Poison Ivy: Important To Identify And Heal
When playing outside, or wherever you are outdoors, its important to avoid coming in contact with a poison ivy plant. Learn ways to identify this plant so that you can avoid it should you see it. If you come in contact you can develop a rash or even blisters. Most people will be immune to this plant, however avoiding it is better than trying to see if you are immune or not.
Does the phrase 'Leaves of three, let it be' sound familiar? You probably used this as the method, to recognize this plant. While its true that it does have three leaves, many other plants have three leaves together. Some other characteristics to look for are, the middle leave is bigger and is on its own longer stalk. Erect shrubs and a climbing vine will also be found on this plant.
Your instinct will probably be to try and weed it out. Using the weed eater, can have the oils of the plant sprayed all over you, thus doing what you were trying to avoid. If you try to burn it, you the oils can also be carried through the smoke, leaving you to also come in contact with the oils that cause the rashes. You should spray it with a herbicide. Do not spray too much causing the liquid to drip out of the leafs, or spreading the herbicide to other plants.
If you touch the plant or come in contact with it, make sure you remove all clothing you were wearing, including shoes. You should rub alcohol in the skin that was affected. Proceed to rinse with cold water instead of hot. Hot water will only cause the skin on your pores to open up and permitting the oils to go through under your skin. Do not use soap, until after you have rinsed well, the oils on your skin can get on the soap and then you can end up spreading it on your body. Properly wash under your fingernails to ensure there is nothing left under there. If you do wash properly within the first 5-10 minutes you can avoid getting a rash.
Oils from this plant that land on your clothes can stay on there for up to a year. Make sure to thoroughly wash all the clothes you had on the time you came in contact with it. You should also wash anything that came in contact with the plant including your pets.
If you came in contact with it, even after you have washed the area properly, make sure you keep an eye out for symptoms, which can happen within the next 48 hours. Your skin can become red and itchy. They will form into patches. The red areas can become bumps or even blisters.
To treat a rash, you can take cold showers and also apply cold compresses. Rubbing ice cubes on the affected area can also give temporarily relief. Applying topical liquids or lotions on the rashes can bring relief as well. A rash will typically last about a week and last up to three weeks.
If you come in contact with a poison ivy plant, and you were immune, do not assume this will always be the case. Your body will change through out the years as you get older. You can also lose immunity each time you come in contact with it. You should learn characteristics of this plant so you can recognize it. Also get rid of it the proper way to avoid getting it on yourself.
Searching all over for tips to avoid and treat poison ivy? Get the ultimate inside scoop on top Poison Ivy Cures in our Cure for Poison Ivy guide.
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