A poison sumac is a deciduous, woody shrub. It is usually found in wet
and swampy areas. Some of them can be found on hardwood and pinewood
forests.
What is a poison sumac rash? It is an allergic reaction caused by direct contact with the oil of a poison sumac plant. The allergic reaction caused by poison sumac is similar to that of the poison ivy and poison oak. (1, 2, and 3)
What is a poison sumac rash? It is an allergic reaction caused by direct contact with the oil of a poison sumac plant. The allergic reaction caused by poison sumac is similar to that of the poison ivy and poison oak. (1, 2, and 3)
Poison sumac Rash Pictures
picture 1: A severe allergic reaction to poison sumac.
image source: www.healthline.com
images source: poison-ivy-oak-sumac.com
picture 3: A poison sumac plant.
image source: www.poison-ivy.org
image source: southwestsunshineherbal.com
image source: i.pinimg.com
image source: naturesnurtureblog.com
What does poison sumac rash look like?
Urushiol is the poisonous substance present in poison sumac. If any parts of the plant are bruised or damaged, it will release a poisonous oil called urushiol. If it gets in contact with the skin it will trigger an allergic reaction.
Poison sumac rash characteristics include itching, redness of the skin, swelling, burning sensation, and watery blisters. The rash appears 8 to 48 hours after exposure to poison sumac. The rashes can last for a few weeks. On a lighter note, poison sumac rash is not contagious. (3, 4, and 5)
Poison sumac rash characteristics include itching, redness of the skin, swelling, burning sensation, and watery blisters. The rash appears 8 to 48 hours after exposure to poison sumac. The rashes can last for a few weeks. On a lighter note, poison sumac rash is not contagious. (3, 4, and 5)
Poison sumac rash treatment
What should you do if you are exposed to poison sumac? The most important thing to do is to immediately remove the oil from your skin. To do so, you need to thoroughly wash your skin with soap and water.
Make sure you use cold water. Using warm water can spread the oil to other parts of the skin. As with the poison sumac rash, there is nothing you can do to make the rash go away. You need to patiently wait for the symptoms to subside on their own.
To somehow ease the discomfort, there are over the counter products that might help such as hydrocortisone creams, antihistamine, and calamine lotions. One of the natural remedies for poison sumac rash is an oatmeal bath. It relieves itching and alleviates discomfort. (4, 5, 6, and 7)
Make sure you use cold water. Using warm water can spread the oil to other parts of the skin. As with the poison sumac rash, there is nothing you can do to make the rash go away. You need to patiently wait for the symptoms to subside on their own.
To somehow ease the discomfort, there are over the counter products that might help such as hydrocortisone creams, antihistamine, and calamine lotions. One of the natural remedies for poison sumac rash is an oatmeal bath. It relieves itching and alleviates discomfort. (4, 5, 6, and 7)
When should you seek medical help?
If the poison sumac rash affects nearly half of your body or if you have a high fever, then you should immediately contact your doctor. The doctor will prescribe drugs that can help reduce the fever and alleviate inflammation.
If you can't help scratching the rashes and you feel like the rashes are infected, then all the more you need to see your doctor for an antibiotic prescription. Some people may experience severe allergic reaction such as swelling of the face and difficulty breathing.
If this happens to you, you need to immediately go to the nearest hospital. It is a life-threatening condition that warrants immediate medical attention. (2, 5, 6, and 7)
If you can't help scratching the rashes and you feel like the rashes are infected, then all the more you need to see your doctor for an antibiotic prescription. Some people may experience severe allergic reaction such as swelling of the face and difficulty breathing.
If this happens to you, you need to immediately go to the nearest hospital. It is a life-threatening condition that warrants immediate medical attention. (2, 5, 6, and 7)
References
- https://www.healthline.com/health/outdoor-health/poison-sumac#treatment5
- https://www.webmd.com/allergies/ss/slideshow-poison-plants
- https://www.medicinenet.com/image-collection/rash_from_poisonous_plants_picture/picture.htm
- https://healthosphere.com/poison-sumac-rash/
- https://www.medicinenet.com/poison_ivy_oak_and_sumac/article.htm
- https://draxe.com/poison-oak-rash/
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/239238-home-remedies-for-poison-sumac/
