Avoiding Rash Behavior: Some Simple Steps

The warmer weather and longer days of spring will probably lure you into some outdoor projects. Beware. Poison oak, poison ivy or poison sumac may be lurking, particularly if you are laboring in an area that is heavily wooded or brushy.

All three can cause skin rashes. The problem is urushiol, a sap oil contained in the plants. If you’re allergic to urushiol, touching one of these plants may cause your skin to react. Within minutes or days, you may have a red, swollen, itchy rash. You can’t stop the rash. But you can soothe the itching.

Recognizing the Plants

You can help prevent a rash. Know what these plants look like. And then avoid them. They grow in the form of vines, small plants and large bushes. In most cases, poison oak and poison ivy have three leaves per stem. Poison sumac has from seven to 13 leaves per stem. Watch out for these plants when you go to any outdoor area, from a friend’s overgrown backyard to the wilderness. Also, urushiol is present in these plants year-round, so always be on the lookout.

Steps to Prevention

When heading outdoors:

* Avoid touching these plants.

* Wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

* If you’re going into a wooded or brushy area, also wear gloves, a hat and boots.

* Apply bentoquatam 5% to all exposed areas of skin. This creates a layer of protection between your skin and sap oil you may touch.

* If you can, carry water to rinse off sap oil.

If You Come in Contact

Poison oak, poison ivy and poison sumac thrive mainly in unmaintained outdoor areas. You may get a reaction just by touching something that came in contact with urushiol, such as a dog, a cat, clothing or equipment. The rash is not contagious.

If you think you may have come in contact, wash the affected area within 15 minutes, using water or a water-based liquid. Undress, and wash your clothes and gear as soon as you can. Also, be sure to wash any pet that was with you. Taking these steps can help prevent spreading sap oil to someone else.

How Your Skin May React

A mild rash may become red, swollen and itchy. The rash may form a lump on your skin where you brushed against the plant. If you have a severe rash, your itching may worsen. And your rash may blister and ooze. If this happens, seek medical treatment. But the fluid from your blisters will not make your rash spread. With or without medical treatment, your rash may last up to three weeks.

To Soothe the Itching

You can take these steps:

* Don’t scratch or scrub your rash, even if the itching is severe. Scratching can lead to infection.

* Bathe in cool--not hot--water to relieve the itching. For a soothing bath, add oatmeal to the water.

* Use antihistamines that are taken by mouth. You can buy these at the drugstore.

* Use over-the-counter treatments on your skin, such as cortisone and compresses of Burow’s solution.

Call Your Doctor If:

* Your rash is severe.

* The rash spreads beyond the exposed part of your body or affects your face.

* The rash does not clear up within a few weeks.

You may be given medications to take by mouth or apply directly on the skin.

Source: StayWell Co.