Poison oak (Toxicodendron
diversilobum) is found in western Oregon
(west of the Cascade Crest) and can be either
a bush or climbing vine.
Rydberg's poison ivy (T. rydbergii)
frequents stream bottoms in eastern Oregon.
Both are found only below 4,000 feet
elevation. Both are members of the cashew
family and prefer sunshine, but can do
without; prefer drier soils, but can tolerate
wetter soils; and prefer disturbed ground,
but can live elsewhere. Although essentially
the same plant, the shape of the leaflets
differentiates poison oak and ivy.
Learning to identify the plants is the
single most effective thing you can do to
avoid later troubles. It is more than knowing
and heeding "leaflets of three, leave it
be," though it is a start. There can be
up to 11 compound leaflets. Know the plant by
leaf and plant shape.
The next thing to do is to dress properly
to avoid contact with the plant. Wear real
shoes, not open sandals. Wear long pants and
not shorts.
IvyBlock, a barrier cream, spread on the
skin before exposure, contains quaternium-18
bentonite, a chemical that bonds with
urushiol, so it cannot bond w/ the skin. The
cream prevents reaction 68% of the time and
reactions are likely to be less. However, it
cannot take place of prevention.
The poison in these poison plants is the
oil urushiol ("yoo-ROO-she-ol" or
"oo-ROO-she-ol") which flows
throughout the leaves, stems, roots and skin
of the berries, but not in the flowers,
pollen or dried leaves that have fallen
naturally from the plant. It is a very
powerful oil: two micrograms (about
two-millionth of two tablespoons) is enough
to cause a reaction in most humans. You
cannot be exposed through the air, though you
can by coming in contact with urushiol in
smoke and soot. You do not have to have
contact with the plant itself, but only with
things that have contacted the plant, such as
clothes (including those of others that you
are washing) or pets.
Only 15% of the population are truly
immune. Eating leaves or other such things
will not cause immunity. If you reach
adulthood with out a reaction, your chances
drop from 85% to 50%.
If you suspect that you have been exposed,
quick preventative actions can avoid
dermatitis (rash and blisters).
Urushiol starts to chemically bond with
the skin within five to ten minutes. However,
do not try to wash it off immediately if more
exposure is likely. Wait until you're out of
the woods as washing also removes good oils
on your skin that somewhat protect you from
urushiol.
The best treatment for exposure to
urushiol is rubbing alcohol (vinegar and
gasoline can also be used, the latter only if
nothing else available as it irritates the
skin), which is a solvent that neutralizes
the urushiol. If used within four hours of
exposure, it will leach urushiol out of the
skin. (Do not use rubbing alcohol after the
rash begins to appear, as it will just
further irritate already irritated the
skin.).
Drench a cloth in rubbing alcohol (would
gin work in a pinch?) and pass over the skin.
Then take a shower with copious amounts of
tepid water (hot water opens up the pores).
You can soap, but only with plenty of water;
otherwise you're moving the urushiol around.
Water does not dissolve urushiol, but it does
dilute it. The use of harsher soaps has no
more effect on urushiol than regular soap and
can irritate the skin.
Be sure to isolate exposed clothing until
they can be washed or risk re-contact with
urushiol. Regular washing does the trick.
If rashes and blisters do erupt, it is
often associated with oozing and weepy sores
and always with a pernicious itch. When
urushiol bonds with the skin, it is
chemically changed and no longer urushiol.
The urushiol-induced ooze is not contagious
to the oozer or others. The ooze is just
plasma and contains no urushiol.
Seventy-five per cent of cases can be
treated at home. Reach for the calamine to
dry weepy sores and reduce the itch. Do not
use Caladryl, as it contains the
antihistamine benadryl, which provides little
relief and can make you sensitive to
benadryl, perhaps causing allergic reactions
later when you really need the stuff.
Over-the-counter topical cortisone creams can
relieve itch.
Very hot showers often cause relief that
last for hours, as they draw histamines, the
cause of the itching, to and away from the
skin surface.
If you break out on large amounts of your
body, or your face or genitals, a trip to the
doctor is advised, where you'll probably be
given corticosteroids, which can have some
side effects.
While you are recovering, a very good book
to read is Nature's Revenge The Secrets of
Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac, and
Their Remedies, by Susan Carol Hauser.
Knowledge minimizes itching.
