If you’re a Facebook user, chances are you’ve seen a post like this in your feed, “Hey y’all, can you look at this picture of my kid’s arm and tell me if this is poison ivy rash or eczema?” The post includes a photo of a rash that looks like it belongs in a science textbook or at the emergency room.
Yikes! No need to post to your social media page. We’re talking about poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac rashes. Hopefully, today you’ll be able to tell the difference between poison ivy rash and other types of skin irritation.
What are Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac?
Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac are three plants native to North America that can cause severe skin irritation. Many are familiar with the unpleasant rashes but don’t know about the plants.
Clearly, we’re not horticulture experts at Integrity Urgent Care, but because poison ivy and related plants are among the most common summer skin irritants, learning to avoid the plants themselves is the first step to rash prevention. Unfortunately, poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac all grow in Texas – so our patients need to know how to identify poison ivy and its friends.
Identify Poison Ivy Plant
Poison ivy is a plant that grows in climates across the continent. It can grow as both a shrub and a vine. It’s found in pastures, home landscapes, woodlands, fields and farms. It can wind up structures using its roots when growing in vine form. You may have heard the saying, “leaves of three, let it be,” which is true for poison ivy. To identify poison ivy, look for clusters of three leaves. Some poison ivy plants also produce small, waxy white fruit.
