Camping Guide Poison Ivy vs Poison Oak vs Poison Sumac - hopperstock.com
                     Camping Guide: Poison Ivy vs Poison Oak vs Poison Sumac - 
hopperstock.com
• When summer approaches, many people get out of their 
homes and engage in outdoor activities like camping and 
hiking. If you are one of them, make sure you be careful while 
hiking or camping. Aside from other risks, you may get rashes 
from poison sumac, poison oak or poison ivy while walking 
through woods.
• Rashes caused by these plants may cause skin itchiness and 
irritation. Therefore, you need to recognize the symptoms to 
find out which plant caused the rashes. This way you can take 
the right steps to deal with the problem.
• So, what’s the difference between poison ivy and poison 
oak? While all plants look quite similar in the woods, but 
some species are quite dangerous and may cause skin 
irritation. All of the three plants mentioned above have 
one thing in common: urushiol. This oil is the liquid that 
causes skin rashes. Let’s find out the difference between 
poison sumac, poison oak, and poison ivy and the steps 
you can take in order to be on the safe side.
• Poison Ivy: This plant can be found across the United 
States except for Hawaii, Alaska and some areas of the 
West coast. Typically, while camping, these plants can be 
seen growing on a shrub or vine. The leaves of poison ivy 
are glossy and three spoon-shaped. The edges of the 
leaves can be either tooth-like or smooth.
• Based on the season, the leaves tend to change colors. For instance, their 
leaf color is yellow/orange in Autumn, green in summer and red in spring.
• Poison Oak: Just like Poison Ivy, Poison Oak can be found across the US 
but it’s more common in the Western United States. However, you may 
have to struggle to find it in the Midwest region. Given below are some 
poison oak images.
Facts to Keep in Mind
• The rashes may or may not appear after your first 
contact with any of the plants
• A rash may appear on the area of contact post a few 
hours, days or weeks
• The rashes don’t spread from one person to another
• You may get rashes from anything that has urushiol on 
it, such as your clothing, garden tools, pets, and other 
stuff. You need to wash the oil off with water to remove 
it or it won’t go away.
• If your blisters break, don’t worry as the liquid in the 
blisters is not urushiol and won’t spread rashes.
Preventive Measures
• Watch out for the three plants when you are out in the 
woods on a camping trip
• If you need to work around poison ivy, make sure you put 
on long pants, long sleeves, and gloves. After you are 
done, don’t forget to wash your gloves and garden tools.
• If your pets have come into contact with poison ivy or 
other similar plants, use water and pet shampoo to wash 
them. Although these poisonous plants are not dangerous 
for pets, the oil may stick to them and when you touch 
your pets, you may get rashes.
• If you come in contact with poison ivy or other similar 
plants, make sure you wash your skin as soon as possible.
Treatment Tips
If blisters appear on your skin, don’t make the mistake of scratching them. The 
bacteria under your nails may cause bacterial infection. You can use the 
following tips to relieve the itch:
• Soak in cool water or use wet compresses
• Consult your physician and take oral corticosteroids or topic steroids
Consult a Medical Professional
If the problem gets worse during camping, you might want to get in touch with a 
medical professional right away. This is even more important if you have the following 
symptoms:
• High fever
• Push, tenderness or yellow scabs on the rash
• Worse itching
So, this was a description of the difference between poison ivy, poison oak, and poison 
sumac. If you follow the preventive measures describes in this article, you will be safe 
during your camping trip. In case you end up with rashes after coming into contact with 
a poisonous plant, follow the treatment tips and consult your doctor.
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