Before you go outside, apply ONGARD® Skin Protectant to your hands and any other exposed skin that could touch the leaves on any poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac plant. If you stay outside, you should re-apply ONGARD® every four hours. If you touch any of those plants, be sure to wash off the sap from those plants with soap and water, and then dry your skin with a disposable paper towel.

ONGARD® needs to be applied every four hours. The reason is that the skin sloughs off skin particles after about four hours so any protectant should be re-applied every four hours.

Yes you can. Most animals have a protective skin that is immune to the urushiol oil in poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. The urushiol oil can remain on the surface of your pet’s fur or skin and when a human hand touches the animal, the urushiol oil can transfer to you.

Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are plants that can cause a skin rash called allergic contact dermatitis upon contact. The red, uncomfortable, and itchy rash often shows up in lines or streaks and is marked by fluid-filled bumps (blisters) or large raised areas (hives). It is the most common skin problem caused by contact with plants (plant dermatitis).

No. Rubbing a rash won't spread it to other parts of your body or to another person. The only way to spread it is if the plant's rash-causing oil, urushiol, is on hands or clothing. Always rinse skin thoroughly with plain, cool water and wash clothing and garden tools with hot, soapy water. And don't forget to wash Fluffy or Fido's fur, too, since pet fur can be a means of indirect contact with the irritant. It's best to contact your veterinarian about any specific concerns.

It all boils down to the skin’s reaction to a nasty little oil called urushiol—say “ooh-roo-she-all”. Urushiol is actually a toxic, resinous type substance that is found in all parts of the plants of poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. When urushiol gets on the skin it binds with the skin within 10-20 minutes. At that point the urushiol becomes extremely difficult, if not impossible, to get off the skin with soap and water.

A great first step is to actually get to know what the plants look like out in nature. After becoming familiar you can work to avoid the plants. If you think or know you’ve come in contact with the toxic plants, use Tecnu Extreme Poison Ivy Scrub to remove the urushiol from the skin before the rash starts.

Ivy leaf is made up of 3 divisions or leaflets (leaves divided into leaflets are called compound leaves.) The compound leaves are borne in an alternative arrangement on the stem (leaves attached singly rather than paired or whorled). The middle leaflet is pointed and is usually slightly longer than the other two. The appearance of the leaflets varies widely from plant to plant. Leaflet size ranges anywhere from 1?-4 inches. Leaves can appear dull, shiny, lobed, unlobed, toothed, or toothless.

Poison oak, poison ivy, poison sumac and other members of the Rhus family grow in all portions of the North American continent (except Nevada, Alaska, and Hawaii) at elevations below 4,000 feet with a rainfall above eight inches per year.

The rash is caused by contact with an oil (urushiol) found in poison ivy, oak, or sumac. Urushiol is an allergen, so the rash is actually an allergic reaction to the oil in these plants. Indirect contact with urushiol can also cause the rash. This may happen when you touch clothing, pet fur, sporting gear, gardening tools, or other objects that have come in contact with one of these plants.

The best way to prevent the rash is to learn to identify and avoid the plants. When contact with the plants is unavoidable, heavy clothing (long pants, long-sleeved shirt, and vinyl gloves) and barrier creams or lotions may provide some protection.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, up to 50 million people get the rash each year. However, not everyone will get the rash. Expert opinion varies slightly as to how many people are immune to getting the rash. The estimates vary and suggest that between 3% and 15% of the population is immune to urushiol. However, even those immune people may get the rash if exposed to the plants enough.

Efforts have been made to destroy these plants by uprooting them or by spraying them with chemicals. But poison ivy and poison oak are so common that such methods have not been very effective in eliminating them. Contact with the plants should be avoided.

Tecnu Extreme gets to the root of the problem by first working to remove the rash causing toxin urushiol from the skin. Even after the urushiol has attached itself to the skin, Tecnu Extreme can remove it. If a person removes the urushiol in time, the rash can actually be avoided. Simply squeeze a marble sized amount of Tecnu Extreme into the palm of your hand. Add a slight amount of water and gently rub Tecnu Extreme over skin that has been exposed the poison plants then rinse off with water.

A:I've had Poison Oak numerous times, but never Poison Ivy. My sources tell me Poison Oak is a bit worse. A:There are only two kinds of people: Those who get Poison Oak, and those who are going to get it. In other words, though there are those who are immune to Poison Oak, their immunity does wear off with repeated exposure. Contrary to popular belief, the more you are exposed to poison oak, the worse the rash gets.

The itching, redness, and swelling associated with contact with poison ivy is due to the body's response to the oil, urushiol. This oil is by itself somewhat harmless, but the human body responds in such a way as to attack the dermal layer in which the urushiol is bound. This attack upon the dermal layers is what causes the itching, swelling, and redness.

We have a close relative of poison-ivy, called poison-oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum). If you are going to spend time in any wild places in southern California or northern Baja California (except in the deserts), it is very important that you learn to recognize this plant. It is a common component of the natural vegetation in coastal canyons, foothill chaparral, and forest systems throughout the region.

There is no cure for the poison oak or poison ivy rash once it begins, only relief of the symptoms. Avoid further contact with the plant oil if possible. Be sure to wash the area with Tecnu® Outdoor Skin Cleanser or Tecnu Extreme™ Poison Ivy Scrub. Clean your tools, clothing and pets that have been exposed to the poison oak, ivy or sumac with Tecnu to avoid recontamination from the urushiol oil.

Mild cases of poison oak or poison ivy can last five to 12 days. More severe cases can last 30 days or longer.

The best way to deal with Poison Ivy is to first properly identify it. In the spring Poison Ivy emerges as small red leaves. Soon it matures into a bright green leaf made up of 3 leaflets. It appears as a low shrub or climbing vine. In the spring and early summer you can try to control new poison ivy growth by spraying it with a non-selective herbicide containing glyphosate. These can be found at your local garden center or hardware store.

Theoretically, desensitization or allergy shots to poison ivy can be accomplished; however, practically it cannot be done. It has been tried in the past, and the side effects have been too great to warrant widespread use. Thus, at the present time, there is no available desensitization program for poison ivy or poison oak.

No, the poison oil remains toxic and does not evaporate. All parts of living or dead poison ivy, oak and sumac plants, including the roots, contain the urushiol oil. Be especially careful of dead poison oak and poison ivy vines on firewood and leafless vines in the winter.

No, there are no poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac or any climbing plants in our area due to the cold climate.

No. Zanfel actually removes the toxin, urushiol oil, from the skin after contact has been made with the plant. There is no need to use it until you are certain you contacted the plant or when swelling and itching begin. In this way, you avoid wasting the product. Even if you use barrier or preventive creams, they may not always be effective and they do not shield your clothing. Oil on your clothing may contaminate you when you undress.

Per Erica G., "there is poison ivy on the island, but I've never actually seen it. I know its there, however, because my sister got it all over her arms up there once several years ago. It isn't very common though. My dad said there never used to be any up there when he was little. Some hiker must have tracked it in on their equipment or clothing."

Poison ivy is not controlled under the basic lawn care program. It may need a professional round up burn depending on the area and the amount of poison ivy present. We would have a manager inspect the area and give his recommendation for removal. To learn more about poison ivy, click here for another informative article.