By Henry J. Fishman, M.D.
ConsumerAffairs.com
July 21, 2005
Touch it and it will get you. Poison ivy, oak and sumac contain a chemical called urushiol. When it touches your skin, you have an allergic reaction to it and develop itchy, red blisters, streaks and hives.
You may not notice the rash at first. It can pop up a few hours or days after your exposure. To avoid the miseries, learn to identify and avoid poisonous plants.
• Poison ivy has three broad, spoon-shaped leaflets per lead. So, "leaves of three, let it be."
• Poison oak has three to seven leaflets which look like oak leaves. It grows as a vine or shrub.
• Poison sumac grows as a shrub or bush in swampy areas. It has 7 to 13 leaflets per leaf with smooth edges.
If you have to go outdoors, clothe up from head to toe and use vinyl gloves for weeding. Urushiol can get through rubber. Skin creams and ointments block urushiol but not very well. Be sure to wash your tools and be careful of pets. They can both spread urushiol.
If you touch one of the plants, wash it off thoroughly with soap and water. Avoid excoriating soaps. Scratching can lead to infection. Call your doctor. Topical and oral steroids and antihistamines can make a bad situation better.
