Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac Rash: How It Looks Like in Pictures and Treatment Options

A trip to the great outdoors can be refreshing — whether it’s going on a hike, setting out on a camping trip, or even just doing yard work on a sunny day. But poison ivy, oak, or sumac can hide just as easily in your backyard as it can deep in the woods. And even a light brush up against these plants can cause an intensely itchy rash days later. 

These plants contain urushiol, an oil most people are allergic to. Contact with this oil can lead to an itchy rash, which is actually a type of allergic reaction. Here’s how to recognize the early signs of a poison ivy, oak, and sumac rash — and what to do if it happens to you.

What does a poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac rash look like?

Recognizing a rash caused by these three plants can be tricky. And it doesn’t happen immediately after you’re exposed to the plant. It takes at least 4 hours for the rash to appear — and it can take as long as 2 to 3 days. 

Here’s what this rash can look like. As you can see, poison ivy, oak, and sumac rashes can range from mild streaks to widespread blistering rashes.   

An early poison ivy rash on the face with a faint pink linear rash.

Rash from poison ivy, oak, or sumac on the face can form violet streaks and patches.

Full-blown poison ivy, oak, or sumac rash with fluid-filled blisters.

A widespread poison ivy, oak, or sumac rash with red streaks and blisters.

Symptoms of a poison ivy, oak, or sumac rash

For some people, a poison ivy, oak, or sumac rash can be pretty uncomfortable. Others may not be as bothered by it. The symptoms caused by all three plants are similar. Here’s what to watch out for:  

• Intense itching is common, often before the rash appears.

• Raised, red, violet, or brown bumps and blisters are filled with clear fluid form.

• A rash in lines or streaky patterns appears where the plant touched the skin. The rash is often on the arms and legs where the skin was exposed.

• In rare cases there are black spots on the skin. This can happen when high levels of urushiol on the skin come into contact with air and undergo a chemical reaction (oxidation).

Another important note: When poison ivy, oak, or sumac burn, the smoke released contains the same irritating urushiol oil. Smoke from poison ivy can also cause: 

• Rashes on any exposed skin, often the face

• Rashes inside your nose and mouth

• Lung irritation and difficulty breathing 

If you’re exposed to smoke and find it hard to breathe or have had a serious allergic reaction in the past, get immediate medical attention. 

How does poison ivy, oak, or sumac spread?

Poison ivy, oak, or sumac spreads when your skin comes into contact with urushiol from the plant and reacts to it. That’s what causes the dermatitis rash. Urushiol can be on any part of the plant — even a dead, leafless branch or stem. And, urushiol can coat living creatures and inanimate objects, too. So in reality, anything that comes into contact with urushiol oil can spread it to a person’s skin. 

Put another way, even if you haven’t come into direct contact with a poison ivy or poison oak plant yourself, you may “catch” it from contaminated items, like clothing, pets, or garden tools.  

Similarly, if you have urushiol oil on your skin, you can transfer it to another person, who will then develop a rash. This makes it seem like you can “catch” the rash from someone else, even though that’s not exactly what’s going on. 

What do poison ivy, oak, and sumac plants look like? 

As the saying goes, “leaves of three, let it be.” Poison ivy leaves almost always come in groups of three, with the middle leaflet being bigger than the other two. This makes it different from other vines and shrubs. The leaves themselves are shiny and green. White flowers turn to cream-colored berries in the spring and summer, and leaves turn reddish in the fall. The shape of the individual leaflets can vary. 

Poison ivy usually has three leaflets. It can grow as a climbing vine or spread low through grass.

Poison oak can have three or more leaves per group that are more rounded.

Poison sumac is a shrub or small tree with dark green leaves on reddish branches. The leaves turn a bright orange-red in the fall. Hanging from the branches are light green-yellow flowers that turn into yellow berries. 

Treatments for poison ivy, oak, and sumac rashes

There are a couple of things you can do right away that may lessen the risk of developing a reaction:

• If you’ve been around poison ivy, oak, or sumac, set aside any objects and take off any clothing that may have come into contact with the plant. 

• Clean or wash these items with soap before you use them again (and put on gloves when you handle them).

• Immediately wash your skin with soap and rinse with water. Repeat this several times to make sure you remove all the oil. There are soaps marketed for poison ivy, but regular soap is also effective. 

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Once you wash off the oil, there’s no further risk of spreading the rash to other parts of your body or other people. If you do get a rash, there’s no special need to cover it after you’ve washed away the oil. Even fluid from blisters will not spread the rash. 

The main focus of treatment is to decrease itching. Scratching the rash can lead to infection. So not only does treatment help you feel better, it also helps prevent a skin infection. There are many at-home and over-the-counter (OTC) treatment options for poison ivy rashes. These include:

• Cold compresses

• Topical steroids, like hydrocortisone 1%

• Calamine lotion

• Baths with baking soda

• Oatmeal baths (you can make your own or buy an OTC colloidal oatmeal product) 

• Oral antihistamines, like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and cetirizine (Zyrtec)

The research isn’t as thorough on other treatments, like aloe vera, banana peels, or apple cider vinegar. And there’s no solid evidence to suggest they’re helpful. 

The rash should improve in a few weeks, even without treatment. For very severe rashes, a healthcare professional may prescribe a prescription-strength steroid cream or an oral steroid medication like prednisone.

When should you see a health professional for a poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac rash?

Some complications can develop with a rash from poison ivy, oak, or sumac. These include:

• Infection: Skin is vulnerable to bacteria and infection when there are breaks in the skin from blisters or scratching. Signs of a skin infection include fever, pus, worsening redness, pain, or swelling around the rash (concerning for cellulitis), or a yellowish crust over the rash (called impetigo). 

• Breathing problems: People exposed to the smoke from burning poison ivy can develop serious inflammation in the lungs and difficulty breathing. You should immediately see a healthcare professional for a poison ivy, oak, or sumac rash if you’re having difficulty breathing.

There are some other reasons to see a medical professional for your rash, too. For example:

• The rash involves a very large or very sensitive area of your body, like your eyes, mouth, or genitals.

• You can’t control the itching with OTC treatments.

• Your rash isn’t improving after 7 to 10 days.

How can you prevent exposure to poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac?

There are measures you can take to decrease your risk of exposure to poison ivy, oak, or sumac: 

• Learn to recognize what each of these plants look like and where they are commonly found. 

• Keep your skin covered. Wear long sleeves, long pants, boots, and even gloves if you think you may be around poison ivy, oak, or sumac.

• Wash any tools or clothing you think may have come into contact with poison ivy, oak, or sumac. Make sure to use soap and wear dishwashing gloves.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Fonda Jiang, MD

Dr. Fonda Jiang is a practicing allergist in Long Beach, California. At her current practice, Dr. Jiang is committed to working as a team with her adult and pediatric patients to diagnose and treat a wide range of allergic conditions.

Edited by:

Sophie Vergnaud, MD

Sophie Vergnaud, MD, is the Senior Medical Director for GoodRx Health. An experienced and dedicated pulmonologist and hospitalist, she spent a decade practicing and teaching clinical medicine at academic hospitals throughout London before transitioning to a career in health education and health technology.

Reviewed by:

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA, is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist who has practiced dermatology and dermatopathology for over 10 years across private practice, academic, and telehealth settings. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatopathology.

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