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Contact Dermatitis
These lectures are not meant to replace your physician and are simply provided as
a free educational service to all our visitors. If you feel that you have a
skin problem, please see your doctor.
Contact dermatitis due to plants is a common allergic skin condition that is
caused by developing an allergy to an oil in the leaves of certain plants. The
common plants which cause this are well known as POISON IVY, POISON OAK AND
POISON SUMAC. Not all persons can develop this allergy. Thus, if two
individuals are exposed to the leaves of these plants, only the one who is
allergic to it can get the rash.
After exposure, a period of time elapses before the rash appears. This is
usually 8 to 72 hours. When the rash appears depends on how much of the oil got
onto your skin, and how allergic you are to the oil. If a skin area got a lot
of the oil on it, it will break out first, and areas with less oil exposure
break out several days later.
WASHING THE AREA WITH STRONG LAUNDRY SOAP OR THE USE OF OTHER CHEMICAL
APPLICATIONS AFTER EXPOSURE DOES NOT STOP THE RASH FROM APPEARING IN AN
ALLERGIC PERSON. IN FACT, IF THE SKIN WAS IRRITATED BY THESE MATERIALS, IT CAN
OFTEN MAKE THE CONDITION WORSE.
The rash often appears in the form of linear streaks and blotches which are red
and itch. The skin can be very swollen and water blisters may form. With more
severe reactions, the skin may actually ooze and weep a clear fluid.
THIS CONDITION IS NOT CONTAGIOUS. THE CLEAR FLUID THAT COMES OUT OF THE RASH
WILL NOT SPREAD THE RASH TO OTHER AREAS OF YOUR SKIN OR TO OTHER PEOPLE. YOU
CANNOT GET THIS RASH FROM TOUCHING ANY PART OF IT. IF NEW AREAS APPEAR, THESE
MAY REPRESENT AREAS WHERE SMALLER AMOUNTS OF THE OIL CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE
SKIN AT THE TIME OF INITIAL EXPOSURE OR YOU ARE STILL COMING INTO CONTACT WITH
THE PLANT OIL FROM A HIDDEN SOURCE.
For that reason you MUST wash all clothing worn at the time of exposure which
may still have some of the plant oil on it. Washing can be done with any
washing agent in your washer. The clothes can be safely mixed into any load of
clothes which did not have the oil on them. This will inactivate the oil and
prevent it from causing another area to break out. Shoes may be wiped off with
alcohol. Any garden tools, sports or camping equipment used at the time of
exposure MUST also be washed.
You MUST also avoid contact with other sources of the allergic material that
causes this rash. The same material is also found in INDIA INK, JAPANESE
LACQUER, THE OIL OF THE CASHEW NUT AND IN MANGOES.
Dogs and cats, when they get any of the allergic materials on their coats, do
not get the rash themselves. However, they can rub the material onto the skin
of people and cause the rash! You MUST prevent your pet from going to areas
where the allergic materials reside.
Anytime severe itching persists, use a product that is formulated in a
soothing, emollient base, such as Sarna Lotion. Sarna Lotion is an excellent
anti-itch lotion that will provide immdediate relief of itchy skin. Sarna
contains 0.5% each of camphor and menthol to provide the immediate sensation of
a cool anti-itch lotion. In those conditions that are characterized by chronic
and recurrent itchy skin, Sarna Lotion provides the relief to calm the
irritating and antagonizing symptom of itch.
For more on Common Skin Disorders,
click here.
For more topics, click here.
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