Is Poison Ivy Contagious?
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Views: 30,123
Published: Nov 13 2009
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Video Description:
Itch, itch, scratch, scratch. This is our vision of having poison ivy, so it's no surprise that if you see someone with the tell-tale rash, that you might want to stay away. But is poision ivy really contagious?
Expert:
Dr. Constantine Hatzis
Category:
Health Myths/Diseases
Tags:
Health Myth, Poison Ivy, Contagious, Poison Ivy Rash, Poison Ivy Contagious, Urushiol Oil, Poison Ivy Spreading, Rash
Transcript:
Contrary to popular belief, the nasty rash that comes from contact with Poison Ivy is NOT contagious. It may APPEAR to spread since the Poison Ivy rash develops sequentially. Scratching may also APPEAR to spread it, but in reality, you CANNOT spread the Poison Ivy rash to YOURSELF or OTHERS. ONLY the area that came into contact with the plant will be affected. Someone with the rash is not contagious because the plant oil has already been absorbed into the skin. They’re ONLY contagious if this oil has NOT YET penetrated the skin. A common way to get poison ivy is to touch something that has recently come in contact with the rash-causing urushiol oil, like: gardening gloves or tools, or petting a dog that was running around in the woods. Word to the wise: it’s key to treat poison ivy as soon as possible, as that can significantly lessen the severity and duration of the rash.
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