Is poison ivy contagious?

Poison Ivy and Its Effect

Poison ivy is a plant which has an oil which is potentially harmful for us as it can trigger allergic reactions on our skin. Obviously, the plant uses this oil for self-protection. Once we get in contact with the vine, the leaves or the root of this plant, we get exposed to the oil, which penetrates our skin, triggering the allergic reaction in 75% of cases. As far as the reaction is concerned, there are rashes, unbearable itchiness which only gets worse after scratching and many other negative symptoms. This is why people need to treat the exposed area as soon as possible and avoid poison ivy initially. However, there are those who think that once a person has been exposed to this plant and its dangerous oil, he/she can trigger the same reaction in other people, thinking that the exposure itself can be contagious. There is truth to this theory as well. Cases of contagious nature of poison ivy exposure will be listed below.

Is Poison Ivy Contagious?

No one wants to be affected by poison ivy. Thus, noone wants to be near the people who have been affected by the troublesome plant. This is not without a sensible reason. Basically, if the oil from the poison ivy remains on a surface of someone's skin or clothes it can affect other people through physical contact with it. So, even if you were not in the woods, but use the gloves or clothes of an individual who had been in contact with the above mentioned plant, you may get affected as well. All in all, you are safe as long as you do not get in contact with the urushiol, being the contagious resin from the poison ivy itself.

Know that, once you get exposed to poison ivy passively, you will still suffer from the same side-effects. Moreover, if you have any open wounds, the allergic reaction will spread faster and have a greater effect. Usually, if not treated, this allergy can evolve into rashes and blisters, which cause pain, discomfort and numerous other hardships. So, stay away from any gadgets, clothes or other things which had contact with the plant, the harmful oil may still be there on the surface of these items. Also, do not burn poison ivy, since the fumes may trigger the allergic reaction too.

Finally, humans are no match to this plant and there is no better way to be safe from it than to stay away from it completely.