(NEXSTAR) – You may have managed to dodge the dreaded rashes often associated with poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac, ...

Start by scrubbing your skin with soap and water as quickly as you canBy Consumer ReportsPoison ivy, along with poison oak ...

If you've never received a rash from poison oak, ivy or sumac, the rash could last 21 days or longer. If you have had the rash previously, it will last one to 14 days.

Cortizone 10 cream or ointment is one of the most common home remedies for poison ivy. While it can help tame the itch, it doesn't clear urushiol from the skin. “This product, a 1% ...

Another poison ivy relative, poison sumac is a flowering shrub or woody plant that contains the same oil. However, it is considered more allergenic as it results in a very inflamed, painful, and ...

Contact with anything that touched the poison ivy, oak or sumac can cause a rash within 12 to 72 hours. These include pets, clothes, tools, shoes or a hiking backpack.

If you've never received a rash from poison oak, ivy or sumac, the rash could last 21 days or longer. If you have had the rash previously, it will last one to 14 days.

Poison sumac thrives in swampy or marsh-like areas, especially near rivers. It grows as a tall shrub or small tree and can reach heights over 15 feet. Its leaves are smooth-edged and arranged in pairs ...

Meanwhile, poison sumac looks different because it has clusters of seven to 13 smooth leaflets arraigned in pairs. It grows as a tree, and when fully grown, it can reach up to 20 feet tall.

Scrub good. There is no cure for poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac. An antihistamine can lessen the itching as can calamine lotion or a hydrocortisone cream. Aloe vera is also good.

The rash caused by poison ivy, oak and sumac is the direct result of contact with an oily toxicant within the plant. The plant must be crushed or broken to release these oils.

The staghorn sumac is a sensory delight, from its toothed leaf edges to its fuzzy fruit and young stems. Though it is related to poison sumac, a staghorn can be handled without fear.