Poison Ivy Season is Here

Now that summer's here more of us are spending time going for walks, tending to gardens and simply enjoying nature.

If you are outdoors and you notice what you think might be poison ivy it's important to remember the saying "Leaf of three, let it be."

Some people may confuse the Virginia creeper plant with poison ivy, but one of the differences between them is the number of leaves on their tendrils.

Once it comes into contact with your skin, remember that poison ivy can be very contagious and an infection can easily spread to other parts of your body. One can rub the urushiol oil from clothing to many parts of the body without realizing it.

Some of the ways to prevent poison ivy are:

1. Learn to identify poison ivy by studying photographs of it.
2. Wear long pants, gloves and long sleeves when mowing grass, pulling weeds or entering areas where contact with poison ivy is a possibility.
3. Apply a barrier cream such as "Ivy Block" one hour before going outside.
4. Don't touch your face or eyes with hands or gloves that may have come in contact with poison ivy.
5. Be careful around your pets if they have been running free and may have come in contact with poison ivy.
6. Wash affected skin immediately. It takes about 10 to 30 minutes after contact for urushiol to bind with skin, so immediate cleansing may prevent a reaction. If you think your skin may have been exposed to poison ivy, use rubbing alcohol on the affected area and then wash it off with cool water. This should be done while outside, and when you are finished proceed immediately to take a hot shower using plenty of soap. Scrub underneath fingernails thoroughly to wash off any remaining resin.
7. It has been found that applying jewelweed which is available in some health food stores or at local farmers markets, can help with the itching and healing process.
8. Marie's Soaps, a vendor at the , sells Jewelweed Salve described as "Nature's Cure For Poison Ivy." The market is open Sundays from 9am to 1pm, weekly, May through November, in Water Street Park, Hellertown.
9. In severe cases, consult with your doctor.