Poison ivy, oak, and sumac: What should I do if I touch a plant?
Act fast if you touch poison ivy, oak, or sumac
You may be able to avoid a rash by washing your skin with soap and water and then rinsing thoroughly.
If you think you’ve touched one of these plants, acting quickly may prevent a rash. Here’s what dermatologists recommend you do immediately after encountering poison, ivy, oak, or sumac:
- Immediately wash the part of your skin that touched the plant with one of the following:
- Soap and water
- Rubbing alcohol
- Poison ivy, oak, and sumac wash (cleanser, soap, or towelettes)
- Thoroughly rinse with plenty of cool water. This removes the rubbing alcohol or other product from your skin. Leaving one of these products on your skin could irritate your skin, causing a different type of rash.
- Wash underneath your nails. This will remove any oil that may have gotten trapped there.
Wash your skin gently. If you scrub your skin, you may rub the plant’s oil into your skin, which could cause a rash.
You want to do the above immediately after coming into contact with the plant or anything that has the plant’s oil on it. Sometimes, you can still prevent a rash by following these instructions within 10 to 20 minutes of touching the plant or its oil. If an hour or so has passed and your skin doesn’t itch, it still may be helpful to follow these steps. Doing so may reduce the severity of the rash you get.
It will take time to tell whether you successfully prevented a rash. To find out how long it can take for a rash to appear, go to: Poison ivy, oak, and sumac: When does the rash appear?
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References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Poisonous plants and work.” Last reviewed March 3, 2026. Last accessed April 23, 2026.
McGovern TW. “Dermatoses due to plants.” In: Bolognia JL, et al. Dermatology. (second edition). Mosby Elsevier, Spain, 2008: 255-6.
Written by:
Paula Ludmann, MS
Reviewed by:
Jennifer Adams, MD, FAAD
Esteban Fernandez Faith, MD, FAAD
William Warren Kwan, MD, FAAD
Michael K. O'Donoghue, MD, FAAD
Desmond Shipp, MD, FAAD
Last updated: 4/28/26