What causes a poison ivy rash?
Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac produce urushiol oil. Almost everyone is allergic to it. The oil causes an allergic reaction when it touches your skin. The itchy rash that develops is a type of allergic contact dermatitis.
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What are the symptoms of a poison ivy rash?
Poison ivy symptoms almost always include:
- An itchy skin rash.
- Redness and swelling.
- Blisters.
Depending on your skin’s sensitivity, a rash may develop within a few hours or a few days after initial contact with urushiol oil. The intensity of the itching can vary, and some people may develop one or two small rashes while others develop rashes all over their bodies.
What does poison ivy rash look like?
A poison ivy rash on your skin usually looks like red, itchy bumps. Some people can develop black spots or streaks on their skin instead of the telltale red rash (this is rare). If you have black-spot poison-ivy dermatitis, you’ll have very little or no swelling or redness.
What do poison oak rash and poison sumac rash look like?
Poison oak rash and poison sumac rash look the same as poison ivy rash. This is because urushiol oil causes the same allergic reaction no matter which poisonous plant you touch.
What are the poison ivy rash stages?
No matter how long it takes for a rash to appear, it usually comes in stages and peaks within one to 14 days of exposure. However, symptoms can develop as long as 21 days after initial exposure to urushiol oil for those who’ve never been in contact with it before.
For most people, the stages of poison ivy rash include:
- Itching: Your skin will begin itching intensely where the rash will eventually appear.
- Rash: Soon after your skin begins to itch, the rash will appear. For most people, it’s an intense, blistering rash.
- Fluid-filled blisters: If you’ve developed blisters, they’ll break open and leak fluid.
- Crusting and itching: The blisters will crust over but will still be itchy.
Why is my poison ivy rash spreading?
It may look like your rash is spreading, but you’re actually developing new rashes on areas of skin that came into contact with urushiol oil. You might’ve touched a plant in some areas and not even realized it — for example, a backpack strap brushed against poisonous plants and touched your bare shoulder. Some rashes take longer to develop. The extent of the rash depends on your skin sensitivity and how much oil you touched.
Is poison ivy contagious?
You can’t get a poison ivy rash by touching another person’s rash. But you could develop a rash if you touch the oil on another person’s body or clothes. You can also come in contact with the oil by touching your pet’s fur or a contaminated item like a gardening tool or camping gear. The fluid from blisters doesn’t contain urushiol oil and isn’t contagious.
What are the complications of poison ivy exposure?
Some situations increase your risk of problems if you’re exposed to poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. These factors include:
- Inhaling smoke: When poisonous plants burn, they release urushiol into the air. You may develop a rash on your face from coming into contact with the smoke or on the lining of your nasal passages, mouth and throat from inhaling the smoke. Oil in the air also affects your lungs and can cause serious breathing problems.
- Scratching: It’s hard not to scratch this itchy rash. But you can get an infection if you scratch until your skin bleeds. Bacteria from under your fingernails can get inside any open wound.
