Best line of defense

Everything you need to know about defending yourself against poison ivy/oak/sumac (and bonus tips)

The culprit is the plant’s clear odorless resin—urushiol—is found to exist throughout the plant entire. Poison ivy always makes its appearance known either as a bushy shrub, vine or ground cover. It presence is most everywhere. It can be located living in woods climbing a tree, tall fields of grass, in areas of thick underbrush, mountain crevices, beneath rocks, beneath fallen leaves upon forest floor, in mulched garden beds, public gardens, used car lots, golf courses, sidewalk cracks, beneath boardwalks, or sandy coastal dunes. It exhibits three green leaflets shared by one common stem forms the leaf entire. During spring, the leaves first emerge as tiny bright red—turn to shiny bright green once they mature. Throughout the summer they persist as darker shades of green provides them with the necessary camoflague to remain and go undetected. In autumn, the leaves turn bright shades of yellow, pink, purple, orange and red always remain toxic to touch.

The incessant itching. The redness and rash. The oozing blisters. Sound familiar? If you answered yes to any or all, chances are you have met with either poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. Come into contact with any one of these poisonous-to-th- touch plants and they immediately can rein down their wrath of painful symptoms in as little as 20 minutes up to several days. As this saying goes, “where the devil spits, poison ivy grows, Beware”!

The unfortunate part—and far too many of us have been there—is that roughly 85% of us are allergic to urushiol. Once you make contact, your skin will rapidly develop an itchy, red, blistering burning rash—is one that can last for several weeks. Typically this rash is accompanied being met by many sleepless nights, as the rash is extremely uncomfortable to deal with.

So, what’s the secret to avoiding this unwanted rash? The best line of defense is knowing your enemy, as to how to recognize it and how to protect yourself against its ravages. Here is a working “everythingyou-need-to-know” guide to use to avoid that unforgiving itching experience.

What’s that vine?

When it looks like a hairy rope, don’t be a dope. Poison ivy regardless as to its form, can live as a ubiquitous vine within most areas of the country. The vines growth varies in diameter from thin piece of spaghetti that can grow up to 10 inches thick.

How does the plant grow?

All poison ivy plants, live either as a bush, ground cover, or trailing vine. These plants are polymorphic tending to change both their color and leaf shape. The leaves themselves vary as to shape and leaf arrangements. Means the common form leaves of 3, from time to time, may vary by exhibiting 4, 5, 6 leaves… all are poisonous. Poison ivy can survive the harshest extremes of all known growing conditions. It can withstand searing dry heat, heavy downpours, saltwater marshes, coastal dunes, windswept steep rocky mountain tops, forest floors, private and public gardens. It thrives best in the hottest, most humid and wet conditions.

All forms are known to exist in 42 of our contiguous 48 states. Interestingly, mature vines can live up to 50 years plus and attain heights exceeding 100 feet. As a measured result of climate change and increased presence of atmospheric CO2 has significantly contributed to making , these plants more virulent and toxic to the touch, knowing these pants have expanded their range of growth northward are continuing posing themselves as a still greater threat to human safety than just a few short years ago. Judging from looks of this shall continue into forseable future.

All dead parts of these plant continue remaining toxic-to-the-touch long after the plant dies as the Urushiol residue contained inside remains active, and can last up to seven years.

Taking precautions — You and poison ivy

Poison ivy rash is avoidable. Know how to IDentify this plant and all its parts so you know what to look out for. Start by avoiding direct contact with all of the following: ` Vines ` Flowers ` Leaves ` Berries/seeds ` Branches ` Pollen ` Roots

If you come in contact with any one of these plants’ parts, immediately wash all exposed body parts with cold soapy running water to minimize rash outbreak. The active ingredient urushiol is what is held responsible causes the rash. Once skin contact has been made, you have 15 minutes to decontaminate yourself from the invisible oils. After that, hope and pray that you caught it in time.

Contact your healthcare provider if: ` The rash erupts and covers more than 1/4 of your skin, or spreads to your eyes, mouth or genital areas. ` The rash does not heal after two weeks. ` You have tender, swollen glands on either one of both sides of your neck. ` You have swelling in either your arms and or legs. ` You have questions or concerns about your condition or care.

