Poison Ivy

One really frequent cause of contact dermatitis is poison ivy, a plant that develops in temperate areas. Poison Ivy is one of the many skin issues Dr. Harold F. Farber, MD treats at the Center for Dermatology, Laser, and Cosmetic Surgery. Poison oak and poison sumac are other plants that can give you a rash. They all have oil in them called urushiol, to which many individuals are allergic. You can receive the rash from:

• Touching the weed.
• Touching something that rubbed up from the plant (like petting your puppy after it brushed up against it).
• Even from being close to it, since the oil can get in the atmosphere.

As soon as you think you might have a rash from one of these plants, you should:

• Rinse the skin right off with lukewarm water.
• Wash your clothing and anything else you could have touched.
• Visit the Center for Dermatology, Laser, and Cosmetic Surgery to have Dr. Harold F. Farber, MD look at the rash and ensure a correct diagnosis.

The rash will go away in a couple of weeks. Until then, here’s what you can do:

• Take a shower.

Your parents can purchase a special product at the store that has oatmeal in it to the tub.

• Spread onto a particular anti-itch cream called hydrocortisone.
• Swab on calamine lotion.