Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac

Yes, poison ivy is found in Virginia, pretty much all over. It's typical habitat is in the fringe between woods and fields. It also grows in exposed rocky areas, and open fields, as well as distrubed areas. It is somewhat tollerant of shade and so will grow below a forest canopy. It does not grow in deserts, and generally will not grow at altitudes greater than 5000 feet above sea level. Beyond Virginia, poison ivy will grow in all the United States (except Alaska, Hawaii, and California) and all of Canada (except New Foundland and the Territories)

Yes you can, and its the worst place you can have it.

I've had it before and it was a really bad experience. Your butt will be weeping constantly, to the point you'll have to wear a diaper. If it gets bad enough, it will hurt to even walk/sit. In case of something like that, it is better to go to a doctor and ask for antibiotics. It also itches like crazy. As soon as it stops weeping and gets dry, the itching kicks in. It almost bad enough that you can punch your head through a wall.

Some recommendations are:

Oatmeal Baths

Baby Powder

Calamine Lotion

Benadryl

Ice Packs

Try the calamine lotion first and see if that helps. Take plenty of showers and oatmeal baths. It really helps. Drink Benadryl every 4-6 hours, it reduces the itching quite a lot. Use the ice packs to settle extreme itching. Use baby powder before you sleep so your butt will be nice and dry instead of making a mess of your clothes.

The alloying agent in steel is carbon, which increases the strength and hardness of the material. The active ingredient in poison ivy lotion is usually calamine, which helps to soothe and relieve itching caused by exposure to poison ivy. The silicate referred to is likely garnet, which can have a cubic crystal structure but is not indefinitely stable due to weathering and erosion.

Yes, all plants obtain energy from the sun.

I walked in to it, in Airlie Beach 5 years ago, to be more specific it was on a block of land located on timberland road in jubilee pocket.

Antibiotics. I got a small prick from my palm on my thumb 48 hrs ago and it is just now swelling and sore. Went to the doc and he prescribed Rifampin and Sulfamethoxazole, both in the capsule. He said that infections are common with sago palm injuries.

The color ivy is a dark shade of green that is similar to the color of leaves on an ivy plant. It is typically a deep, rich green hue with hints of blue or black undertones.

Goats are known to eat poison ivy and other toxic plants without experiencing ill effects. Their digestive system can break down the chemical compound in poison ivy that causes skin irritation.

Yes, poison ivy oil (urushiol) can stay on clothing and other surfaces for months if not properly washed. It is important to wash contaminated clothing with hot water and soap to remove the oil and prevent it from causing a reaction upon contact with skin.

It is not recommended to sleep with someone who has poison ivy, as the oils from the plant can still be present on their skin and spread to you, potentially causing a reaction. It is best to avoid direct contact until the rash has cleared up to prevent the spread of the irritant.

I just had poison ivy and went to the doctor because I thought I was having an allergic reaction. The doctor said that poison ivy is a two-week rash. It is not contagious and cannot be spread to other parts of your own body during those two weeks except on the day of contact. Say your leg brushes against the poison ivy plant or the oil. If you touch your leg then your arm, you will develop a rash on your arm, although not necessarily that day. This is what makes people think they are spreading it to other parts of the body. Rashes or blisters pop up days later, but in areas where the oil was spread on the day of contact with the plant. The best thing to do is to wash the area and then wash what you wore that day. It is not necessary to wash everything you wear every day until the rash is gone. Do not put band-aids on your rash. It will only make it worse.

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but if ur still not sure just throw some bleach on it and it will kill it

Bed bug bites are distinct, raised areas which appear to be mosquito bites. The number of them that one receives depends upon the severity of the infestation; bed bugs feed, on average, once every three to five days, and each feeding requires three to ten minutes. The bites will normally be found on areas of skin which are exposed during sleep. They are generally white at first, but they frequently turn red after a period of time. The most telling symptom is that they almost always itch intensely, and the lesions remain prominent upon the skin for several days, unlike mosquito bites.

Poison ivy rash, on the other hand, does not consist of individual mosquito-bite-like bumps. It is found on relatively large areas of skin, and it is chacterized by many closely-spaced, tiny, blister-like eruptions on the surface of the skin. These blisters, if opened, exude a small quantity of watery liquid, much like miniature burn blisters. This rash can be quite extensive, depending upon the areas exposed to the oily allergen in the plant and the individual's sensitivity to the oil. Poison ivy rash can also cause much discomfort due to itching. The real risk with the rash is that the epidermis is often removed by scratching the itch, exposing the skin to various infectious agents.

Yes, poison ivy serves a purpose in nature by providing food and shelter for wildlife. Birds eat the berries, while animals like deer browse on the leaves. Additionally, poison ivy can help prevent soil erosion and stabilize slopes.

The "leaflets three, let them be" phrase is commonly used to identify poison ivy, a plant that causes skin irritation upon contact. However, there is no specific poem about poison ivy; the phrase is more of a mnemonic device to help people remember how to recognize the plant and avoid it.

