Do I need to see a doctor if I come into contact with poison oak?
Poison oak rash is not a particularly serious ailment. It can look much more severe than it actually is, and most sufferers get through it without having to see a doctor. Although the rash can be unbearably itchy and quite painful, it is very unlikely to do any serious or long-lasting damage to your body. In the majority of cases, it will go away by itself in a few weeks. In the meantime, you can use topical medicines to help relieve the itching. There are lots of over-the-counter remedies to help ease the uncomfortable symptoms of poison oak.
Unless you are in a lot of pain or having an unexpected or unusual reaction to poison oak, you can give the rash a basic treatment by yourself without having to go to the doctor. Firstly, you should perform some damage control by ensuring that no urushiol (the oil found in and on poison oak, which causes the rash) remains on your skin or on anything that could transfer more on to your skin. Rubbing alcohol is effective in killing the oil, and medicine such as Tecnu is useful for the elimination of urushiol. Apply it to skin and also to gardening tools or other objects that might have been exposed to poison oak. You can remove the oil from your clothes by soaking them in Tecnu before washing them, and you should also wipe down your pets' fur with the solution, rinsing it off after allowing a few minutes for it to work. By thoroughly cleaning yourself and everything around you, you're reducing the risk of further exposure to poison oak, which is one of the most common reasons for continued outbreaks, leading to many unnecessary trips to doctors when people become concerned about rashes that mysteriously keep reappearing.
After treating the rash with an appropriate chemical solution, you can use natural remedies or topical medicines to give relief from the itching and discomfort. Calamine lotion is popular with poison oak sufferers, as it cools and soothes itchy skin. Oral antihistamines can also work – however, you should not apply a topical antihistamine to a poison oak rash. This can actually make things worse, as it can cause an allergic reaction in your already inflamed skin. If you have already applied a topical antihistamine to your poison oak rash, you should call your doctor to ask advice before you take any further action.
Although treating the poison oak rash at home is perfectly fine in the majority of cases, you should still see a doctor immediately if you think that any of the urushiol oil has gotten into your eyes or mouth. This includes inhalation of the fumes produced by burning poison oak – you should never, ever destroy poison oak by burning it, as the smoke is extremely toxic and very harmful if breathed in. If you have done this, go to the doctor at once.
If you have been dealing with an ordinary poison oak rash by yourself but it doesn't seem to be going away after a few weeks, grows worse, won't stop spreading (despite your elimination of the source), or breaks out in blisters and oozing sores, getting the advice of your doctor is recommended.
Return to Poison Oak Guide Home Page