POISON IVY
by Riffat Sadiq, M.D.

Most people will develop some type of skin irritation, or contact dermatitis, after exposure to poison ivy, poison sumac or poison oak. These plants con tain an oily resin, urushiol, which your skin may absorb upon contact with the plant. Direct contact with even a tiny amount of urushiol can trigger a reac tion. You may also have a reaction from indirect contact by touching urushiol that's been left on a piece of clothing, a pet's fur, or firewood. Signs of reaction include redness, itchiness, swelling, and blisters at the point or points of contact. Typically, you'll notice an outbreak within a day or two after exposure, and the skin irritation may last up to three weeks.

Because urushiol can penetrate the skin within minutes, there's no time to waste if you know you've been exposed. The earlier you clean your skin, the greater the chance that you can remove the urushiol before it gets attached to the skin. Cleansing may not stop the initial outbreak of the rash if more than 10 min utes has elapsed, but it can help prevent further spread. To schedule an appoint ment, please call WNY MEDICAL . We believe that compassion helps in healing, and a sincerely courteous service is a must for patient's comfort. We have two convenient locations: 10440 Main St., Clarence (716-759-8363) and 154 Cazenovia St., S. Buffalo (716-822-2028).

P.S. Scratching a poison ivy rash may cause a secondary bacterial infection, which requires treatment with antibiot ics.