A patient does not have to directly touch the plant to get a rash. There are three different ways that the rash spreads to humans: direct contact, indirect contact and airborne contact. The resin oil has a sticky texture which makes it easy to attach to clothing, skin, equipment and even animal fur ( x). The rash is a result of allergic contact dermatitis.
#Poison ivy on skin skin
The Virginia creeper also looks like poison ivy and it is not as allergenic, but it can still irritate the skin ( x). For example, wood nettle, stinging nettle and baby’s breath all have poisonous vines that contain urushiol oil ( x). Urushiol oil is a type of resin oil in the leaves, roots and stems of a number of different plants, including the poison ivy plant, poison sumac plant and poison oak. This symptom can be potentially fatal ( x). Patients who have difficulty breathing after contact with poison ivy should consult a physician immediately. Not only does it make it difficult to breathe, but it can also cause severe damage to the respiratory system. Inhaling the smoke from burning poison ivy plant can cause inflammation in the lungs. Swelling may require medical attention if it affects the face, eyes or genitals ( x, x, x). An allergic reaction to poison ivy causes swelling and redness in the skin, irritated by the urushiol in the plant as the immune system tries to fight off the allergen. This is one of the main symptoms of poison ivy rash. If the patient has several different rashes or if the hives cover a large part of the body, they may need medical attention ( x, x). Poison ivy may also cause hives as the body reacts to the allergen. Blisters that occur as a result of poison ivy rashes are not any different. However, they usually never signify anything serious and they often go away shortly after they appear. Blisters & Hivesīlisters are usually painful, uncomfortable and highly annoying. It may also bleed or become infected ( x). However, prolonged scratching worsens the rash, causing the area to become very tender or swollen. The proteins that trigger the immune response also cause the itching sensation, so it often occurs in a cycle. The immune system defends against the allergen because it remembers being in contact with it in the past. Between 50 and 75 percent of people have a reaction to it. Research states that most people are allergic to urushiol, the allergen in poison ivy. Poison ivy also causes a severe, uncomfortable itch where it comes in contact with the skin. Some of the most common symptoms of a poison ivy rash include: Itchy Skin It is not contagious and it does not spread to other parts of the body ( x). The rash usually appears in a straight line on the skin that mimics the line of contact with the plant. Also, the severity of the rash depends on the amount of urushiol that touches the skin. However, symptoms may form earlier depending on how sensitive the skin is. Poison ivy rash typically appears about 12 to 72 hours after exposure to the plant. It is very common in New England, the mid-Atlantic and southeastern United States ( x, x). Instead, it holds all the stems, which carry individual leaves. It is a low shrub and also a climbing plant with pale green berries hanging from it. The leaves may have different shades of green ranging from light to dark. Its characteristic feature is its cluster of leaflets that grow in groups of three. Poison ivy mainly grows on the edges of woodland, in areas where there is sufficient sunlight. It can cause respiratory and digestive damage and even death ( x). In addition, contact with poison ivy is serious if it is eaten or if a patient breathes in fumes that contain the oil. Usually the rash clears on its own, but severe cases may need treatment and it can also cause infection. However, there are some individuals who are immune to it or whose immune systems are not as vulnerable ( x). The sap in different parts of the plant causes instant irritation on the skin. It is known for causing contact dermatitis, an allergic reaction on the skin. Also called Toxicodendron radicans, poison ivy is native to North America. This oil exists in the stems and leaves of poison oak, poison sumac and poison ivy. A poison ivy rash results from an allergic reaction to urushiol, an oily resin found in certain plants.