Treat Poison Oak Skin Rashes

If you have are suffering from a rash caused by poison oak, it is important that you treat it as soon as possible and learn how to minimize the itching that comes as a result of contact with the plant. Learning how do you treat poison oak is also a good thing to store in your mind, in case you need help one day.

Poison oak, contains a toxin called Urushiol which is often present on its leaves and stem. Upon contact with the skin, it causes an allergic reaction which is triggered as a response of your body's immune system. In some people, this reaction is mild, however other people have a hard time dealing with a strong reaction.

The symptoms of a poison oak rash are mainly itching, redness and blistering. Itching will start just a few hours after having contact with the plant, while the skin's appearance will start as a redness that will then form blisters. In severe cases these blisters can be enlarged and filled with an oozing substance.

Treating the rash is aimed mainly at helping you deal with the symptoms. Itching can be extremely uncomfortable and if you don't treat it, you'll have to endure the torture for about 2 weeks, which is the period skin usually needs to recover. To relieve itchiness, you can use Calamine lotion - found in most drugstores at a low price - or you can use compresses of cool water on the affected areas of your skin.

There are many home remedies on the Web, however, I would advise you to be extremely careful, as a lot of the advice on the Net is false and can lead to complications of your current condition. For example, I once read that rashes could be cured with hot water, and what this will lead to is inflammation of top of the skin rash.

If you are interested in this topic and want to get more information, here you can learn more about poison oak treatment and poison oak pictures.
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