How Long Does a Poison Ivy Rash Take to Heal?

Key takeaways:

Poison ivy rash stages include itching and redness, a raised bumpy rash and blisters, and then crusting of the blisters.
It can take up to 3 weeks for poison ivy rash to heal completely.
Poison ivy rash spreads when the oil from the plant leaf touches more skin. But the rash itself isn’t contagious.

You had a great time hiking in the woods, but now you’re feeling itchy. And you start to see a raised red rash show up on your skin. These are classic signs of poison ivy.

Most cases of poison ivy will heal completely within a couple of weeks. But there are a few stages of poison ivy rash to get through first. Here’s how poison ivy spreads and what the stages of poison ivy rash look like.

What are the stages of a poison ivy rash?

Poison ivy rashes follow a predictable pattern. Let’s look at the typical stages of poison ivy rash with pictures.

1. Itching and redness

The first symptom of poison ivy is intense itching in the spot where the rash will eventually appear. Soon after the itching starts, the skin starts to become red in fair skin or violet or brown in darker skin tones. The change in skin color often shows up in lines or streaks where the plant brushed up against skin.

If you’ve had poison ivy rash in the past and you come into contact with the plant again, symptoms of poison ivy rash can start within a few hours. But if it’s your first time getting poison ivy, it can take a few days or even weeks for itchiness and redness to appear.

A close-up look at a cheek with a faint line caused by poison ivy, sumac, or oak.

A faint rash caused by poison ivy, sumac, or oak starts to appear on a person’s cheek.

A close-up look at lines and streaks that appear during the early stages of a poison ivy rash.

Lines and streaks appear during the early stages of a poison ivy rash.

2. Raised rash and blisters

Next, that area of discolored skin will develop raised bumps. These may look:

Pink
Red
Violet
Brown

You’ll also notice fluid-filled blisters starting to form. The blisters may break open and ooze clear fluid.

This is usually the most severe stage of a poison ivy rash. Blisters and bumps start to form within 1 to 2 days of when the redness and itchiness start. The bumps and blisters can continue to form over the next 7 to 10 days.

A close-up look of blisters that develop in a poison ivy rash.

Poison ivy can develop into blisters.

A close-up look at a leg with blisters from poison ivy.

Larger blisters can be seen in poison ivy.

3. Crusting

Crusting is the last stage of a poison ivy rash. Blisters will slowly start to dry out and crust over. Bumps start to disappear and the rash becomes less itchy.

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Blisters won’t all go away at the same time. Instead, you’ll notice them slowly fading over several days. It can take up to a week for all the blisters to fade once they’ve crusted over.

Altogether, it can take up to 3 weeks for a poison ivy rash to go away without treatment. After the rash heals, people with a darker skin tone may have dark patches (called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation). These can take months to fade.

As poison ivy heals, some areas will start to crust over.

Hyperpigmentation caused by poison ivy can take months to fade.

How long does it take for poison ivy to stop spreading?

It depends.

How can you get rid of a poison ivy rash fast?

There’s no way to get rid of a poison ivy rash immediately. But there are plenty of home remedies for poison ivy rash that can help relieve symptoms fast, including:

Calamine lotion
Cold compresses
Oatmeal baths
Hydrocortisone cream
Burow’s solution

Severe cases of poison ivy can be treated with prescription steroids, which help stop itching within 1 to 2 days. You’d have to take steroids for 2 weeks to avoid a “rebound rash” after stopping the medicine.

When should you get care for poison ivy?

Most cases of poison ivy rash can be treated at home. But sometimes, prescription medication is needed. Get medical care if you have signs of severe poison ivy rash, like:

Rash on your face or genitals
Rash covering 25% or more of your skin
Fever
Worsening rash, even with over-the-counter (OTC) treatment or home remedies
Signs of a skin infection like pus, swelling, and pain
Difficulty breathing

Frequently asked questions

No, there’s no way to immediately get rid of a poison ivy rash. The rash can take about 3 weeks to completely go away. But if you’ve recently come into contact with a poison ivy plant, there’s a chance you can wash off the oil before it causes a rash.

Yes, poison ivy rash will go away on its own. But symptoms can be intense. Home remedies can relieve most symptoms, but there are times when you’ll need to get medical attention. Watch for signs of a skin infection, including pus, swelling, pain, or fever.

People experience poison ivy rash differently, but the blister stage can be the most severe and uncomfortable. Blisters and bumps can show up a day or two after the itchiness and redness start. This stage can last for 7 to 10 days.

Scratching a poison ivy rash won’t make the rash spread to other parts of your body — unless you still have oil on your skin. Even so, don’t scratch the rash, as this can damage your skin and make you more likely to get an infection.

There are remedies that can help when you get the urge to scratch. To relieve symptoms, consider trying:

Calamine lotion
Hydrocortisone cream
An oatmeal bath
A cold compress

The bottom line

Poison ivy rash can start a few hours after exposure to oil from the poison ivy plant leaf. Poison ivy rash goes through the same stages for everyone. These stages are: itching and redness, a raised rash and blisters, and crusting. This process can take up to 3 weeks. But home remedies can help relieve symptoms faster. Severe cases may need treatment with prescription steroids.

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Written by:

Christine Giordano, MD

Christine Giordano, MD, is board-certified in general internal medicine. She received her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and completed residency at Thomas Jefferson University.

Edited by:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Reviewed by:

Mandy Armitage, MD

Mandy Armitage, MD, has combined clinical medicine with her passion for education and content development for many years. She served as medical director for the health technology companies HealthLoop (now Get Well) and Doximity.

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