Return to the emergency room if: ` You have a fever. ` You have redness, swelling and tenderness around the rash. ` You have trouble breathing. ` You develop an infection within the rash sores.

Self-care

Always keep your poison ivy rash

clean and dry: Wash it often with soap and water, and then gently pat it dry with a clean towel. Never rub your rash.

Try not to scratch or rub your rash:

This can cause your skin to become irritated, plus scratching the rash causes you to itch more and leaves you at further risk for the open sores becoming infected.

Apply a hot compress frequently and often directly cover your rash:

Dip a clean washcloth into hot water. Wring it out and place it on top of your rash. The heat will aid and assist in releasing trapped histamines located beneath your skin and provide you with temporary ‘itch relief’.

When your rash is active: Ways to reduce or minimize your “itch” ` Avoid consuming caffeinated foods: coffee, tea, coke and chocolate. ` Avoid nicotine. ` Avoid Red Bull. ` Avoid alcoholic beverages.

` Avoid eating pistachios nuts, cashew nuts or mangoes, as they each are closely related to poison ivy and their consumption needlessly intensifies the “itch.”

If your rash is too large to cover with a hot compress, take three or four cornstarch baths daily. Mix one pound of cornstarch with a little warm water to make a paste. Add the paste to a tub full of warm water mixing well. Immerse your body into the water filled tub. Colloidal oatmeal baths equally work, always use lukewarm water.

Medicines

Antiseptics, drying creams or oint-

ments: These medicines are good for drying out your poison ivy rash and decreasing the itching. These products may be available over the counter without a doctor’s prescription. Calamine, Witch hazel, Benadryl.

Antihistamines: Sold over the counter, these medications may or may not help decrease itching and pain and may cause you to become groggy as they can put you to sleep. They are available over the counter without a doctor’s prescription.

Steroids: Depending on strength required: This treatment may require a doctor’s prescription. This medication helps decrease the amount of itching and surface inflammation. It topically is applied directly to the affected rash areas as a cream or spray, or taken orally daily as a pill.

Remember to follow the manufacturer’s label instructions on all medications or treatments you use. If you don’t think the treatment is working effectivelyor suffer from any adverse side effects, immediately discontinue use and contact your healthcare provider. Keep a list of all known medicines, vitamins and herbs taken—including the amounts, Bring this list or pill bottles with you to follow-up visits. Always carry your medication list with you in case of an emergency.

Follow up with your healthcare provider as directed. Write down your questions so you remember to ask them during your visits.

Poison ivy (red) spring growth.

Stopping the spread

You cannot spread poison ivy simply by touching your rash or the oozing liquid that comes from leaking blisters. Poison ivy is only spread when you touch your skin directly with urushiol. You may think your rash is spreading because newer rashes continue to erupt by spreading daily over several days more time. This happens because areas covered by thin skin erupt as a rash first. Your face or forearms may develop a rash before thicker skinned areas like palms or legs days later erupt with a rash.

Wear skin protection

Wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and disposable (nitrile) gloves are all good choices. When available, use a skin block protection lotion to safeguard your skin against making contact with poison ivy oil. Sold in drugstore without a prescription.

Wash all your contaminated clothing previously worn together but separately from all other household laundry. It is important to rinse out the inside of the washing machine tub after you washed all your clothes, otherwise you run the risk of cross contamination taking place inside the washing machine tub exposes the next load of laundry to remains of urushiol. By washing out machine tub prevents others later on from mysteriously getting poison ivy rash. Always discard worn poison ivy contaminated leather items like gloves, shoes, boots as there remains no safe way to decontaminate them. Poison ivy oil has a long shelf life and can remain active on hard surfaces for seven years. Making contact with an old contaminated surface easily can invigorate a newer rash develops even years later.

Never burn poison ivy plants: Poison ivy oil smoke can land on your skin, get in your eyes, ears, nose, mouth, throat and lungs can cause a deathly rash. Once poison ivy laden smoke gets into your lungs, you run the risk of developing blisters deep within your lungs, that as the burst leads to serious breathing problems or perhaps death if not treated in time.