Our Poison Ivy Wash will thoroughly sooth your skin, fight rash and ease itching if you’ve developed a reaction. But the first step towards effective treatment is quickly recognizing when you have, in fact, been exposed to the pesky plants. And with something as contagious and irritating as poison ivy, the earlier you can diagnose a rash, the better.

So here’s what to look for if think you might have a poison ivy reaction:

Where were you?

You’re probably not dealing with a poison ivy rash if you’ve been stuck indoors for the past week. But knowing where people run into poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac can be a big help toward knowing if that unfamiliar red area on your leg is indeed one of these kinds of reactions.

Poison ivy grows in two basic ways-as a vine and as a shrub. Were you around those famous “leaves of three?” Poison oak usually grows as a shrub, and poison sumac grows in standing water in peat bogs, with leaves containing seven to 13 leaflets.

The urushiol resin, that causes the reaction, stays active on leaves for up to five years after the plant dies. So even if you went tromping through the woods around a bunch of dried shrubs or vines on a dead tree, you might be exposed.

So – looking back – if you were around this kind of stuff, what should you look for next?

Poison Ivy Symptoms:

Poison Ivy Rash

• Itching in the approximate area where you’ve been exposed.
• Curvy red streaks or general redness on the skin.
• Small bumps or larger raised areas (these are hives).
• Fluid-filled blisters (watch for leaking).

You’ll usually see the rash develop within a couple of days (although it might take longer-so if you think you might have a reaction, keep an eye on your body for up to 15 days, especially if you’ve never been exposed to poison ivy before).

You can learn everything you need to know about poison ivy on our Poison Ivy Info page.