Poison Ivy, Oak, Sumac

Here are some ways you can prevent yourself from getting a rash from poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac:
- Apply skin care products that contain a chemical called bentoquatam before going hiking or participating in other outdoor activities. This chemical helps prevent your skin from absorbing the plant’s oil.
- Examples of products with this chemical include: Stokoguard and Ivy Block.
- Wear long pants and long sleeves before going hiking or participating in other outdoor activities to protect your skin.
- Immediately wash your skin with soap and water after you have touched the plant or anything else that may have come into contact with the plant. If you do not have water, rub your skin with alcohol.
- Wash all your clothes or any other items that may have come into contact.
- Learn to identify what these three poisonous plants look like and avoid coming into contact with them. Remember “leaves of three, leave them be.” It is best to avoid plants that have three leaflets to a stem.
- Poison ivy is generally clustered in groups of three. You may notice it in the form of a shrub or as vine, growing along poles, trees, building walls, roads, and hiking trails. It is commonly found in the Central and Northeastern USA and Canada.
- Poison oak is also clustered in groups of three.  You may notice it growing as a shrub along streams and dry woodlands. During the Fall season, it is adorned with yellow-white flowers. It is commonly found in the West Coast and East Coast of the USA.
- Poison Sumac generally has two rows of leaflets on a stem and a leaflet at the tip. Depending on the time of the year, it may also be adorned with white or green berries. You may notice it in the form of a shrub, growing along the wet and swampy areas in the eastern half of America.
 
References
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/allergy_poison_ivy_oak_and_sumac/article_em.htm
http://www.aad.org/skin-conditions/dermatology-a-to-z/poison-ivy
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/poison-ivy/DS00774
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