Poison ivy - oak - sumac rash

First Aid

• Wash the skin thoroughly with soap and warm water. Because the resin enters skin quickly, try to wash it off within 30 minutes. A product called Tecnu, available in camping stores and some pharmacies, is very effective at removing the oils.
• Scrub under the fingernails with a brush to prevent the resin from spreading to other parts of the body.
• Wash clothing and shoes with soap and hot water. Resin can linger on them.
• Promptly bathe animals to remove the oils from their fur.
• Body heat and sweating can aggravate the itching. Stay cool and apply cool compresses to your skin.
• Calamine lotion and hydrocortisone cream can be applied to the skin to reduce itching and blistering. Bathing in lukewarm water with an oatmeal bath product, available in drugstores, may soothe itchy skin. Aluminum acetate (Domeboro solution) soaks can also help to dry the rash and reduce itching.
• If creams, lotions, or bathing do not stop the itching, antihistamines may be helpful.
• In severe cases, especially rash around the face or genitals, your physician may prescribe oral or injected steroids.

DO NOT

• DO NOT touch skin or clothing that still have the resins.
• DO NOT burn poison ivy, oak, or sumac to get rid of it. The resins can be spread via smoke, and can cause severe reactions in people who are far downwind.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call 911 or go to an emergency room if:

• Someone is suffering a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or difficulty breathing, or has had a severe reaction in the past.
• Someone has been exposed to the smoke of a burning plant.

Call your provider if:

• Itching is severe and cannot be controlled.
• The rash affects your face, lips, eyes, or genitals.
• The rash shows signs of infection, such as pus, yellow fluid leaking from blisters, odor, or increased tenderness.

References

Auerbach PS. Wilderness Medicine. 4^th Ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby:2001;194-195.

Marx JA, Hockberger RS, Walls RM, eds. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 5^th Ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2002:1647-1648,2200.

Habif, TP. Clinical Dermatology. 4^th Ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby;2004:25,85-89,402.