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Poison ivy (and its cousins poison oak and poison sumac) contains an oily substance called urushiol. About 1/3 of people are allergic to urushiol. The leaves and branches of the poison ivy plant contain urushiol, and breaking the plant releases additional urushiol to the surface. Burning the poison ivy plant will release the urushiol into the air, possibly causing serious inflammation of the throat and lungs. Also, unlike some allergens, repeated exposure to urushiol can increase a person's sensitivity.
If you think you may have touched a poison ivy plant, as soon as possible you should wash the affected area with soap and cold water. Hot water will disperse the urushiol over a larger area, possibly making it much worse. You can buy specially formulated soaps like Tecnu that will bind to the urushiol, allowing it to be washed off harmlessly.
Also, note that dogs and cats and other animals will happily play in poison ivy without being affected, but they will get the urushiol on their fur. If you then touch the animal, you get urushiol on your hands, which you can then spread to other parts of your body or to other people.
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Can babies get poison ivy?
Anyone can get Poison Ivy if you are allergic to it.
What is the medical condition caused by poison ivy and poison oak?
Poison ivy and poison oak are plants that cause an allergic skin reaction in most people who are exposed to them.
Are snakes immune to poison ivy?
Yes the only animals to be allergic to poison ivy are humans.
Can someone not be allergic to poision ivy?
Yes, I know people who are unaffected by poison ivy. However, the toxins in poison ivy can build up in your system so that with repeated exposure those same people can develop reactions later in life.
What percentage of people have an allergic reaction to poison ivy and poison oak?
The prognosis is, in most cases, the condition goes away in two weeks.
Poison ivy reactions are an example of what condition?
Poison ivy reactions are an example of an allergic condition, which is associated with cytotoxic T-cell activation.
Is poison ivy real poison?
Poison Ivy is not REAL Poison. Its a issue in the immune system that will make it react to you. If you have a serious case or allergic reactions you would need to seek medical attention.
If I have poison ivy and ate cashews could that start a reaction again?
If you have a severe allergy to poison ivy, you will most likely also be allergic to cashews. Cashews are from the poison ivy family, and can contain similar allergens. The reason you never see cashews with a shell on them is because the shell has the same irritating oils that poison ivy leaves have on them. Most people that have minor skin breakouts from poison ivy (not a severe allergy) should not have an issue with consuming cashews.
Are cashew shells poisonous?
If you are allergic, then most certainly yes. The shell of the cashew contains urushiol which is the same chemical that makes the Japanese black lacquer tree, poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac so virulent.
What are the possible genotypes if you do a punnett square with one parent who is Homozygous dominant RR for being resistant to poison ivy and one parent who is allergic to poison ivy rr?
RR X rr 100% Rr Heterozygous resistant for poison ivy.
What is this called when you have flat red spots on your body?
it could be a rash if you allergic to something or it could be from a poison plant like poison ivy.
Is everyone allergic to brown recluse bites?
No, not everyone is allergic to brown recluse bites. Many times the reaction comes from the venom. If however someone is allergic and also reacts to the venom it could cause some medical complications especially for the elderly and children.
