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What is Poison Ivy?
Home » Climbing » Poison Ivy » What is Poison Ivy?Poison Ivy is a red, itchy rash caused by the plant that bears its name. You might have gotten it before like many others, by hiking or working in a garden. You “catch” Poison Ivy when any part of your skin comes in contact with the plant’s leaves, roots, or stems.
You may have a Poison Ivy rash is you notice red lines or blisters on your skin. It is often also very itchy. This rash is formed by a chemical that dwells in the sap of Poison Ivy plants known as urushiol. It is this chemical that triggers an allergic reaction in oak and sumac plants. Poison Ivy, also known as Toxicodendron radican, is in the same family as poison oak and poison sumac.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, about 85 percent of people are allergic to the urushiol in Poison Ivy. It is a rash that is so easy to catch because the tiniest particle of the substance can cause an allergic reaction. But if you haven’t caught the rash yet, be careful not to boast that your not allergic- many people develop a rash after their first exposure. And for some, it may take up to ten days for the rash to emerge for the first time.
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