Like most parents you probably worry, about what your kids are doing when they are playing outside. Something that you might worry is them coming in contact with poison ivy plant. It is important that your kids recognize an ivy plant and stay away from it, so they won’t develop a rash or blisters. Most people are immune to this plant, but it is better to avoid the plant, then to try and find out if you are immune to it.

You have probably heard the phrase ‘Leaves of three, let it be.’ Yes the poison ivy plant comes in leaves of three, but not all plants with three leaves together are poison ivy. Things to look for, in order to identify the plant are: in a poison ivy, the 3 leaves are divided, with the middle leave being longer and on its own longer stalk. You will also notice an erect shrub or climbing vine. If you see plants like this and suspect it could be a poison, ivy then stay away from it and do not come in contact with it.

Do not try to take out the plant especially not with a weed eater. Doing so will cause the oils from the plant to get on your clothes or legs and even shoes. This oil is what contains the toxins that leave you with rashes and blisters. Trying to burn the plant will also have the oils being carried away with the smoke, causing you to come in contact with it. Best method out there is to spray it with herbicide. Be careful not to spray a lot, as the liquid can drip out of the leafs.

If you do come into contact with this plant, remove any article of clothing you were wearing including your shoes. Next you should rub alcohol on the skin that came in contact with it. Rinsing with cold water should immediately follow. Avoid rinsing with hot water, as this will open up your pores, and permitting the oil to get into your skin. Do not wash with soap until after you have rinsed off, you do not want the oil to get onto the soap, thus leaving you spreading the poison onto the rest of your body. Carefully wash your fingernails to get rid of any of it that might of gotten under there. If you wash properly within the first 5-10 minutes, chances are you will avoid a rash.

Oils from this plant that land on your clothes can stay on there for up to a year. Make sure to thoroughly wash all the clothes you had on the time you came in contact with it. You should also wash anything that came in contact with the plant including your pets.

It is important to wash the affected area properly and keep watching for symptoms. This include red and itchy skin. You can also see these red areas start forming into bumps or blisters.

To treat a rash, you can take cold showers and also apply cold compresses. Rubbing ice cubes on the affected area can also give temporarily relief. Applying topical liquids or lotions on the rashes can bring relief as well. A rash will typically last about a week and last up to three weeks.

If you come in contact with a poison ivy plant, and you were immune, do not assume this will always be the case. Your body will change through out the years as you get older. You can also lose immunity each time you come in contact with it. You should learn characteristics of this plant so you can recognize it. Also get rid of it the proper way to avoid getting it on yourself.

Searching all over for tips to avoid and treat poison ivy? Get the ultimate inside skinny on top Poison Ivy Cures in our Cure for Poison Ivy overview.