Rashes can be caused by many different culprits. They can come from allergic reactions to food, plants and skin conditions like eczema. So, if you’re dealing with an itchy, red rash, how can you know what caused it?

Our AFC Urgent Care Clemson team provides some answers below.

What Caused My Rash?

If you’ve been hiking or outside a lot lately, your rash was probably caused by contact with poison ivy, which is one of the most common culprits of summer rashes.

Poison ivy, as well as poison sumac and poison oak, contains a toxic oil called urushiol, which causes a swollen, itchy red rash to 85% of the American population! The rash typically appears between 12 and 72 hours after contact and lasts for around two to four weeks. We’ve listed some of its common symptoms below.

Common Poison Ivy Symptoms

• Small bumps that quickly turn into blisters where the plant oil touched the skin
• Severe itching
• Redness and swelling
• Blisters that break, ooze fluid and crust over.

Are There Ways to Treat Poison Ivy?

There are, and one of the best ways to speed up the healing of your itchy poison ivy rash is by not scratching it. Scratching your rash can cause infection and can lead to worse skin conditions like impetigo, which is a highly contagious skin infection.

Also, there are some home remedies that you can perform on your rash to reduce the itchiness and speed up the healing process, and we’ve listed them below!

At-Home Remedies for Poison Ivy Rash

• Application of cold. Soaking your rash in cool-water baths containing an oatmeal-based product should provide relief. Also, placing a cool, wet compress on the rash for 15 to 30 minutes several times a day should help.
• Cortisone and calamine. OTC cortisone creams and calamine lotion can help ease some of the itchiness of a poison ivy rash. Make sure to wash the rash with soap and water before applying and reapplying.
• Oral antihistamines. OTC antihistamines such as loratadine (Claritin) and diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can help ease your itching and inflammation, too. Don’t apply antihistamine creams to the rash, though, as these types of creams can actually make the rash worse.

Poison ivy is the worst! Don’t hesitate to visit our AFC Urgent Care Clemson center for the relief you need today.