Plant exposure may also be one common source of skin rashes. Aside from the poison ivy, the poison oak emits urushiol, an oily irritant of the plant. Skin conditions may arise upon contact of skin with the poison oak’s leaves, branches, stems, and roots.

The poisonous chemical of the oak traps the skin’s proteins within 20 minutes after direct contact with the plant. The urushiol produces rashes 75% out of people who are exposed to poisonous oak. The rash may appear in an hour after contact or may occur three to five days later.

The term poison oak is often associated with shrub-like types of poison ivy and to at least other related plants that are typically deemed separate class of the cashew plants, Anacardiaceae.

The poison oak, originally from southeastern United States, has its leaves partitioned into three parts; the leaflets are thickly haired and usually have three to seven different lobes. It is generally shrubby and can climb up to 2.4 m (8 ft) high. All species of poison oak hold dangerous oils that are said to be matching or closely associated to that originating from poison ivy.

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Signs and Symptoms

Manifestation of the rash starts of with itching and swelling of the skin, coupled with the redness and inflammation of tiny pimples. Blisters then develop and grow in a chain-like response. When the blisters break, a clear fluid oozes out of the skin. The exposed fluid then solidifies into a yellowish layer. If no treatment is made on the rash, it will last from three to five weeks because of the histamine reaction.

After the initial signs of the rash, systemic reactions may become visible as reappearance of rashes which will continue for another number of weeks. Permanent scarring may result as a consequence in severe cases.

The recurrence of rashes can happen from handling, cutting, or pulling some parts of the plants particularly the stem. The stem holds enough oil to cause infection more than thousands of people. When the contact is centered at a particular spot, the urushiol is likely to be absorbed rapidly by the body. Revealing an open wound, even an insect bite, to the plant permits the poisonous oil to enter directly the blood system of the body.

Treatment

To date, there have been little developments on the cure for the poison oak rash once it starts, only aid to alleviate the symptoms. Again, avoidance from the rash, particularly direct contact with the plant, is the best remedy possible.

Once the rash begins, wash the affected area with available outdoor skin cleansers, which helps remove any allergenic oils, available in pharmacies. This allows the natural healing of the skin without possibilities of further contamination.

Over-the-counter anti-itch medications which contain active ingredients like zinc acetate, hydrocortisone, and zinc oxide can help minimize pain, itching, swelling and oozing caused by the poison oak. When symptoms still persist, doctors may prescribe antihistamine creams, lotions, or tablets.