oils to delicate areas of the body). If you want to wipe sweat away use a clean towel or rag from your pack. Wash Hands: Wash your hands regularly if possible with soap and water to eliminate poison ivy plant oils from the skin. If wearing gloves be cautious with where you put the gloves. It is recommended that after any hike or outdoor work to immediately wash your hands upon return. Dont Burn Poison Ivy Plant: Be cautious not to burn poison ivy vines that are attached to tree trunks. The vines may appear dead and still contain large quantities of poisonous oils that will be released into the air when burning. Inhaling the burning smoke or ash or getting the smoke on the skin will also cause a reaction. First response to Poison Ivy exposure: If you know you have been exposed, quickly wash the exposed area and hands with soap and water (use jewelweed soap if possible). Wash all exposed areas with cold running water as soon as you can reach a stream, lake or garden hose. If you can do this within five minutes, the water may keep the urushiol from contacting your skin or from spreading to other parts of your body. Within the first 30 minutes, soap and water are helpful. If you are in the forest and unable to wash area, and you can identify the jewelweed plant, it may be rubbed directly onto the exposed area, but you must be able to properly identify the Jewelweed plant. - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Natural Treatments for Poison Ivy, Poison Oak & Plant Oil Rash & Itch: You dont have to suffer the painful itching and blistering rash of Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, or Poison Sumac ever again. Various natural plant products may be used for treating poison ivy symptoms and help stop the pain and itching of Poison Ivy almost immediately. Most people experience dramatic relief from all symptoms within 24 to 48 hours of using a natural poison ivy remedy. Jewelweed is effective on a wide variety of irritants everyone experiences when they venture out into nature. It is used by various US Forest Service and National Parks service Personnel. Jewelweed can be used to treat Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac, Stinging Nettles, mild burns, blisters, cuts, insect bites, sores, sprains, sunburn, warts, ringworm, eczema, and dry skin. Jewelweed is for external use only and can be applied directly from the plant or as a soap, salve or liquid extract. More About Jewelweed Poison Ivy Treatment. BodyGuard for the Field is much more than a cure for Poison Ivy. Whether you are a fisherman, firefighter, hiker, camper, hunter, boater, or mountain climber, it works on Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac, burns, bites, scratches, nettles, blisters, sprains, or sunburn. BodyGuard for the Field is fast, effective relief. More About Alpha-Sterol BodyGuard Treatment - - - - - - - - - - - - Back to Top - - - - - - - - - - - - Buy Poison Ivy Treatment Products & Poisonous Plant Rash Health Below.