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These easy steps can prevent from itchy, oozing rashes.
Criminals
Like animals, many plants have defense systems to guard themselves. Some extract allergenic oils or juices. If you touch or brush against it, the contact triggers an allergic response that appears in two to 10 days as a red, swollen, itchy, blistered rash called allergic contact dermatitis. Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are probably the most well-known for causing this problem, but there's an extended list of other culprits, similar to tomato plant leaves and plenty of flowers, including marigolds, chrysanthemums, poinsettias, and Philodendron.
Other plants protect themselves with spines and thorns. Roses and cacti are best known for them, however the tiny spikes are on many common plants, similar to some mosses, palms, and blackberry and raspberry bushes. The rash that results from contact with these spikes is analogous to contact dermatitis, but involves small puncture wounds and known as mechanical irritant dermatitis.
Know your poisons.
Example: Susan Aveshai Poison ivy and poison oak (above) are either |
Treatment
Dr. Arndt says the allergic response will go away by itself in about 10 days, but you'll likely want relief from a burning, itchy feeling. To relieve symptoms, he recommends applying a cool compress after which patting your skin dry. He also prescribes topical steroids. “Hydrocortisone is available over the counter, but it has low potency,” says Dr. Arndt. He says probably the most powerful creams are prescription-only — clobetasol (Cormax, Timvet) and flucainonide (Lidex).
You might want to apply the creams a number of times a day until the rash clears up. Dr. Arndt says one of the best option to apply creams is to clean the affected skin, pat it dry, after which apply the cream while the skin remains to be damp. It can be higher absorbed this fashion.
Debunking the Poison Ivy Myth:1 Myth: Rash is contagious.Not true. It could seem unpleasant, but it should not spread to yourself or one other person, even once you see blisters. Myth 2: If you've gotten it once, you're immune.Not true. Once you get it, you will certainly get it again since you can be allergic to it. Myth 3: You can get it by respiration.Sometimes true. You won't inhale the toxins if you happen to walk by it, but you could have an allergic response if the plant is burning nearby and also you breathe within the fumes. |
Prevention
The easiest option to avoid certainly one of these fibers is to guard yourself once you're outdoors. This means wearing protective clothing — long sleeves and pants — when gardening or spending time near potentially poisonous plants. Dr. Arndt also recommends using a thick pair of labor gloves. “The best gloves are heavy enough that they don't break in easily, but flexible enough that you can work with them,” he says.
Once you're back in, you may as well be energetic. Use soap and water to clean your hands or any a part of your body that has come into contact with poisonous plants. “If you wash immediately, most of the plant oil will be reduced or removed,” says Dr. Arndt. “If you wait 10 to 15 minutes, half the oil will stop, if you wait an hour, none will come.”