Poison Oak 101

[Aronius]

I saw the post about Poison Oak and noticed there were random posts about dealing with the problems but no consistant recommendations. By no means am I a Poison Oak expert, but in elementry school I got it so bad I had it from head to toe and I was out of school for a week. Needless to say since than I have known exactly what it looks like and think it would be helpful for anyone who is willing to listen to learn from my mistakes. Chances are, if you geocache then you've been around it, in it or are about to be exposed to it. Keep in mind this is only a lesson for poison oak. I have never seen poison ivy or any other similar plant....just poison oak. So let's get started:

 

What is poison oak?

 

It is a shrub that secreets an oil that a moderate amount of the human population is allergic to. It causes and itchy rash lasting 3 to 10 days and has a tendency to wheep in some cases.

 

Where does it grow?

 

Poison Oak can grow almost anywhere in altitudes under about 3800'. Poison oak most commonly grows in the foothill woodland belts but can be found in the valley and in the lower pine belts.

 

What does it look like? (Identification)

 

Spring/Summer- Poison oak starts to thrive in the early spring growing leaves shiny with the oil of the plant that is poisonous to humans. The leaves turn dark green by mid summer.

 

***The leaves are similar to the ones found on the Valley Oak, which are lobed on the edges and grow on a cluster at the end of the branch. Poison oak leaves are also lobed and grow in clusters of 3 on the end of the stems.***

 

The difference is that poison oak is a shrub the Valley Oak is a tree, and poison oak leaves are very glossy in appearance due to the oil on the leaves. By late summer to fall the leaves turn a beautiful red, orange, and yellow. At the height of its bloom the poison oak plant has red barries that are usually found at the end of stems and branches. The flower that precedes the berries have tiny white pedals.

 

Fall/Winter- In the fall the leaves fall off of the stems to the ground and the plant becomes dormant. Until spring the plant consists of a cluster of brown stalks sticking up from in between rocks, next to any path...just about anywhere. Sometimes you'll find left over dried berries still clinging to the stalks. I've seen dormant stalks sticking up through the leaves of other plants also...so be aware of your environment at all times.

 

When is poison oak "poisonous"?

 

ALWAYS!!!!

 

Poison Oak will give you a rash year round. Don't be fooled and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Though the rash usually not as extreme in the winter it still poses a hazard to anyone who touches the stalks. In the summer the oil is all over every leaf on the plant if your allergic and you touch it...you WILL get it. Also be careful of the dead leaves in the fall there is usually some oil remaining on those leaves as well.

 

What happens when you "get" poison oak?

 

A rash breaks out in 1/2 to 2 days on the exposed parts of your body which will usually subside in about a week after the rash begins. In extreme cases the oil causes blisters which wheep for a few days until your body can conquere the rash and heal.

 

Is someone who has poison oak contageous?

 

No. Not unless they have the oil on their skin and they wipe it on you. The rash and blisters do not contain the oil that causes the allergic reaction.

 

How do I prevent getting it?

 

Stay away from the plant. Identification is the absolute best way to keep from getting poison oak. If you can't avoid getting the oil on your skin go home immediately after you are exposed and take a cool to cold shower, washing from head to toe with soap. The reason for a cool shower is that taking a warm shower opens your pores and sweat glads allowing the oil to enter your skin. I recommend scrubbing with just your hands...no brushes. The less you irritate your skin the better. The goal is to just get the oil off your body...so start at your head and work down. In my experience I usually had about an 1 to 1 1/2 hours to shower before a rash was inevetable. This method won't always prevent a rash but it will reduce the severity in most cases.

 

How do I treat it?

 

There are some over the counter remedies like Technu and similar brands. Technu claims it will help after you've been exposed but it really is designed to be applied prior to exposure. I have found that a cortazone shot is the best remedy. It will usually cause the rash to begin drying up in a few days, accelerating the healing process. As for the "itch"...I've used Aveeno in the bath, or cortazone cream, aloe vera, and calamine(sp?) lotion topically, all of which have worked well for me.

 

Is there anything else to consider?

 

Always. If you have poison oak on your skin you have it on your clothes. After you shower DO NOT touch your clothes again until they are washed( throw them in the washer before you get in the shower). After you have washed your clothes, put the washer through another rinse cycle to wash the oil out of the washer. If you brought your dog with you, your dog has the oil all over it's coat. Either wash the dog before you shower ar buy some rubber gloves and wear them when you wash that dadgum mut. Or the 3rd option, which isn't one for me....Leave the dog at home. If you can't get to a shower, I've been know to jump in the creek and rinse off there until I can get into a shower. If you bring your kids be sure to keep an extra close eye on them...if your not careful, the next thing you know your kids suckin' on a poison oak twig. If the rash becomes severe always consider a visit to the ER...it's better to be safe than sorry.

