Filed under: Comfort at Camp, Nature & Wildlife, Outdoor Recreation & Hiking, Preparation & Readiness, Taking Along the Family Pet
“Leaves of three, beware of me!” (Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac)
June 22, 2012 by Professor95 · 9 Comments
There are probably more stories, home remedies, and mistaken beliefs about Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac than any other plant found in the forest and surrounding countryside. I want to take a few paragraphs and explore some of the myths and facts related to these plants and their common allergen – urushiol oil. I hope you don’t mind if I tell a story along the way to get my point across.
Jerry, Irene, there two children Kelly and Kenny along with their dog, Peaches, were camping near a wooded area. Jerry, the 2 kids and the dog decided to go on an exploratory hike through the woodlands. Irene stayed back at camp. Upon returning, they stripped off the kids clothes, did a through examination for ticks on everyone that was in the party and each took a hot shower in the bathhouse – washing well with Dial soap and then rubbing dry with a clean towel.
Later that night Kenny, the oldest child, began scratching a red spot on his left leg. Before long, the itch and red spots began to spread to his other leg, arms, and chest. Jerry correctly diagnosed the reddening areas as Poison Ivy Rash. But, Irene wasn’t sure. She knew the children had showered immediately after returning to camp and couldn’t figure out how the poison ivy got on Kenny’s chest since it was covered with a shirt.
Poison Oak has 3 leaves that are shaped similar to an Oak tree leaf
What Irene did not know, and everyone should know, is that a hot shower is one of the worst things that you can do to yourself after getting the urushiol oil from poison ivy on your skin. The oil is like glue. It is a sticky and invisible goop that softens somewhat in warm to hot water, which allows it to spread to other parts of the body when you shower. Most bath soaps are not strong enough to remove the oil so your washcloth just ends up spreading it around and forcing it down into the pores of your skin.
OK – so what is a better approach? Believe it or not, a COLD shower is a better choice. The force of the cold water will actually begin to rinse off some of the surface urushiol oil. The cold water also closes rather than opens the pores of your skin, so deep penetration of the oil is less likely. While it may be somewhat harsh on your skin, DAWN liquid dishwashing detergent has long been known for its ability to remove greasy and oily substances. Wash from the head down and do not go back up the body with the same washcloth – especially into sensitive areas that were most likely not originally exposed to the urushiol oil (unless you are a nudist running around without shorts 
). It is also a good idea to pat dry rather than scrub with a towel.
Poison Ivy also has 3 leaves, but the edges are much smoother.
Other grease or oil removing atonements can be helpful in removing the urushiol oil. Alcohol has some impact but acetone is better. Unfortunately, acetone can be absorbed into the body through the skin. Toxic chemicals like acetone or lacquer thinner should ONLY be used on small areas known to contain urushiol oil – and never on small children. Cold cream or other makeup removers may also be more beneficial than plain soap. Again, use only on areas believed to be contaminated before bathing.
Jerry boasted that he was not sensitive to poison ivy. He said that he even pulled the vines off of trees and never broke out in a rash. But hey – guess what? The next day Jerry had a red, itchy poison ivy rash on his arm. So, what happened? Well, it is like this: Sensitivity to poison ivy or urushiol oil can change as we age. Our body chemistry is different when we get older than it was in childhood – or even a few years ago. Unlike being exposed to a substance to build immunity, being exposed to urushiol oil breaks down immunity – meaning the more you contact the oil and don’t develop a rash, the more likely you are the next time you contact the oil.
Rash can be spotty and red, sometimes with blisters.
Irene also developed a rash on her hands and face about the same time as Jerry – and she did not even go into the woods! So, how did Irene get the rash when she wasn’t even on the hike and couldn’t possibly touch the plant? Peaches, their dog, most likely carried the urushiol oil back to camp on her fur. Irene picked up the oil off of the pets coat. It is also possible that Irene contacted the urushiol oil on the clothes she removed from the children and her husband. Once again, be aware that this is an insidious oil that clings to anything it contacts. It can sit there for years waiting for someone to bring it into contact with his or her skin. It does not dry out or go away over time.
By the time they returned home the poison ivy rash on each of them was under control – thanks to ample applications of a poison ivy anti-itch lotion Irene found in the camp store. Kelly (one of the children) had been lucky and had not developed a rash. But, two days after they returned home she had red, burning, and itchy spots on her arms, legs, and back. Not knowing better, Irene had put all of their camp clothes together in the washer. The hot water she used had softened the urushiol oil enough so that it could contaminate the other clothes in the washer. There was just enough contamination to cause a rash to develop on Kelly.
