Poison Ivy and Poison Oak share the same component called Urushiol which is found in the plant resins. This component is a toxin that is found in the surface of the leaves and stems of the plant. Contact with any part of the plant will lead to the development of the rash – which is an allergic reaction to Urushiol.
As an allergic reaction, it is understandable why not everyone who comes in contact with the plant develop the rash. Those people are few, around 1 out of 4 people, and their immunity will wear off over time after continued exposure. On the other hand the more allergic you are to the toxin, the worse the outbreak will get.
Learning how to prevent poison oak and poison ivy is obviously extremely important. You need to wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts, the more covered you are the better. Still, there may be some cases where you accidentally touch a poison oak plant; in these cases you need to act quickly and wash the affected area to eliminate all traces of Urushiol. If you act within 10 minutes, you may have higher chances of avoiding the rash.
In the same way, prevent your children to touch this plant by teaching them about the rash and showing them how to recognize poison ivy or poison oak.
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