Poison Ivy Fact Sheet
All parts of the plant contain a resinous oil called urushiol, a potent allergen. Most people are sensitive to urushiol and will develop an intensely itchy rash up to 24 hours after exposure. Sometimes this progresses to severe blistering and may require steroid treatment. It usually takes an initial contact with poison ivy for your body to build a sensitivity to it, with reactions occuring on subsequent exposures.
What to do if exposed?
- Wash gently as soon as possible (most effective within 10-20 minutes) with rubbing alcohol, poison ivy soap, dishwashing soap, or laundry detergent. Do not scrub!
- Rinse with lots of cool water.
- Wash under your fingernails.
- Wash clothes separately in hot water with a strong detergent, and also any object that it may have contacted.
Identify It:
- It grows more as a low-spreading vine or ground cover in this area.
- Each group of leaves has a main middle leaf with a distinct stem and two side leaflets attached to the main leaf stem.
- Leaves are usually glossy.