Being allergic to poison ivy is extremely common with most people experiencing rashes whenever they touch poison ivy, oak, or sumac. As such, most people assume that everyone's allergic to poison ivy; but the truth is, not everyone is adversely reactive to this plant.
Is Everyone Allergic to Poison Ivy?
According to WebMD, only about 15% of Americans aren't allergic to poison ivy and those that are allergic to it are most likely allergic to poison sumac and poison oak as well. As such, all three plants have urushiol, the plant oil that triggers a rash.
However, Healthline notes that there's no way for people to become completely immune to urushiol effects. According to Tec Labs, there are people who believe they're immune due to them not having rashes at all.
As noted by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), some symptoms of allergy to poison ivy include difficulty of swallowing or breathing. Allergic reactions can result in fever and rashes on most parts of a person's body.
Penn State Hershey dermatologist, Dr. David Adams, says he doesn't believe how poison ivy has grown more prevalent and stronger as of late. Adams says that brushing poison ivy leaves won't cause an allergic reaction and that the leaves, stem, or root need to actually break.
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Treatment for Poison Ivy
AAD reports that in order to treat the rash, people need to rinse their skin with soapy, lukewarm water immediately. Should the oil not come off, it could possibly spread further as other people touch the affected area of the body.
It's also important to wash the clothes the person was wearing when they experienced the allergic reaction. This is due to the oil's ability to stick on a person's clothing; and if the portion with the urushiol touches the skin, it could cause another reaction.
Those experiencing rashes or itchiness should also not scratch the affected area since it could cause further irritation. Should the allergic reaction cause blisters, they shouldn't be removed, touched, or scratched further.
Other forms of treatment include calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream and cool compresses. As long as a person isn't allergic, they can also consider taking antihistamine pills.
Should the rash become more severe, doctors could prescribe oral steroids.
Myths About Poison Ivy
As noted by PBS North Carolina, people can't develop immunity to poison ivy by eating their leaves. This is something that can cause potential harm.
However, urushiol itself isn't toxic or poisonous; and since a person's system won't recognize urushiol, only the exposed skin will be attacked. So far, scientists are still working on a poison ivy vaccine.
Poison ivy, oak, and sumac are difficult to identify due to their changing colors depending on the seasons. Poison ivy has red leaves in the spring but turns green in summer. During fall, the plant's leaves turn yellow, gold, and red.
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