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Here's one for all you gardeners…you know who you are…the folks that can't wait for the ground
to thaw so you can plant something. Well, nothing can put a damper on your gardening project than a brush with poison ivy or poison oak with its itching, swelling and blisters.
If you want to avoid this aggravation in the first place, learn to recognize and avoid poisonous
plants. Remember the time-honored warning: Leaves of three, let them be. Poison ivy grows low to the ground as a plant, brush or vine. Its oval leaves grow three to a stem and change color with the seasons. With poison oak-the leaves look like oak leaves and also grow three to a stem.
Another thing to keep in mind when it comes to avoiding these nasty rashes, wear long pants, long
sleeves, boots and gloves when you're going to be where you know poison ivy or poison oak likely grows.
Remember, the plants nearly invisible oil sticks to almost all surfaces and does not dry. So, don't let
your pets run through wooded areas since they may carry the oils home on their fur. Also, don't burn plants that look like these weeds-the residue from the burning oil in the air may injure your to skin, nasal passages and lungs.
If you think you've come into contact with poison ivy or poison oak, there are some simple steps to
follow.
Wash all exposed areas with cold running water as soon as you could reach a lake or garden
hose. If you can do this within five minutes, this may help prevent the oil from contacting your skin and spreading to other parts of your body. Wash you clothing with detergent. If you bring the clothes into your house be careful they do not contact furniture or rugs. Sooth the itching of mild rashes with cool showers and applying over the counter preparations like calamine lotion. Soaking in a lukewarm bath with an oatmeal or baking soda solution may ease itching and dry up any blisters.
If you start to develop an excessive amount of redness, itching, or inflammation, don't mess
around-contact with your doctor or a dermatologist. |
