Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac
Medical Author: Alan Rockoff, MD
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
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Potion Protects from Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac
Medical Editor:
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
 Poison ivy, oak, and sumac each produce a chemical in the oil of their leaves that causes burning, itching, redness, and blistering in the skin as a result of an inflammation reaction. This inflammation reaction is called contact dermatitis.
The drug bentoquatam 5% is in a lotion form that is to be applied to the skin at least 15 minutes before exposure to poison ivy, oak, or sumac. The lotion hardens to form a clay-like coating that can be seen on the protected portions of skin. Bentoquatam is manufactured under the trade name IvyBlock.
This preventative agent can be helpful to people traveling through wilderness areas where poison ivy, oak, or sumac are prevalent. It should be especially beneficial to hikers, park rangers, fire fighters, and others who must encounter these toxic plants.
The lotion must be reapplied every four hours for continuous
protection. It is not to be used to treat the rash that has already
developed from poison ivy, oak, or sumac. It is not recommended for
children under the age of 6 years.
Top Searched Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac Terms:
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What causes the rash?
Poison ivy is a common cause of contact dermatitis, an allergic reaction to something that comes in direct contact with the skin. This condition can be quite unpleasant, but does not pose serious health risks. Prevention is better than treatment, but it's often hard to achieve.
Poison ivy is one of many plants that produce a resin called an urushiol that can cause an allergic rash. Related plants include the familiar poison oak and sumac, which are found in different geographical distributions. (Poison ivy is more common in the eastern U.S.
and poison oak in the southeast). The rash that each of these produce appears the same. In addition, the same urushiols are also found in the mango, cashew, and gingko trees. In the case of mangos, peeling the fruit prevents dermatitis. People who press the whole fruit, including the rind, against their skin can develop a severe reaction around the mouth. Those downwind from burning vegetation containing one of the offending plants can also develop widespread allergic reactions.
Identifying poison ivy
Although it is often recommended that people learn to recognize the poison ivy plant ("Leaves
of three, leave them be"), in practice, this is hard to do, since poison ivy and its relatives are often mixed in with other vegetation and not noticed until after the rash has begun. Keeping the skin covered in situations when exposure is hard to avoid is the best way to prevent the problem.
More than half the population can react to the poison ivy resin if they are exposed to it.
The poison ivy rash
The poison ivy rash usually starts one or two days after exposure, though the delay between contact and onset can be longer, up to several days. This may lead to confusion over where exposure took place. The first signs of the rash are curved lines of red, itchy bumps or blisters. These continue to appear for many days, depending on how much resin touched the skin at a given point. This makes it seem as though the rash is
"spreading," although the fluid in blisters is just part of the allergic reaction and contains no chemicals or bacteria. It also makes it appear that there may still be poison ivy in clothes and on pets. Although this is theoretically possible, repeated washing of these often produces no improvement.
Many references emphasize that animals can carry the poison ivy resin. No doubt this is true, but its practical significance may be limited. The first sign of poison ivy, after all, is usually a curved line. Unless your dog is shaped like a curved line, your poison ivy is more likely to have come from a stem or leaf which dragged against the skin, not from your pet.
Next: What is the treatment for poisoning from these plants? »
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Last Editorial Review: 5/16/2007
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