Poison Ivy grows primarily in the east, poison oak in the west. Each is a woody plant or vine that is very prominent. It can be found in patches or growing up trees and shrubs. Both have one thing in common that helps to identify them – they have three leaves that are shiny. The oil that causes the rash is not only found in the leaves, but in the woody vines as well. Thus, contact with the bare vines in the winter can bring on a rash. Even burning the plant can cause the urushiol oil to be carried as particles in the smoke and vapor that can cause a rash on anyone nearby.
From personal experiences, I have found that the best defense I have against a poison ivy or poison oak rash is to rub my exposed skin with an underarm anti-perspirant deodorant before going into the woods. The deodorant acts as a shield against the oil penetrating the skin and will wash off easily with cold water and Dawn. There is also a product called Ivy Block, made by EnviroDerm Pharmaceuticals Inc. It is FDA-approved for preventing rashes from poison ivy, oak, or sumac. Generally, you have no more than two hours after exposure to get the oil off your skin and avoid a rash. I never wash hiking clothes with other garments. When possible I throw away clothes I know have been contaminated with plants containing urushiol oil – like cotton gloves and socks, rather than trying to wash them. Pants and shirts are washed in a strong detergent – twice – and then the washer is run through a hot water cycle with no clothes. If I wore washable shoes, they go in with the pants, but if they are not washable, I wipe them down with acetone and throw away the rags after the flammable acetone evaporates. I usually follow up with mink oil or polish since acetone will dry out leather. Opps – I forget to tell you something: Acetone will soften or dissolve plastics so be sure your boots or shoes are really leather and not vinyl.
Left to Right – Calamine Lotion, Hydrocortisone 1% Cream, Ivy Block
If I should break out in a poison ivy rash I typically treat the area with an over-the-counter mixture of 1% hydrocortisone cream and good old Calamine lotion. If the itch is bad, I can sometimes divert my attention by applying some Ben Gay or other analgesic cream, which also works well with itchy insect bites. Of course, never apply these concoctions to broken or bleeding skin. In those cases, a visit to a medical doctor is well worthwhile.
One last story….. I cut down a Sweet Gum tree a few December’s ago that had poison ivy vines growing up the trunk. I broke out in the worst poison ivy rash ever – all over my body. I was miserable and finally went to the Dermatologist for help. I gave the wood to a friend that said he was not sensitive to poison ivy. He loaded the wood into his pick-up bare handed and left. About a week later, his son broke out with poison ivy all over his face. Our theory is Bill had the urushiol oil on his hands and spread it to the truck steering wheel; Bobby then drove the truck getting the oil on his hands. When he wiped his face with his hands, he developed the poison ivy rash. Good thing his girlfriend was not with him!
“Leaves of three, beware of me!”
HAPPY CAMPING TRAILS TO ALL!
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Several years ago I had a violent reaction to poison ivy/oak after a visit to Kimberley, British Columbia. I suspect our cat leash had come in contact with a patch as the initial itch started on my hand where I had coiled the leash before putting it away. We searched the area where our cat was tethered but never did find anything with three leaves!! Fortunately, I managed to clean the leash enough that I was the only one to suffer!
Howdy Randy,
Great article on the spreading of the urushiol oil! I DIDN’T KNOW THAT!! I was raised in woods covered with poison ‘ivy’ and never had a problem; walked in it, played in it, climbed the trees it grew in,
probably slept in it, as we sometimes used tree branches for ‘mattresses’… UNTIL I was in my 60s and
had a few plants pop up in the yard… NO PROBLEM, I’M NOT ALLERGIC, JUST PULL THEM UP BARE-HANDED!!! YEAH, RIGHT!!! In about an hour I WAS ITCHING BADLY, up to my elbows!!! The first
thing I did was wash my hands and arms with HOT WATER AND SOAP; it then spread to ABOVE my elbows!!! That’s when I remembered the Calamine lotion; it calmed it down enough to be able to sleep..
After a couple of days of CL treatment it was gone… NEVER DID THAT AGAIN !!!!
My mother got poision ivy after the age of 60. She had to see a doctor for treatment. The doctor told her that the older you are when you first get the rash, the worse it gets with each additonal exposure. He was accurate!
