Poisonous Plants and Your Skin

Planning to go outside for a walk, or simply to mow your lawn? Doing so could expose you to poisonous plants and weeds. These potentially dangerous plants include poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak. Each will cause an allergic reaction in most adults, resulting in a rash that appears and disappears over the course of a few weeks. Taking proper precautions when outdoors—and taking care of a rash when it occurs—can help you mitigate this irritating and itchy problem.

How Do Poisonous Plants Work?

Urushiol is an oil released by poison ivy, oak, and sumac when the plant is damaged. The oil leads to an allergic reaction referred to as contact dermatitis, which can cause a skin rash and potentially other painful  symptoms. Adults are likely to develop a rash after direct or indirect contact with the plants.

If you’ve previously encountered a poisonous plant, a rash could appear between four hours and two days after exposure. If you’ve never had a similar allergic reaction before, it can take two or three weeks for your skin to react. These rashes are not contagious, and a rash will only appear where oil has touched the skin. Rashes caused by poisonous plants tend to be red and itchy, and can last for more than two weeks, depending on your past history with poisonous plants. 

Protection Against Poisonous Plants

Have you ever heard the saying, “Prevention is the best medicine?” The best way to avoid a rash from a poisonous plant is to avoid the plant altogether! Knowing the features of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac and where they can be found can increase your ability to stay safe and rash-free. Poison ivy can grow as vines or as shrubs. It can be characterized by three leaflets with pointed tips. These plants can be found throughout the United States. You can protect yourself by wearing clothing that minimizes exposed skin and by using an ivy blocker while outside. Make sure to also wash any gardening tools, clothes, or pets that may have come into contact with a poisonous plant, and shower after spending time outside. 

Treating Poison Ivy

If you encounter a poisonous plant, wash the affected skin with soap and water to rinse off any remaining oil. You can also wash your skin with rubbing alcohol, poison ivy wash, dishwashing soap, or laundry detergent. Washing your skin 10 to 20 minutes after touching a poisonous plant may even prevent a rash entirely. 

Try not to scratch a rash once you have it. Scratching blisters on the rash could cause an infection. Applying cool, wet compresses to the skin, taking short baths, and using a calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream can help relieve the itch. Other home remedies include aloe vera, oatmeal baths, witch hazel, and apple cider vinegar. The skin rash will usually disappear completely in a few weeks, with or without the use of home pain remedies. It should show improvement after 7 to 10 days. 

If a rash is causing concern, have a conversation with your dermatologist. You should consider talking to a doctor if you have a fever or face swelling, and especially if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing. Poisonous plants can affect your skin in annoying and potentially dangerous ways, but it’s no reason to avoid spending time outside this summer!