 

Everybody has different ways to deal with the whole poison oak issue...sometimes it takes a little trial and error to figure it out. Do what works for you.

 

Please keep in mind that I am writing this information out of my own experience and out of the goodness of my heart. I am not a poison oak expert and do not claim that any of this is information is fact or that you should do what I do/did. I claim no responsiblity for your choices or actions. Use common sense while venturing outdoors.

 

Farewell Mother Hips....for now.

[+Marky]

I have a very odd reaction to poison oak. It seems that no matter where I come in contact with it, I only break out in a slight rash around my ankles. It could be that I am only mildy allergic and this is a systemic reaction. Or it could be that trail dust contains enough oil to go through my socks and infect me. Either way, it's not all that bothersome. I still try to avoid it when ever possible just to be safe.

 

--Marky

"Everyone spends time in the darkness, dreamers learn to steer with a backlit GPSr"

[Aronius]

Quote from Marky:

" I still try to avoid it when ever possible just to be safe."

 

I usually try to point it out to others also. This way they can positively ID it while they are out. The sooner people figure it out the less suffering they will have to deal with. When I first started to seriously research it I went to a few outdoor type stores in town and no one could give me a consistant description of the plant. This was the days before the internet too, so that wasn't a possibility. I finally took a couple of books out to the park with me until I had a good grasp on what it looked like. Then I learned everything I possibly could on it.

 

Farewell Mother Hips....for now.

[+GeoCraig]

I am current working on my second case of poison oak in 3 weeks. Just as the first case was calming down I started breaking out with the second case. The bad part is that I never even saw the stuff. I think I may have been exposed to the bare canes--I certainly didn't see any leaves.

 

The doc put me on an oral steroid--methylprednisolone. You take 6 pills the first day, then 5 the second, etc. It really seems to help, especially with this second outbreak.

[Aronius]

GeoCraig,

 

Ot probably also helps that your body is also building up an immunity to the Poison Oak each time you get it. I've heard of people gettign Poison Oak as a child and by their adulthood are completely immune to it. I'll see if I can post a photo for you guys...visual aids are always a good thing.

 

Aronius

 

Farewell Mother Hips....for now.

[Aronius]

My bad my english is so bad some times!!!!!

 

Quote:

 

"I've heard of people gettign Poison Oak as a child and by their adulthood are completely immune to it."

 

Gotten...Gotten!!!!!! Man I need to go back to school. Let's try again...

 

I've heard of people WHO REACT TO Poison Oak as a child and by their adulthood are completely immune to it.

 

I'm edu-ma-cated...I swear!!!!

 

Aronius

 

Farewell Mother Hips....for now.

[Aronius]

OK folks...Did a little browsing on the net and I found a site. Go to the Pictures link...it has some good pics during different seasons. I noticed the site also has a link to a product called Oral Ivy which is suppose to increase your immunity to Poison Oak by adding drops of this stuff into a glass of water and drinking it. Have fun!!!!! Tell me what you think.

 

Farewell Mother Hips....for now.

[Aronius]

Sorry forgot the site(man, I'm blowing it today).

 

http://poisonivy.aesir.com/

 

Hasta!!

 

Farewell Mother Hips....for now.

[GPSCache]

I believe that Poison Oak is a lot like Poison Ivy.

The greatest feeling perhaps in all the world with a Poison Oak rash is putting it under running warm-hot water..

I recently combated some last month. It was minor, although after numerious bouts, I've come up with a great technique for handling it.

First off, the oozing is great-it saturates bandages or clothes or anything you put over it.. normally.. Last time I got it-last month, I covered the oozing rash areas with paper towels wadded up, then covered the paper towel entirely with DUCT TAPE! The duct tape held great-even under water. It was also didn't allow oozing-thus spreading.. also I could actually scratch the tape with it got itchy enough and it would hurt the wound as much as being bare.

But the best thing I've ever done happened last time-not just the DUCT TAPE and that was HONEY!!

I covered the wound in honey. Read on the web about the antibacterial effects of honey. The honey kept it moist, and it healed in a few days. IT WAS AMAZING HOW WELL HONEY WORKED!!!

 

1) I put the honey on the wound (rash).

2) I put several layers of paper towel over it.

3) I put duct tape over the paper towel and on the skin around the towel to hold it still

[GPSCache]

The above post was a bit unclear..

Itching the tape IS better since the wound WASN'T hurt as bad with the tape.