Poison Ivy in Delmarva

• Red, streaky, linear rash where leaves brushed skin - often on forearms, calves, or the back of the hand.
• Itch that builds 12–48 hours after exposure and peaks around days 2–5.
• Small clear blisters that may weep; the fluid inside is not contagious and does not spread the rash.
• New patches over the next week usually mean the oil was still on a fingernail, sleeve, or tool - not the rash spreading from itself.
• Mild swelling around the eyes or face if the oil was carried up by hand.

On the Peninsula, the plant grows in three habits - a low ground cover, a small shrub, and a thick hairy vine that climbs old loblollies. The leaves come in threes, with the center leaflet on a longer stem than the two side leaflets. In fall they turn red; in winter the bare vines still carry oil.

• Trail edges at Trap Pond, Killens Pond, Cape Henlopen, and Assateague - vines climb pines right next to the path.
• Yard edges and fence lines, especially where mowing stops and brush takes over.
• Brush clearing and storm cleanup - bare winter vines still carry the oil.
• Marsh and ditch edges, where vines twine through phragmites and bayberry.
• Work gloves, boot laces, leashes, and tool handles that touched the plant earlier in the day or week.
• Dogs and cats that walked through a patch and brought oil home on their fur.

1. 1Stop touching other skin, clothing, or surfaces. The oil transfers on contact for hours.
2. 2Get to cool running water within 30 minutes if you can. Wash exposed skin with a degreasing soap or a dedicated urushiol wash. Lather, rinse, repeat twice.
3. 3Scrub under and around fingernails - that's where most missed oil hides.
4. 4Change clothes carefully, handling the outside of the fabric only, and bag them until you can wash.
5. 5Apply 1% hydrocortisone or pramoxine to itchy areas. Use cool compresses for 10–15 minutes whenever the urge to scratch peaks.
6. 6Take an oral antihistamine at night if itch is interfering with sleep.

Urushiol - the oil that causes the rash - is sticky, invisible, and stable for a long time. Most "rashes that keep spreading" are actually new exposures from a contaminated sleeve, glove, or shoelace. Clean everything that was within reach.

Most poison ivy rashes resolve at home in one to three weeks. A short list of warning signs means you should stop self-treating and contact a clinician.

• Rash on the face, eyes, mouth, or genitals.
• Rash covering more than about a quarter of your body.
• Severe swelling, fever, or trouble breathing - call 911.
• Signs of infection: spreading warmth, pus, red streaks, or worsening pain after several days.
• Rash from burning brush or yard debris (smoke can cause an internal reaction).

• Learn the three-leaf shape in every season - bare winter vines are still active.
• Wear long sleeves, long pants, and gloves for fence-line, dune, or brush work.
• Treat work clothes as contaminated until washed; bag them on the way to the laundry.
• Keep a barrier lotion (bentoquatam) in your yard kit and apply 15 minutes before brush work.
• Never burn brush that might contain poison ivy - the smoke carries urushiol into your lungs.
• Check pets after walks through trail edges or marsh - bathe them if they brushed a vine.
• Wipe down tool handles with rubbing alcohol after any clearing job.

• Poison ivy, oak, and sumac- American Academy of Dermatology
• Outsmarting poison ivy and other poisonous plants- FDA
• Poisonous plants - fast facts- CDC / NIOSH
• Toxicodendron radicans range and identification- USDA Plants Database
• Maryland field plant identification guides- University of Maryland Extension