Is a Poison Ivy Rash Contagious?

Via http://www.dermtv.com - Developing a rash from poison ivy surely puts a damper on your summer fun. But how does that rash find its way to body parts that never came in contact with that pesky plant? Is the rash contagious? Can you spread it to your friends? Dr. Schultz will get to the truth about poison ivy.

Transcription:

People ask me, can they spread poison ivy on themselves or to the people around them , and the short answer is, no you can't. When you catch poison ivy, it's because you've touched the plant, you've broken the leaf, and the oils from inside the leaf get on your hand, and with your hand, you touch yourself, you touch other places, and that's how you've put the poison ivy on you. But once you wash yourself that day, you've washed off those oils from the plant and you can't spread it any longer. However, all of the spots you touched that day before you washed yourself will develop the rash for the poision ivy, but each successive spot has less oil, takes longer to come out, and that's why you see the poison ivy coming out over a period of almost ten days. But you're not spreading it on yourself. It's already happened before you got washed.

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• Poison Ivy
• Itchy Rash
• Contact Dermatitis
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• Skincare
• Skin Care
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• DermTV
• Dr. Schultz
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• Dermatology
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[iluvbabies17]

I have poison ivy right now..it is the size of a softball and warm to the touch...it is really red..i am about to loose my head! What can I do..I have put medicine on it but it doesnt wor!

[dermTVdotcom]

@iluvbabies17 It is most unusual for "poison ivy" to be "the size of a soft ball". I suggest you see a doctor immediately or go to the hospital immediately to be properly evaluated and treated.

[Seattlekid8]

this really helped, i got poison ivy 2 days ago...hope it clears soon.

[dermTVdotcom]

I'm glad that it helped!

[sawbonesadams]

Sasquatch Itch Cream is da bomb! nothing freakin helped me but that! Go sasquatch!

[LiLJohn71088]

ok so the poison bumps why when i itch them the keep spreading, I wasnt even in the WOODS an got the shit from a wall.....

[Smiley7229]

@sexychipmunks101 same here i just wanna cut my poison ivy off too!!

[sexychipmunks101]

I have poison ivy I swear it itches so bad I want to get a knife and cut my fuckin skin offf ahhhh it itches like a bitch

[maximusTLP]

damn it, i spread all over my body! its killing me!

[combatvetlawstudent]

@iluvbabies17 WHEN I FIRST GOT IT BEFORE I GOT THE MORE EXPENSIVE PRODCUT I GOT CALAMINE AND PUT THE STOP ITCHINGPOWEDER A FEW MINUTES AFTER CALAMINE DRIES. YOU SHOULD STOP SEEING NEW SORES SHOS UP WITHING 5 DAYS

[righttodd]

Thats a relief now im gonna kick all my friends butts for ignoring me on my birthday cause I had poison ivy rash :(~