Poison oak causes an itchy, red rash with bumps or blisters after your skin touches urushiol, an oil in the plant. Most rashes get better in one to three weeks, but a large, blistering or facial rash deserves a medical visit. Urgent Care Center of Westmont, also known as Immediate Care Center of Westmont, treats poison oak rashes in Westmont, IL for children and adults.
Poison oak grows mostly on the West Coast, according to MedlinePlus, so many local patients pick it up while traveling, camping or hiking. The rash is the same as the one from poison ivy and poison sumac, and it is treated the same way.
The rash usually starts 12 to 72 hours after contact and is often worst 4 to 7 days after exposure. Common signs include:
The rash is not contagious. Fluid from blisters does not spread it. New patches can appear when oil is still on skin, clothing, tools or a pet’s fur, or where skin got a smaller dose of oil. Burning the plant is dangerous because smoke can carry the oil into the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.
A provider examines the rash, asks when and how you were exposed, and checks for signs of infection or a more serious reaction. Treatment depends on how much skin is involved and where.
At home, dermatologists advise washing skin right away with soapy water, washing clothes and tools, using cool compresses or cool oatmeal baths, and not scratching. Leave blisters alone. The skin over them protects the raw area underneath.
The American Academy of Dermatology advises going to the emergency room right away for trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling of the face (especially an eye swollen shut), a rash around the eyes, mouth or genitals, a rash covering most of the body, or fever. Also seek emergency care if you breathed in smoke from burning plants.
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room for chest pain or pressure, severe trouble breathing, sudden weakness or drooping on one side of the face or body, sudden trouble speaking or seeing, fainting or severe confusion, a seizure, or heavy bleeding.
Hikers, campers and gardeners visit us for plant rashes from towns near Westmont, IL, including:
Distances are straight-line miles. Neighbors in our home town can read more on our Westmont, IL urgent care page.
We work with most major plans, from Blue Cross Blue Shield to Medicare, CountyCare and State of Illinois Benefit Plans. The full list is on our cost and insurance page. Please call (630) 324-6825 to confirm your plan before your visit.
For patients without insurance, we post self-pay urgent care pricing: a general visit starts at $125, with any extra tests explained up front.
Both of our locations are open Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM, and Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM to 5 PM. The main clinic is at 29 N Cass Ave, Ste A, Westmont, IL 60559. Our second location, inside Jewel-Osco, is at 4 E Ogden Ave, Westmont, IL 60559. Walk-ins are welcome, or check in online before you leave home.
No. You cannot catch the rash from another person’s rash or blister fluid. You can pick up the oil from their skin or clothes if it has not been washed off.
Most rashes last one to three weeks, according to MedlinePlus.
Areas that got less oil can break out later, and oil left on shoes, gloves, tools or pets can cause new patches. Wash everything that touched the plant.
No. Walk in, or check in online for poison oak care.
Sources: MedlinePlus: Poison Ivy, Oak, Sumac Rash, AAD: How to Treat the Rash, CDC NIOSH: Poisonous Plants.
Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday – Sunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
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