Poison Oak - Information on Poison Oak

Poison Oak Information

Poison Oak is basically a skin disease typical to youth, but it may occur to the people at any age. Poison oak also forms dense thickets in chaparral and coastal sage scrub, particularly in central and northern California. It regenerates readily after disturbances such as fire and the clearing of land. Rocky Mountain poison oak (Toxicodendron rydbergii) occurs in canyons throughout the western United States and Canada.

Poison oak is one of the species of the posinous plant which is North America , usually as a small bush but sometimes as a climbing vine. Its leaves are smooth-edged and cluster in groups of 3, 5, or 7. Poison oak is a widespread deciduous shrub throughout mountains and valleys of California, generally below 5,000 feet elevation. In shady canyons and riparian habitats it commonly grows as a climbing vine with aerial (adventitious) roots that adhere to the trunks of oaks and sycamores.

We have provided you here all symptoms, causes and treatment methods of Poison Oak.

Causes of Poison Oak

Causes of posion oak is just by coming in contact with the posinous plant "urushiol" in any way or touching clothing or other objects that have contacted the plants, exposure to the smoke of burning plants or touching clothing or other objects that have contacted the plants

Treatment of Poison Oak

Methods For Treating Poison Oak are :

• Firstly wash out the all exposed ares with cold running water
• Hydrocortisone cream will certainly help relieve the itching
• Wash your clothing in a washing machine with detergent. If you bring the clothes into your house, be careful that you do not transfer the urushiol to rugs or furniture. You may also dry clean contaminated clothes. Because urushiol can remain active for months, wash camping, sporting, fishing, or hunting gear that was in contact with the oil.
• Relieve the itching of mild rashes by taking cool showers and applying over-the-counter preparations like calamine lotion or Burow's solution. Soaking in a lukewarm bath with an oatmeal or baking soda solution may also ease itching and dry oozing blisters.