Poison Ivy - Oak - Sumac Rash

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First Aid

1. The skin should be washed thoroughly with soap and warm water as soon as possible. Because the resin enters skin quickly, try to wash it off within 30 minutes. A product called Tecnu, available in camping stores and some pharmacies, is very effective at removing the oils.
2. Scrub under the fingernails with a brush to prevent the resin from spreading to other parts of the body by touching or scratching.
3. Wash clothing and shoes with soap and hot water. Resin can linger on these surfaces.
4. Promptly bathe animals to remove the oils from their fur.
5. Body heat and sweating can aggravate the itching. Stay cool and apply cool compresses to your skin.
6. Calamine lotion and topical hydrocortisone cream can be applied to the skin to reduce itching and blistering. Bathing in tepid water with one cup of Aveeno oatmeal per tub may also soothe itchy skin. Aluminum acetate (Domeboro solution) soaks can also be helpful to dry the rash and reduce the itching.
7. If creams, lotions, or bathing do not stop the itching, antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) may be helpful.
8. In cases of severe or extensive rash, especially around the face or genitals, your physician may prescribe oral or injected steroids.