This article was co-authored by Alan O. Khadavi, MD, FACAAI and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure. Dr. Alan O. Khadavi is a Board Certified Allergist and a Pediatric Allergy Specialist based in Los Angeles, California. He holds a BS in biochemistry from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook and an MD from the State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn. Dr. Khadavi completed his pediatric residency at Schneider Children’s Hospital in New York, and then went on to complete his allergy and immunology fellowship and pediatric residency at Long Island College Hospital. He is board certified in adult and pediatric allergy/immunology. Dr. Khadavi is a Diplomate of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology, a Fellow of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI), and a member of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). Dr. Khadavi's honors include Castle Connolly’s list of Top Doctors 2013-2020, and Patient Choice Awards "Most Compassionate Doctor" in 2013 & 2014.
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Dealing with a poison oak rash can be annoying, but there are plenty of ways to relieve your symptoms. The rash is caused by urushiol, an oil that naturally covers the surface of the plant. Since poison ivy contains the exact same oil, exposures to either plant can be treated nearly the same exact way.[1] The rash itself appears 12-48 hours after exposure and typically lasts for 2-3 weeks before going away on its own. While you can usually treat a poison oak rash at home, you may need to see a doctor if the rash spreads after it first appears, begins swelling, or oozes pus.
Steps
Handling the Initial Exposure
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1Avoid touching anything so you don’t spread the oil. Poison oak is not contagious unless you still have urushiol on your skin, so you can touch people or objects until you wash your skin off thoroughly. Until then, keep the skin exposed and do not scratch or itch the area.[2]
- Your skin may begin itching pretty quickly. Do everything in your power to avoid itching your skin. This is the main way that poison oak rashes tend to spread.
Tip: The leaves and stems of poison oak contains an oil called urushiol, which triggers an allergic reaction in your skin. This reaction is what causes the rash that develops when you come into contact with the plant.[3]
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2Rinse off your skin with soap and water to remove the plant oil. Do this within 30 minutes of your first exposure to prevent a rash from developing or spreading. Clean the skin with a sponge or cloth to keep it from spreading to your hands. Thoroughly scrub the skin with a liberal amount of soap to rinse the urushiol off.[4]
- If you are still in the woods away from a bathroom, look for a nearby stream and rinse your skin. This will get rid of the residue left of your skin, which will help reduce irritation quickly. If you have a water bottle, pour it directly on to the skin.
- The only exception is for soaps that are oil-based. Specialty skincare products with coconut oil or olive oil in them may actually spread the urushiol around.[5]
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3Change your clothes because they may be contaminated. Urushiol can spread from your skin to your clothes, which can distribute the rash over other parts of your body. To prevent this, remove any clothes you’re wearing as soon as you reasonably can. Wash your clothes immediately in a washing machine using a standard laundry detergent to remove the urushiol.[6]
- In addition to your clothes, be sure to wash off any tools or objects that might have come into contact with the plant or your skin after you were exposed. Use a liberal amount of oil-free dish soap and a sponge or cloth to thoroughly clean any items that touched the poison oak.[7]
- If you don’t have soap around, even rinsing the clothing or other objects off in water may help remove some of the oily residue.
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4Feel free to touch the affected area once you wash your skin. You can transfer the rash across your body if you scratch or touch the rash on your skin without washing. Once the urushiol is washed off though, you are no longer in jeopardy of spreading the rash any further. You can begin treating the skin directly and touching the area without putting yourself at risk. Don’t overdo the scratching though, since this can damage your skin.[8]
- Although you cannot make the rash spread after you get the urushiol off your skin, you can irritate the rash and cause skin damage by scratching or itching.
Caring for Your Rash
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1Keep the skin uncovered for the next few days and wait for the rash. How a poison oak rash develops depends on how much you got on your skin and how allergic you are to urushiol. The rash typically develops 12 to 48 hours after exposure, but keeping the skin uncovered may reduce your symptoms by keeping your skin free from irritation. Once the rash appears, you can begin caring for it.[9]
- If you don’t get a rash at all, you’re in luck. You’re probably immune to poison oak! Roughly 1 in 4 people have no reaction to urushiol.[11]
Tip: In general, the rash will be very itchy, red, and bumpy. These bumps may turn into blisters if you’re severely allergic. The rash may be streaky or patchy and will range from mild to extremely severe depending on your exposure.[10] Once your rash appears, if it spreads, swells, or starts oozing pus, you need to see a doctor.
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2Use calamine or hydrocortisone cream to relieve the itching. Calamine lotion is a great over the counter anti-itch cream that will help soothe your skin. Hydrocortisone cream will work as well. Apply the lotion directly to your rash, using enough to cover the whole area. The rash will typically go away on its own, but a soothing cream will relieve your symptoms while you wait.[12]
- There are specialty poison oak and poison ivy soaps and creams, but there’s no evidence that they’re more effective than standard calamine or hydrocortisone cream.
- Excessive itching may make your rash worse and keep your skin from healing. If you can handle the itching, your skin should heal just fine on its own.
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3Soak in an oatmeal bath for 30 minutes to relieve itching. Pick up some colloidal oatmeal from a drug store, beauty supply store, or pharmacy. Pour 1-2 cups (90-180 g) of the oats into running warm water as you’re filling the tub. Once the tub fills, soak your whole body for a replenishing bath or submerge the affected area to relieve your symptoms. Leave the rash under the water for at least 30 minutes before drying off.[13]
- You cannot use standard oatmeal that you find in a grocery store for a real oatmeal bath.
- Colloidal oatmeal contains a cleansing agent called saponin that is commonly found in vegetables. It acts as a natural barrier and moisturizes your skin.
