The blisters form as part of your body's immune response to poison ivy and oak and are part of the healing process. The fluid from the blisters do not contain urushiol, the oil that causes poison ivy or oak rash, so scratching or breaking a blister will not cause the rash to spread.
The fluid that leaks from blisters does not spread the rash. Poison ivy dermatitis is not contagious and cannot be passed from person to person. However, urushiol can be carried under fingernails and on clothes; if another person comes in contact with the urushiol, he or she can develop poison ivy dermatitis.
However, in most cases, you can expect the rash to peak within 3-5 days after exposure. After that, the rash will gradually start to improve and should be completely gone within 2-3 weeks.
Treatment for unpopped blisters from poison ivy, oak, and sumac. Popping blisters is tempting, but it can lead to infection and scarring. The best thing you can do is leave them alone and loosely cover them with a bandage or clean cloth for protection.
Washing with a product like Tecnu Original or Tecnu Extreme will remove any urushiol oil, the rash-causing oil, that has not bonded to the skin. If the blisters do break, cover the area loosely with a sterile bandage protecting the wound from bacteria. In severe cases, you should always contact your doctor.
Keep things clean
After gardening or spending time outdoors in or near poison ivy, avoid touching your clothes with bare hands or letting them brush against your skin. Before removing your clothes, put on a pair of disposable rubber gloves. Place your clothes in a large plastic bag, then discard the gloves.
Repeat exposure to poison ivy can lead to sensitization and a lifelong allergy. With each contact the poison ivy allergic reaction can become worse, leading to increasingly severe dermatitis.
Most cases of poison ivy go away on their own in 1 to 3 weeks. After about a week, the blisters should start to dry up and the rash will begin to fade. Severe cases may last longer, have worse symptoms, and cover more of your body.
Washing your clothes in a reliable laundry detergent using thorough cleaning techniques will be sufficient in eliminating any stains left from poison ivy. Plus, Lysol may discolor or wear down the fabric on your clothes.
After coming into contact with these poison plants, showering rather than taking a bath is always recommended. As soothing as a nice, hot bath may sound, it can potentially make your rash worse. Upon submerging yourself in water, there is a chance that the oil on your skin can lift, and settle on top of the water.
Poison ivy rash
The rash is characterized by weeping blisters which often occur in a linear streak or patch. It may be accompanied by mild redness and swelling. Extreme itchiness is common. The rash usually occurs 1-3 days after exposure to the plant and typically lasts 2 weeks.
Myth 3: You can have poison ivy in bloodstream symptoms
The truth is that poison ivy cannot enter your bloodstream.
Poison Plant Rashes Aren't Contagious
Poison ivy and other poison plant rashes can't be spread from person to person. But it is possible to pick up the rash from plant oil that may have stuck to clothing, pets, garden tools, and other items that have come in contact with these plants.
Someone more sensitive to poison ivy can remove the urushiol within two hours and still avoid (or significantly reduce) a rash, while someone more resilient to the toxin can have a window as long as eight hours.
To eradicate poison oak and poison ivy chemically, use an herbicide that contains glyphosate, triclopyr, or a 3-way herbicide that contains 2,4-D amine, dicamba, and mecoprop.
If you've never had a rash from poison ivy, oak, or sumac, it can take 2 to 3 weeks before you see a rash. The skin itches intensely where the rash will appear. Shortly after your skin starts to itch, the rash appears. If you have blisters, they break open and leak fluid.
At night, the body's production of corticosteroids that reduce inflammation also slows down. It releases more cytokines at night, which increases inflammation. A combination of these two factors can make night itching worse.
While most allergic reactions to poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac are easily managed at home, you should call your healthcare provider right away if: The rash covers all or most of your body. You are unable to stop the itching or if it feels like all of your skin is itching.
Wash the affected items separately with ordinary laundry detergent at the highest recommended water temperature, for the longest cycle, and, if possible, on the largest load setting. Washing the items separately will prevent the poison from spreading to other garments.
Wash any clothes, shoes, toys, and garden tools that have been exposed – even the towel used after your child's shower. Unless you wash everything, the poison ivy oil can still make contact with your child and even you.
Serious complications from poison ivy are rare but can arise, which is why it's important to seek medical advice if the rash is widespread, if skin swelling continues and blisters ooze pus, if you are having difficulty breathing or develop a fever greater than 100F, or if the rash doesn't get better within a few weeks.