MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Poison ivy is a poisonous three leafed plant that causes an itchy skin rash — if you don’t know what it looks like, you might not realize you’ve been exposed until five to six days after when a red inflamed rash pops up.
Premier ER and Urgent Care in Woodway sees two to three poison ivy cases a day during the summertime.
Dr. Jason Bryant says avoidance and knowing what poison ivy looks like is the key to staying safe being outside.
“If we get it in sensitive places like on your face or in your eyes, you’re going to need steroids — for the most part you can topically treat it with steroids or Benadryl for the itch," Dr. Bryant said.
Dr. Bryant says a steroid shot is a good way to help heal the itch quicker — he also says that anywhere you get the plant oil on the skin, it could potentially be transferred to other places on the body, or to other people.
One way to prevent this is by cleaning off the affected area with soap and water.
