How to get rid of poison oak

Poison oak, poison ivy and poison sumac all have the same toxin called urushiol. When people come into contact with poison oak they may not notice anything at first. Sometimes the rash manifests itself hours after the contact and sometimes even 14 days may pass before the first signs occur. When the rash occurs, it will develop over a period of days. People should know that pain caused by poison oak is not that small a matter. Another thing people should know that there is no remedy that will cure it overnight. The best thing to do is to treat the symptoms. Itching caused by poison oak can lead to some infections and even scars.

Ways to get rid of poison oak

The first thing a person can do to prevent the rash is to wash the place where he or she made contact with poison oak right after the contact was made. Warm water and anti-bacterial soap should be enough to do the trick. A person should wash all the places he or she came in contact with poison oak, even under the fingernails. Alcohol can be applied as well because it parts the poison from the skin. In addition to this, a person will need to wash the clothes as well. Footwear should be washed too.

People are also advised to use soothing lotions like Calamine or aloe vera. These lotions should be applied directly on the rash. Calamine is probably a better option because it contains some anti-itching ingredients and is an antiseptic as well. After the rash has become a crust, it is the right time to use aloe vera. Other topical treatments people use for poison oak are Sarna and Aveeno Anti-itch cream with natural colloidal oatmeal.

A good thing to use in this case is an ice pack. A person should simply place the pack on the rash and hold it for 20 minutes. This should be done a couple of times per day. Even there is no explanation why the milk helps, it does so a person should use that as well. Antihistamine pills will also help. They will ease the itching and help the person fall asleep more easily. Another thing people should remember is to be patient because poison oak rash takes time to heal.

Medical poison oak treatments

Usually there is no need for a person to go to the hospital and he or she can solve this problem using home remedies. However, if the toxin gets into the eyes or mouth or a person has problems breathing, then it is time to go and see a doctor.