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4Lay a cold compress over your rash for pain and inflammation. Since the rash causes skin irritation, a cold compress will help relieve the pain. You can use a regular cold compress, or soak a clean, soft washcloth or towel in cool water. Place the cold item on your skin for 20 minutes before taking a 15-20 minute break. Repeat as needed until your inflammation and pain goes down.[14]
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5Use aloe vera to get some cooling relief and restore your skin. Aloe vera is a great natural option if you’re struggling with itchiness and like the minty aroma of aloe vera. Squirt a dollop of aloe vera directly into your hand and rub it gently into your skin. The aloe vera will cool the rash and may speed up the healing process a little for your skin.[15]
- Some people really dislike the feeling of aloe vera. The mentholated sensation can be a little painful for some people. If you’ve never used aloe vera before, try spot testing it in a rash-free area first to see if you like it.
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6Avoid using rubbing alcohol on a poison oak rash. Conventional wisdom is that rubbing alcohol will sterilize your skin and kill the remaining poison oak residue. While this is a popular solution for poison oak, there’s no scientific evidence that it’s safe or effective to do this. You’re better off sticking with less aggressive treatment options.[16]
When to Seek Medical Care
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1See a doctor to get a prednisone prescription to clear the rash up. While you can usually handle a poison oak rash at home, you may need to get a prescription for prednisone from a doctor if it just won’t go away after a few weeks. Take the medication as directed to clear your rash up.[17]
- Prednisone is a steroid and it’s typically pretty good at clearing the rash up in 3-4 days. For severe rashes, you may need to take it for up to 15 days.
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2Get immediate medical care if you have a severe reaction. While it’s very rare, it’s possible to have a severe allergic reaction to poison oak. If this happens, you need to get treated as soon as possible so you can get better. Call emergency services or go to an urgent care clinic.[18]
- If you’ve just been exposed, don’t worry. Severe reactions to poison oak are pretty rare. Most people just get the moderately-obnoxious rash and the odds are good that you’ll be fine.
Signs of a serious allergic reaction:
Swelling (especially on the face)
Trouble breathing or swallowing
Severe headache
Pus leaking from blisters
Strange odor coming from rash
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3See your doctor if your rash is large or on a sensitive area. Most poison oak rashes don’t require medical treatment. However, you may need medical treatment if you have have a widespread rash or a rash on a sensitive area. This will help your rash heal faster and will help relieve your discomfort.[19]
- A rash is considered large if it covers a quarter of your body or more.
- Sensitive areas include your face, lips, eyes, and genitals.
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4Talk to your doctor if your rash doesn’t improve after 1-2 weeks. It’s normal for a poison oak rash to last for 1-3 weeks. If it’s very severe, it may last as long as 30 days. However, it should start to improve with home care after a week or so. If it doesn’t get better with treatment, call your doctor.[20]
- You may need additional treatment to help your rash heal. Your doctor can advise you about your treatment options. The odds are they’ll prescribe a steroid to help your body fight the rash off.
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5Visit your doctor if you develop the symptoms of an infection. While it’s not common, a poison oak rash can get infected. This is more likely to happen if you’ve been scratching your rash. If you notice signs of an infection, see your doctor immediately.[21]
- Common signs of an infection include fever, pus, tenderness, and odor coming from your blisters.
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6Seek emergency care if you breathe in poison oak smoke. While you don’t need to worry, poison oak can sneak inside of the lungs if there’s a forest fire or controlled burning and you inhale the fumes. After breathing the smoke, you may have difficulty breathing or may experience a severe sore throat. To help you recover, visit an urgent care center or emergency room for treatment.[22]
- Let the doctor know that you breathed in poison oak smoke.
References
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/plant/poison-oak
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/poison-ivy/basics/prevention/con-20025866
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep220
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/poison-ivy/basics/prevention/con-20025866
- ↑ https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/poison-ivy/
- ↑ https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/poison-ivy/
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/poison-ivy/basics/prevention/con-20025866
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/poison-ivy/basics/causes/con-20025866
- ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/poison-ivy/basics/symptoms/con-20025866
- ↑ Alan O. Khadavi, MD, FACAAI. Board Certified Allergist. Expert Interview. 29 July 2020.
- ↑ https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/07/150701140859.htm
- ↑ Alan O. Khadavi, MD, FACAAI. Board Certified Allergist. Expert Interview. 29 July 2020.
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep220
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20086717
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3931201/
- ↑ https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Benzyl-alcohol#section=FDA-Requirements
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4169084/
- ↑ https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/itchy-skin/poison-ivy-oak-and-sumac
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10655-poison-plants-poison-ivy--poison-oak--poison-sumac
- ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/allergens-poison-ivy--poison-oak
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10655-poison-plants-poison-ivy--poison-oak--poison-sumac
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10655-poison-plants-poison-ivy--poison-oak--poison-sumac
- ↑ https://www.britannica.com/plant/poison-oak
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep220
About This Article
Poison oak rash can be uncomfortable, but there are plenty of things you can do to try and alleviate your symptoms at home. Try not to scratch the rash at all so that you don’t break the skin or spread the rash. Avoiding scratching the rash will help it to heal as quickly as possible. You can also apply calamine lotion to the rash to help alleviate the itching. You can purchase calamine lotion from your local pharmacy and it can be reapplied as often as you need. For any pain or swelling due to the rash, apply a cold compress. Dampen a clean washcloth in cool water and hold it on top of the rash, and reapply it as often as necessary to get relief. If you have trouble breathing, have a widespread rash, or if the rash hasn’t shown any signs of improvement within 1 week, seek medical treatment. For more information from our Naturopathic Doctor co-author, like alternative treatment options, read on.
Medical Disclaimer
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
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