Once the bright red leaves drop in late October, poison ivy looks like nothing - a hairy brown vine on a tree, a thin gray stick in a brush pile. The oil that causes the rash, urushiol, is in every part of the plant year-round. November rashes are almost always from cleanup: dragging brush, bucking firewood, or pulling a vine off a fence without realizing what it is.
What it looks and feels like
- Streaky or patchy red rash on the forearms, wrists, or face, showing up 1 to 3 days after the work.
- Small blisters that weep, then crust; the rash itself is not contagious to other people.
- Itch peaks around days 4 to 7 and can keep you up at night without help.
What to do right now
- Wash skin and tools within two hours of suspected exposure with cool water and a degreasing soap or a dedicated poison ivy wash.
- Run gloves, fleece, and jacket cuffs through a hot wash separately - urushiol clings to fabric.
- For the rash: cool compresses, calamine during the day, 1% hydrocortisone for the worst patches.
- Burning brush is the one thing not to do - urushiol travels in the smoke and can cause serious airway reactions.
- If the rash covers a large area, hits the face or genitals, or keeps spreading after a week, see a clinician for prescription steroids.
Local note
On Delmarva, poison ivy loves fence lines, ditch banks, and the base of mature pines. The hairy 'bear-arm' vines climbing oaks in Sussex and Wicomico County woods are the classic ones - assume any furry brown vine is poison ivy until proven otherwise.
Leaves down does not mean guard down. See you in December.
Related product guides
Other recent issues
Get Delmarva Itch Alerts
Seasonal itch warnings, practical prevention tips, and calm relief guidance for bites, poison ivy, beach itch, stings, heat rash, dry skin, and allergy-related itch across Delmarva.
- Seasonal itch warnings before the rough weeks hit
- Practical prevention for bites, poison ivy, beach itch, stings, heat rash, and dry skin
- Calm relief guidance you can act on right away