Another remedy for the itching is benedryl lotion for the topical treatment and benedryl pills for treating from the inside out! The benedryl is an antihistamine which stops the histamines from producing the cause of the itch. Just like the lotion it will help to stop the itch and dry it out.
Years ago a co-worker was in the bleachers at an event. Apparently someone was burning yard debris and the smoke cloud passed across the bleachers. Every bit of her exposed skin got this fine rash, not the blotchy patches that you usually see. It was the most bizarre thing I’ve ever seen.
So far at the age of 49 I have never gotten it but I also don’t take chances. I’ve been lucky so far but I never know when my luck might run out. Thanks for the pointers!
Here’s to itch free travels!
Good info and advice as usual Randy.
We have a neighbour across the road from Cedar Creek Landing who is highly allergic to poison ivy. Another neighbour was burning some brush and didn’t realize that there was poison ivy growing under the brush pile. The neighbour lady ended up in hospital because the smoke had drifted into her back yard and the allergic reaction was manifest in her respiratory system. She spent three days under treatment in hospital and eventually recovered.
As a kid, I had no allergic reaction to it and there was lots of it at our family cottage. Alas, I can no longer frolic in the three leafed foliage and the learning of that fact was indeed a most uncomfortable week a few years ago. Calamine is available up here in Ontario, but hydrocortisone cream over the counter, is only 0.5%. My father’s remedy was a weak solution of sodium hypochlorite to dry the blisters, however, this approach can be extremely painful if the blisters are broken and I would not recommend it to anyone. I think avoidance is probably the best plan.
See you down the road…..
jimjan,
I had honestly forgotten about the home remedy for poison ivy rash using sodium hypochlorite (laundry bleach). You jogged a long forgotten memory of being dosed with the stuff as a child after a poison ivy outbreak. It’s nasty stuff when used on a wound or even healthy skin. Thank goodness your father used a WEAK solution. Thanks to all for sharing your stories and advice.
How do you get the poison ivy off of the dog’s fur. I have a long haired German shepherd and wonder what to do if he gets into the “leaves of three”?>
Lots of good advice on washing clothes.
The allergenic oil urushiol is in the resin of the plants, and plain water will not wash this off. I knew the poison oak researcher who came up with the water only technique and two of his co-researchers vehemently disagreed. There were no clinical studies. You need an oil cutter. My favorite is Goop. The original formula with mineral spirits works well, but the newer formula “Orange Goop Pumice Hand Cleaner” does not have toxic ingredients. The pumice helps scrape the sticky resin from the skin. Start out without water and scrub. Then add water and wash some more.
The biggest mistake is that people dont think “wash” when they first get contaminated. if you bump into a plant dont say “I’ll wash when I get home.” immediately dig below the mulch to real dirt—clay—and scrub your skin with dry dirt. Clay pulls oil to itself.
If you are highly allergic, you have from a few minutes to about ten minutes to remove that oil, as it immediately is becoming absorbed into the skin.
Want to stop the itch for up to 7 hours? High heat has been clinically shown to affect the itch nerve network (yes there are two nerve networks exclusively for itch). Bring a hair dryer slowly down near the skin while moving it back and forth a little, and go down far enough so you almost feel pain, but not enough to burn the skin. It will be a bit intense. (dont do on children). If it was hot enough, the nerve network shuts down the feeling of itch, even on head to toe cases.
My credentials: I wrote the book “The Poison Oak & Poison Ivy Survival Guide.”
BEV,
I talked with our Vet who also happens to be a personal friend. His answer was to wash the pet in a tub of warm water with DAWN detergent -or- lather the pet up dry with GO-JO waterless hand cleaner. Both are excellent for cutting through stubborn oils and grease. Rinse the dog well from head to foot, drain the wash water and do it all again. . Of course, be sure to wear long rubber gloves and protective eye ware.
Many thanks to Sandra for adding her advice and research as well. My credentials are largely based on personal experience and after-the-exposure action as an EMT-P. I did not mention it earlier, but some (few) individuals can be so allergic to poison ivy that anaphylaxis can result . This is a condition where, if untreated, swelling can block the airway resulting in death.
Ironically, there is a patch of poison ivy right behind our camper. It is smack dab in the middle of a path down to the lake where our boat is tied up. I wonder how many previous and future campers on this camp site will encounter the weed? I will report it to the rangers before we leave.