Seek urgent medical care if you experience any of the following signs of a severe reaction to poison oak
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing.
- A rash around one or both eyes, your mouth, or on your genitals.
- Swelling on your face, especially if an eye swells shut.
- Itching that worsens or makes it impossible to sleep.
- Rashes on most of your body.
- A fever.
While working on the trails, there are steps we can take to mitigate our exposure to poison oak and its rash-producing oil, urushiol.
Learn to identify poison oak
- Remember the proverb: “Leaves of three, let it be”.
- Photo examples, and in-depth descriptions of poison oak during different seasons and growth stages, can be seen on these web pages (external):
- Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy | Verywell Fit | Almanac
Wear protective clothing
- Cover up exposed skin with long sleeves and long pants.
- Wear work gloves… but not your favorite pair; use a cheap, non-absorbent pair that can be discarded after use.
- Protect your eyes with safety glasses (PPE is available on the tool truck). Sunglasses/vision correcting glasses may also provide protection.
- Poison oak loves sweaty skin and open pores — disposable coveralls are not usually recommended as the wearer is liable to overheat.
Apply a barrier product to exposed skin
- Barrier creams and lotions do not give you complete protection against getting a poison oak rash, but they can help.
- We keep these products stocked on the tool truck and in crew leaders’ field kits, for volunteers to help themselves to (use at your own risk):
Limit your exposure
- Point it out to other crew members when you see it.
- Leave clearing poison oak to be your final task of the day.
- Avoid petting dogs on the trail; they can pick up the oil on their fur.
Clean skin immediately with an after-contact product
- Blot the exposed area, don’t rub it as this may spread the oil further.
- This may also be beneficial after working closely around poison oak, even if you haven’t knowingly come into direct contact with the plant.
- We keep these products stocked on the tool truck and in crew leaders’ field kits, for volunteers to help themselves to (use at your own risk):
Isolate contaminated equipment
- Urushiol can remain on tools and other surfaces for months or years if not properly washed off.
- On the trail crew tool truck, we have trash bags to cover up tools and work gloves that have come into contact with poison oak, and red “out of service” tags to mark any gear needing to be cleaned/repaired before its next use. Let the crew leader know if you’re setting any equipment aside to be cleaned.
Shower as soon as you get home
- Be wary of spreading the oil from your clothing to your skin while undressing. Try turning the entire garment inside out as you remove it.
- Use lukewarm, soapy water.
- Be gentle (don’t scrub), and meticulous (remember to clean between your fingers, under your nails, etc.)
- Rinse well.
Wash contaminated clothing
- Machine-wash clothing with hot water and detergent as soon as you get home.
- If you cannot do this right away, keep the contaminated clothing isolated in a plastic bag.
Treat a mild poison oak rash at home
- Short, cool baths or showers can help ease the itching.
- Apply cool compresses to the itchy skin.
- Over-the-counter creams containing hydrocortisone (Benadryl), or calamine lotion, (both purchased over-the-counter), can reduce the intensity of the rash/itching and help them to resolve faster.
- Do not scratch, and leave blisters alone. Breaking skin can cause an infection.
- A mild poison oak rash will normally clear up in one to two weeks.
Further reading
U.S. Food & Drug Administration
Outsmarting Poisonous Plants
Johns Hopkins Medicine
Allergens: Poison Ivy / Poison Oak / Poison Sumac
Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council
Plant of the Month: Poison Oak