A mild case of poison ivy rash can be managed with home remedies. Consulting a doctor for proper treatment is often needed particularly when the child ends up with a poison ivy rash on the face or all over the body.
Close look on poison ivy
Poison ivy is a form of weed that is capable of triggering allergic contact dermatitis in most individuals who come in contact with or specifically the urushiol resin in the stems, leaves or roots of the plant.
Is there an available cure for poison ivy rash?
Remember that there is no actual cure for the poison ivy rash. The closest measure to manage a reaction that works involves removal of the urushiol that comes in contact with the skin and triggers the rash. These forms of poison ivy therapies can be used as soon as possible after exposed to the plant:
- Apply suitable products to the area that was exposed to the poison ivy plant. Make sure to use as stated on the labelling with a small amount of water. Lightly rub it over the bare skin and wash off using water.
- Apply rubbing alcohol on the exposed parts of the skin and then wash off.
One way to ensure effectiveness of these measures is to try and wash off the urushiol after being exposed to the plant within 5-20 minutes.
It is also beneficial to consult a doctor at the initial sign of a rash if the child is susceptible to severe reactions. If possible, aggressive treatment with steroids might be useful.
Common home remedies
The home remedies for the reaction can help control and minimize the main symptom of poison ivy which is itchiness.
- Apply a moist, cold compress made out of Domeboro powder packets that can be directly applied on the itchy areas of the skin for 15-30 minutes throughout the day.
- Encourage the child or adult to take a cool or lukewarm colloidal oatmeal bath, tepid bath with one cup of baking soda or cornstarch and soaking in a modified Burrow’s solution.
- Use anti-itch creams such as calamine lotion
- Topical steroid creams
- Oral antihistamines work by reducing the itchiness
Is the rash contagious?
Many often believe that the poison ivy rash is contagious. Unlike with other rashes, one could not acquire one by simply touching the rash of another individual.
It is important to note that urushiol can unite and infiltrate the skin rapidly which is why it only takes between 5-20 minutes to wash it off or at least minimizing the rash. Aside from its non-contagious nature, the rash could not spread after an individual has been exposed.