A poison ivy belongs to the family of poisonous plants which include poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.

These plants all contain an irritating oil sap called urushiol — this triggers an allergic reaction when it comes in contact with the skin, which results in an itchy rash.

You can get exposed to urushiol through touching it directly or touching objects that come in contact with the plant.

This substance called urushiol is found in all types of plants including its leaves, roots, and stems, which is easily absorbed by the skin.

The allergic reaction from coming in contact with the urushiol is contact dermatitis. It's so toxic that tiny amounts of urushiol on exposed skin can trigger an allergic reaction.

The sap inside of the poison ivy plants also known as “Toxicodendron radicans” — it contains an oil called urushiol.

Believe it or not, you don’t even have to come in direct contact with the plant to get an allergic reaction.

As previously stated, the urushiol can linger on gardening equipment, shoes, animal fur, and can stay for months on clothing, shoes, and tools.

Coming in contact with something it touched can already result in skin irritation, itching, and burning pain. The poison ivy plant can be seen in some parts of the United States.

A poison ivy rash on the other hand, is simply caused by coming in contact with the plant which grows almost everywhere in the United States.

Most common symptoms of coming in contact with a poison ivy plant include:

• Redness

• Itching

• Swelling

• Blisters

• Difficulty breathing due to inhaling smoke from a burning poison ivy

You can get a poison ivy allergic reaction from:

Direct contact - If you touch the leaves, stem, roots or berries of the plant, you may have an allergic reaction.

Touching contaminated objects - If ever you touch or walk on something contaminated with urushiol, you might possibly get an allergic reaction or rash.

Inhaling smoke from the burning plants - The smoke coming from burning poison ivy can also be a result for an allergic reaction as well as harm your nasal passages or lungs.

A rash from poison ivy isn’t contagious in any shape or form. Additionally, you can’t get poison ivy rashes unless you’ve touched the area with urushiol that’s still on the person’s clothing.

However, if you do stumble upon the urushiol - infected clothes from someone just because you hugged them or something, you’re likely to get an allergic reaction or rashes after a few hours.

Poison ivy rash or allergic reactions aren’t necessarily alarming. Its symptoms are mostly mild and can be treated by cleaning or washing objects that came in contact with the urushiol from the poison ivy.

Or as simple as taking a bath or washing your clothes can be a form of prevention. However, for people with high sensitivity and skin allergies, a poison ivy rash may be a call for emergency.

If any of the following occurs, seek medical attention:

If you experience symptoms of a severe reaction, such as severe swelling and/or difficulty breathing.

If you’re exposed to the smoke of burning poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac.

The rash covers more than one quarter of your body.

The rash occurs on your face, lips, eyes, or genitals.

The initial treatment does not relieve the symptoms.

If you develop a fever or any signs of infections such as, a pus or yellow fluid oozing from the blisters, or an odor from the blisters.

As for milder cases and reactions, your rash can be treated thru natural home remedies and routine changes.

If you have come in contact, here are the natural remedies for poison ivy:

See Also:

7 Natural Home Remedies For Bloating

5 Natural Home Remedies For An Ear Pain

6 Natural Home Remedies For a Stye

Cucumber

This vegetable has been made popular by spas for promoting relaxation and cooling on your eyes.

Cucumber slices are one of the simplest natural remedies you can get. You can either place slices of cucumber on the affected area or mash up some cucumbers to make a paste, then directly apply it on the rash or affected area.

This will easily offer relief temporarily.

Apple Cider Vinegar

This has been a popular remedy due its many medicinal qualities. And has been useful in helping clear out blemishes and acne on the face.

As it is gentle on the face, this can also be a possible treatment for a rash. This is due to its antibacterial and antifungal properties.

One way to use apple cider vinegar is thru making an astringent.

To use this as an astringent — For sensitive skin you can try doing a skin test on a small area of your body before proceeding on the next step.

Soak the cotton ball in one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar with equal amounts of water. Then directly apply it on the rash.

You can repeat this three to four times daily to see more effectiveness.

However, If you have open blisters, avoid this home remedy, as apple cider vinegar may irritate open wounds.

Baking Soda

This is beneficial in treating acidic skin that forms rashes. Applying a little baking soda to the skin can fix this problem because baking soda is an alkaline which is ideal for counteracting acids that can cause your skin to get rashes.

At the same time, baking soda has other benefits such as anti-inflammatory properties. It can prevent inflammation associated with a rash.

This will combat the redness and swelling as well as, alleviate discomfort and pain.

To use baking soda for rashes, simply mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 teaspoon of water to make a paste. Apply the paste directly on the affected areas.

If the blisters have oozing pus, mix 2 teaspoons of baking soda in 1 litre of water and use it to saturate a few gauze pads.

You can now use the gauze pads to cover the blisters for 10 minutes for four times a day. Do not apply near the eyes.

Aloe Vera

This has been a great remedy for skin problems and inflammation. Aloe Vera’s antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties work to alleviate and soothe irritated skin and helps prevent further infections from happening.

Although this does not entirely treat the rashes, however, it can help with the healing process. Since aloe vera is a great moisturizer by creating a protective film around the skin.

This film will help trap moisture in the skin and help speed up the healing process and prevent dry skin. This will eventually help alleviate symptoms caused by the rash such as itching and discomfort.

You can harvest the aloe vera gel straight from the leaf, or you can buy it in stores. The important thing to remember is to apply a thin layer of aloe vera on the affected area as much as possible to help protect and moisturize the skin.