Plant Rashes

Preventing Plant Rashes

Step one is to wash thoroughly — quickly. If you can wash within 10-30 minutes of exposure to the toxic plant oil (urushiol), you can help avoid the rash or prevent it from spreading. It is also important to wash your clothing, camping gear, or any other items that may have come into contact with the urushiol, as the oil may remain potent for years.

Learn to recognize and avoid plants that may cause rashes. If you find the plant growing in your yard, use gloves to pull it up by the roots, discard the plant carefully, and then then discard or wash the gloves. Do not burn the plants. When walking through wooded areas, wear long pants and long sleeves.

Remember, the plant rash itself is not contagious. The rash cannot be spread to other parts of your body or to another person simply by touching the inflammation or blisters. Plant rashes are solely the result of toxic plant oil coming into contact with the skin.

Treating plant rashes >