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Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac
Poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac are all plants that can cause painful and itchy reactions when they come in contact with skin.
686 Questions
What is the scientific name for poison oak?
Poison oak can refer to one of two species of the genus Toxicodendron that are native to North America. Toxicodendron diversilobum, or Rhus diversiloba, which is the Western Poison oak, or Toxicodendron pubescens, or Rhus pubescens, which is the Atlantic Poison oak.
What do you do when you have poison ivy?
Be certain to thoroughly wash all affected body parts with cold water and strong detergent soap (never use hot water as it opens up skin pores driving the urushiol resin still deeper inside your skin). Never pop or rupture the blisters. Keep affected areas clean and open to the air, allowing them to dry out. It is not recommended to cover over or bandage the oozing blisters as it may lead to further complications still later on. If an infection develops immediately seek medical care from a trained medical professional.
If the itching becomes so great use benadryl gel, or hot compresses to ease the discomfort.
How would you no if you have poison ivy in your mouth?
If you get poison ivy on your tongue, which you can do if you put the leaves in your mouth or are exposed to the smoke from burning poison ivy, you should see a doctor.
There's no topical treatment except perhaps sucking on ice chips to numb the area. Your doctor might consider a course of prednisone.
The swelling might begin to interfere with your breathing. Then you should get to a hospital for treatment to ensure you don't suffocate while getting over this allergic reaction.
Can you get poison ivy from a poison ivy vine falling into the swimming pool?
Yes. The oil causing the rash might spread on the water surface and come in contact with your skin although after a short wile the water and pool chemicals will probably reduce the irritant so much that it will be unnoticeable.
Is there a poison ivy in Philippines?
As far as I can tell from my internet research, there is no poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) in the Philippines. However there are far more dangerous plants there such as the Stinger (Dendrocnide Moroides), the Poison Arrow Tree (Antiaris Toxicaria), the Cashew Tree (Anacardium occidentale), and even the Mango Tree (Mangifera spp.).
Poison Ivy varies by location. Again use the sayings
Leaflets three; let it be" is the best known and most useful cautionary rhyme. It applies to poison oak, as well as to poison ivy.
Is econazole nitrate effective on poison ivy?
It may help with the itching but is probably not a good treatment for poison ivy without talking to your doctor.
Here is what I found:
Econazole comes as a cream to apply to the skin. Econazole is usually used once or twice a day, in the morning and evening, for 2 weeks. Some infections require up to 6 weeks of treatment. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use econazole exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Thoroughly clean the infected area, allow it to dry, and then gently rub the medication in until most of it disappears. Use just enough medication to cover the affected area. You should wash your hands after applying the medication.
Continue to use econazole even if you feel well. Do not stop using econazole without talking to your doctor.
What does the severity of the allergic reaction to poison ivy and poison oak depend on?
An allergic reaction will usually occur within 1 or 2 days of exposure.
Spray alcohol on a cotton ball and then rub it on your infected area. Just did it myself actually:)
What role does poison ivy play in its natural ecosystem?
Poison ivy provides a food source for many species of birds, as well as larger mammals such as white-tailed deer. Smaller animals use it as shelter. Some animals might even prefer poison ivy so much that they would eat it rather than your garden plants.
It commonly grows on the edges of forests, streams, and roads, or in disturbed areas. The edges of forests are commonly vibrant with several species of briars which serve to create a protective layer to shield the inner forest from harsh weather conditions, as well as providing a layer of shelter for smaller animals. A teacher once explained this to me as a sort of skin for the forest. I suspect that poison ivy provides a similar service, as it is often found among briars and the edges of forests.
The Cherokee revered poison ivy and other "warrior plants" for their ability to quickly respond to disturbances in the forest. When an area is disturbed, say from a storm knocking down trees, or human development, plants like poison ivy and some briars like blackberry or smilax, are some of the first plants to become established in that area. These plants have strong roots and help to limit erosion and condition the soil to prepare it for more forest to grow there in the future.
Poison ivy is not very shade resistant, it needs lots of sun. So it can sometimes be found in the understory of a forest, but most likely if it is then that forest is relatively young. In a mature forest (100+ years) it is unlikely to find poison ivy crawling on the ground, although it still may climb up the sides of some trees.
Ironically, the level of CO2 in the air affects the growth rate and the level of dermatitis causing oil in poison ivy, so with the rising levels of CO2 caused by human activity in our air, the more obnoxious poison ivy becomes.
Also ironically, the more development that occurs, hence the more we disturb ecosystems, the more prolific the population of poison ivy will become.
It seems as if it is seriously trying to combat our growth as we know it.
The Cherokees may have been more right than they knew, or maybe they did know.
What if you get poison ivy in the bottom of your lip?
Wash your mouth with clear water immediately, if no medicine is around, put some toothpaste on it. Go straight to a doctor.
Are there different types of poison oak?
No, poison ivy [Toxicodendron radicans] and poison oak [Toxicodendron diversilobum and Toxicodendron pubescens] aren't the same. What they are is related. They share the same genus [Toxicodendron], which is like people who share the same last name. But they aren't in the same species [radicans, pubescens, diversilobum], which is like having different first names.
Something else that they share is a lack of toxicity or poisonousness. Specifically, they both share the presence of urushiol. That oil causes a skin reaction because of irritation, not because of poisons or toxins.
Does a steroid cream get rid of poison ivy?
NO IT DOES NOT GET RID OF POISON IVY! i have been getting poison ivy every year at least once a year and every time i try calimine lotion and it does not work because when it drys it irritates the poison ivy and makes it about 10 x more itchy! DO NOT USE CALIMINE LOTION FOR YOUR POISON IVY INFECTION!
What can you make to cure poison ivy?
I was watching myth busters and vodka lessens the side effects of poison ivy.
What cream works the best for poison ivy?
The best is not a cream. It is a liquid called Ivy-Dry and you can get it in almost any pharmacy. You just spray it on and it helps the area dry up and heal faster.