Poison oak and poison ivy, along with poison sumac all belong to the cashew family, Anacardiaceae. All three contain an oil that actually is a resin called urushiol that causes an allergic reaction (contact dermatitis) when it comes into direct contact with the skin of most people. Urushiol can also be transferred from other people, dogs and other pets, and clothing, tools or garden gloves if you touch them where they have the oils holding the resin on them.

Poison oak and poison Ivy are similar in appearance in that they each have a 3-leaf pattern. Poison Ivy grows as a shrub, bush or vine. The older vines, even if they have no leaves on them, can still hold resins. So, avoid touching older vines that look like they have "hairs" (aerial rootlets) on them. The stems attached to the leaves when younger often appear red. They also contain the urushiol. The ivy blooms in early spring. Once the flowers are pollinated, they produce small green berries that turn a creamy white in autumn.

Poison oak grows as a bush. The leaves of western poison oak may resemble oak tree leaves. Poison oak tends to be more prominent growing in the western half of the US, where as poison ivy is commonly found growing east of the Mississippi, and along most of the eastern and southern tier coastal regions and inland in most arboreal forests.

Treating poison ivy:

A less known "cure" for poison ivy is the "juice" of rhubarb stems. Like when using aloe vera, you break open the stalk and rub the viscous sap onto the area of the rash. It was suggested by an old Indiana farmer and, having used it (and nearly every commercial product and home remedy known to man) to stop the itch and dry up the rash from poison ivy, it is the best remedy found. It cools, soothes, stops the itch immediately, and then dries up the rash after only one or two applications.

I am an electrician and came in contact with poison ivy last thursday. I am very allergic to it. I was worried that it would ruin my upcoming vacation, because it usually does not go away without me visiting the doctor and taking steroids for several days. BUT, today I was working in an attic, and it was so hot up there with all the insulation and the hot weather, that I was literally dripping with sweat. I was sweating like a leaky faucet. I felt as if the rash was less itchy at lunchtime, so I spent the rest of the day in the attic and then drove home without A/C and the windows rolled up..... showered with lots of soaping and rinsing as soon as I got home and several hours later I am itch free and the "bumps" seem to be reducing in size on Tuesday night.

Poison ivy is a plant with urushiol oil that causes allergic reactions in many people, serving as a defense mechanism against herbivores. It helps protect the plant from being eaten and allows it to thrive in its natural habitat.

Google 'poison ivy'at Google Images. There's a range of photos. One of the helpful sites is the following: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/poisonivy8-11b.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/toxra.htm&usg=__jUa4F7yTgbQ_3JbnBmu7VuQTHq8=&h=386&w=400&sz=98&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=7dSgwddxRxvcfM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpoison%2Bivy%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den. The site gives information through text and photos of the plant in different stages and situations.

: When you talk Poison-ivy, you're talking Urushiol poisoning. Urushiol is very sophisticated oil-based, hydrophobic toxin. When it comes in contact with skin, you have about 15 minutes to wash it off, with a strong surfactant/soap. After that, it bonds at the cellular level (and after that point is no longer "contagious"). It seems to modify skin cells and others, so that your immune system cannot identify them as part of your body, and a T-cell mediated immune reaction commences. In other words -- this is a toxin that induces an allergic reaction. And after 15 minutes, all we can do is treat the effects and wait for it to go away. There are a few vaccines out there, but they aren't generally available, and only work if applied before the contact. : Note that, once the reaction appears, it doesn't really "spread", even though it appears to. What's happening is that areas that got the biggest dose of urushiol manifest first. Lighter doses show up later. While you can re-infect from cloths and such that picked this up, you can't infect from the lesions. : People generally get urushiol poisoning with by direct contact with the plant, or from clothing that contacted the plant. Urushiol is super-persistant, so you have to wash the heck out of everything that might have come in contact with it. Dry cleaning works too, in that anything that breaks down oils will do the job. : About 20%-30% (roughly) of all people don't react to urushiol on first contact, but most seem to develop a sensitivity over multiple exposures. Native Americans seem to be highly resistant to this toxin, likely from evolutionary pressure, as this appears mostly on the North American continent. You pretty much can't go through your life without meeting up with urushiol at least once. In fact, this accounts for about 10% of the US Forest Services medical leave. : The symptoms are typically a rash with blisters that weep a transparant liquid -- clear or yellowish. Note that this liquid doesn't carry the toxin at all. The rash is extremely itchy. Normally, the rash doesn't appear until 24-48 hours after exposure (and sometimes as much as a few days), and lasts up to 14 days (but more usually 4 or 5 days). Blisters that seep pus instead of a clear liquid are showing indications of a secondary infection -- more on this in a second. : As this is an immune reaction, it's safe to treat it as one. First, DON'T scratch it -- it'll just make things worse. Epsom salt baths in cool water have been known to be effective -- a little. Also, consider a cortizone ointment on the surface. : One systemic that works is diphenhydramine -- for this I like a big dose that both puts you to sleep and stops the histaminic reaction. So read the max dosage on the box and go there -- make sure you have nothing else to do that day :} : I've tried topical painkillers like lidocaine. For me, it does a great job for about 20 minutes and then it's back to normal. It wouldn't hurt to try but I doubt that'll help much. : If you can't control it with diphenhydramine, baths and cortisone ointment, your doctor can prescribe prednisone -- a powerful anti-inflamatory, and this Does work. Your doctor will tell you this, but be Very careful with the dosage --- you starting with a large loading dose and gradually ease off -- the doctor and the package will explain this in detail. : Most of the time, your doc will administer prednisone orally. Injectable prednisone works very well indeed too. : However... : Scratching and general cellular destruction opens the door to a secondary infection -- often staph or strep -- and these are bad news. To avoid this, keep the affected area super-clean (but dont scratch!). If you start seeing pus, treat that area first with antiseptics. If that doesn't work, talk to your doc about antibiotics. : Now -- here's the rub: : Prednisone reduces your immune system response (which is why its used against urushiol toxin), which means that it's easier for you to pick up that secondary infection. So you really have to keep on top of this. : The advise above is excellent but if you aren't really sure what the rash is then I would suggest going to a doctor for a diagnosis. I have gotten poison ivy every year of my life and I always treat it myself except one time I had it so bad that I had to seek medical treatment. Another Add on: Calamine Lotion is also good for something that will prevent itching as well. It is a topical cream.

