DEAR DR. GOTT: I’m going crazy itching! I live in the country and have been working in my flower beds trying to tame the overgrowth before fall sets in and I lose another growing season. I must tell you I am very allergic to poison ivy, of which there is an appreciable amount on my property, but also to woodbine that climbs through everything. It seems my reaction to the woodbine is, if it is at all possible, twice as bad as the poison ivy I’ve fought in the past.
I wear gloves and wash as soon as I get into my house but I’m covered from my wrists to my upper arms, down my legs and even on my torso. I wake up in the middle of the night scratching and I look like I have a rare and contagious disease. Help!
DEAR READER: Poison ivy is rather common in my section of the country and I am sure it is in other areas as well. When the plant oils come into contact with the skin, it can cause a painful, itchy rash that is actually a form of contact dermatitis. The reaction generally presents within 24 to 48 hours of exposure. Some individuals are so sensitive that they break out in as few as four hours. Their eyes can swell shut and blisters can form. Thus, you may go to bed feeling fine, only to awaken covered in a rash. Though the oozing, blistery rash looks contagious, it isn’t. Another individual cannot “catch” poison ivy or woodbine from you by touching the lesions.
Interestingly enough, a person may come into contact with an offending substance without any reaction at all; however, over time he or she may have less tolerance and may exhibit symptoms to include rash, itching, fever, blistering, and general skin irritation. While I don’t get either poison ivy or woodbine reactions myself, I’ve been led to believe over the years that if the oils are washed from one’s skin within 15 minutes, an individual will not have a reaction; however, I am now advised that the oils must be washed off almost immediately. This is not easy to do if a person is unaware of what an offending plant looks like, if they unknowingly come into contact with the oils while petting the family pet, or if they cannot get to soap and water quickly enough.
Poison ivy and poison oak have three leaves (thus the phrase leaves of three let it be). The rash actually results from the oil present on the leaves known as urushiol. Sumac has leaflets of five, seven or more. Woodbine, a/k/a. Virginia creeper is a perennial, native to the United States. It has five leaves or leaflets and a hairy looking stem that climbs over rocks and up trees and buildings, growing as high as 50 feet. The leaves are green in the summer and change to red/orange/burgundy in the fall. The sap in this plant contains oxalate crystals which can irritate the skin of some, but not all, individuals. I am unsure why you are more sensitive to this plant but you are.
One of the things we fail to consider is that we have pets. While you may make every effort to avoid the offending plants, your dog or cat can walk through your garden and come into contact with the plants. They then walk into your home, rub up against your leg when you feed it or show it affection and viola! – you’ve been exposed yet again.
There are numerous over-the-counter products available to reduce symptoms, to include Ivy Wash which is safe even for children, Benadryl, Derma Cool, Tecnu, calamine lotion, and others. Further, there are numerous home remedies to consider such as a rubbing alcohol wash that takes the urushiol oil off of skin. Extreme care must be taken not to use a washcloth or other fabric to apply the alcohol, as you will easily spread the oils over the body and cause further contamination; antiperspirants that contain organoclay plus aluminum chlorohydrate have been known to provide relief since both substances are effective in neutralizing urushiol; a small box of baking soda combined with 1 ½ cups of cornstarch in a bath has been reported to relieve symptoms if a person can soak in the combination solution for a half hour. Remember that aluminum salts from antiperspirants can be very irritating so they should not be used on the face or in folds of the body.
In cases where the exposure is excessive and OTC’s prove to be ineffective, it might be necessary to contact your physician for prescription medication, such as a short-term course of prednisone.
The bottom line is to avoid plants you know will cause a reaction and to be religious about spraying any exposed areas even before going out of doors. Then remove any clothing that may have brushed up against the plants, wash it separately, and scrub down with a brown soap or antibacterial for extra protection. In your case, the damage is done but it appears you must be more diligent in the future.
