When a person has been exposed to poison ivy two things will usually occur. First they will experience a red, irritating, itchy rash that will appear on the surface of the skin that touched the plant. The second are blisters that are filled with fluids – which will form on the surface of the rash.
These are caused when the urushiol oil from the plant is not washed off our skin immediately and instead is absorbed by our bodies. The longer it is allowed to sit on the skin the more irritated it will become and the worse the blisters will be. These blisters can be large or small depending on how sensitive the person’s skin is. They cause immense discomfort, pain, and will cause the skin to swell.
Treating Poison Ivy Blisters
Most of us will try to pop the blisters in the hopes that it will get rid of them quickly. This is one of the worst things that you can do. Popping them will let the fluid inside of them drain out. The will make your skin open an vulnerable to bacteria – which may require antibiotics to treat and it will increase your chances of having a scar from it.
The best thing you are able to do is to dry them out with hot water, warm air, and special creams or prescription medications. Drying it out will make it easier for the dead skin to fall off and make way for the new skin to grow back in its place. Hot showers will help to not only dry out the skin – but also to alleviate the itching. Do not make it so hot though that you burn your skin. You can also treat it with warm air by using a blow dryer.
Another way that you can treat the blisters is to use baking soda and warm water. Create a paste that can be applied directly to the affected area of the skin. Leave it on for a few minutes and then rinse it off with warm water.
Not everyone will have blisters when they are exposed to poison ivy and those that do will want to cover them up because of how horrible disgusting they look. No matter how bad they look though you must never cover them. It needs to be aired out in order to help it dry faster.