When you talk poison ivy, you're talking urushiol poisoning. Urushiol is a very sophisticated oil-based, hydrophobic toxin. When it comes into contact with skin, you have about 15 minutes to wash it off with a strong surfactant/soap. After that, it bonds at the cellular level (and after that point is no longer "contagious"). It seems to modify skin cells and others, so that your immune system cannot identify them as part of your body, and a T-cell mediated immune reaction commences. In other words -- this is a toxin that induces an allergic reaction.

And after 15 minutes, all we can do is treat the effects and wait for it to go away. There are a few vaccines out there, but they aren't generally available, and only work if applied before the contact.

Note that, once the reaction appears, it doesn't really "spread," even though it appears to. What is happening is that the areas that got the biggest dose of urushiol manifest first. Lighter doses show up later. While you can re-infect from cloths and such that picked this up, you can't infect from the lesions. People generally get urushiol poisoning from direct contact with the plant, or from clothing that came into contact with the plant.

Urushiol is super-persistent, so you have to wash the heck out of everything that might have come into contact with it. Dry-cleaning works too, in that anything that breaks down oils will do the job.

About 20%-30% (roughly) of people don't react to urushiol on first contact, but most seem to develop a sensitivity over multiple exposures. Native Americans seem to be highly resistant to this toxin, likely from evolutionary pressure, as this appears mostly on the North American continent. You pretty much can't go through your life without meeting up with urushiol at least once. In fact, this accounts for about 10% of the US Forest Services' medical leave.

The symptoms are typically a rash with blisters that weep a transparent liquid -- clear or yellowish. Note that this liquid doesn't carry the toxin at all. The rash is extremely itchy. Normally, the rash doesn't appear until 24-48 hours after exposure (and sometimes after a few days, even), and lasts up to 14 days (but more usually 4-5 days). Blisters that seep pus instead of a clear liquid are showing indications of a secondary infection -- more on this later.

As this is an immune reaction, it's safe to treat it as one. First, DON'T scratch it -- it'll just make things worse. Epsom salt baths in cool water have been known to be effective -- a little. Also, consider a cortisone ointment on the surface.

One systemic that works is diphenhydramine -- for this, I like a big dose that both puts you to sleep and stops the histaminic reaction. So read the maximum dosage on the box and go there -- but make sure you have nothing else to do that day...

I've tried topical painkillers like Lidocaine. For me, it does a great job for about 20 minutes and then it's back to normal. It wouldn't hurt to try, but I doubt that it'll help much.

If you can't control it with diphenhydramine, baths and cortisone ointment, your doctor can prescribe Prednisone -- a powerful anti-inflammatory -- and this DOES work. Please be VERY careful with the dosage: You start off with a large loading dose and gradually ease off -- the doctor and the package will explain this in detail.

Most of the time, your doctor will administer Prednisone orally, but injectable Prednisone also works very well indeed.

However...

Scratching and general cellular destruction open the door to a secondary infection -- often staph or strep -- and these are bad news. To avoid this, keep the affected area super-clean (but don't scratch!). If you start seeing pus, treat that area first with antiseptics. If that doesn't work, talk to your doc about antibiotics. Now -- here's the rub:

Prednisone reduces your immune-system response (which is why it's used against urushiol toxin), which means that it's easier for you to pick up that secondary infection. So you really have to keep on top of this.

Did I mention no scratching?

Yes, poison ivy produces white, waxy berries that contain seeds. The seeds are spread by birds and other animals that eat the berries and then disperse them through their droppings, aiding in the plant's reproduction.

Poison sumac has smooth, hairless red stems and white/gray berries compared to harmless sumac species that have red, hairy stems and red berries. Poison sumac also has leaves with 7-13 leaflets arranged in pairs along the stem, and it typically grows in wet or damp areas. Avoid touching or coming into contact with any plant that you suspect to be poison sumac.