What steroid cream is used for poison ivy

Key takeaways:

• A poison ivy rash can happen when you’re exposed to oil on the poison ivy plant (urushiol). Symptoms include red, itchy blisters on the skin.

• There are over-the-counter medications that can help relieve pain, redness, and itchiness from poison ivy.

• While you can treat most cases of poison ivy rash at home, some people may require medical attention.

Spring has sprung all over the U.S., and that usually means more time spent outdoors. Unfortunately, it also means a higher risk of poison ivy rash. A poison ivy rash is caused by an allergic reaction to an oil on the poison ivy plant. This oil — known as urushiol — is in every part of the plant, including the leaves and stem. Urushiol is also found in poison oak and sumac plants.

When the oil touches your skin, it can cause redness, swelling, and itchiness. The result might be a blistering rash (tiny bubbles of skin filled with fluid). Your rash can be mild or severe depending on how sensitive you are to urushiol.

If you've ever developed a poison ivy rash, you know how uncomfortable it can be. Here, we'll cover everything you need to know about OTC poison ivy treatments.

Can poison ivy be treated with OTC medications? 

Yes. If you have a mild rash, you may be able to treat it at home with OTC medications. But, if your rash is severe, covers a large area of skin, or you're not positive you got it from poison ivy, you should contact your healthcare provider.

Poison ivy rashes aren't contagious. The rash occurs only when urushiol touches the skin, so it can't be spread through person-to-person contact. But the oil might be in places you don’t expect. It's possible to get a rash from urushiol that’s stuck under your fingernails, on clothing, or even on your pets.

In fact, urushiol can stay on surfaces for up to five years. Make sure to wash any items that might have urushiol on them with rubbing alcohol (isopropanol or isopropyl alcohol), or soap and water.

Even though it may feel like it’s spreading, poison ivy rashes don’t spread to parts of the body that urushiol didn’t touch. This means that scratching the rash won’t make it spread (though it can cause your rash to get infected). If you feel like your rash is spreading, it’s likely because some parts of your body absorbed urushiol more quickly than others, causing the rash to appear in some places before it appears in others. 

It’s important to clean your skin before using any OTC treatments for poison ivy. As soon as you realize you have been exposed to poison ivy, you should wash your skin with soap and water. Any surfaces that have been exposed can be washed with soap and water or rubbing alcohol. This will help remove urushiol and may help prevent further spread. 

Even if you do your best to avoid poison ivy, you may still end up with a poison ivy rash. The following OTC products might be helpful.

1. Oral antihistamines

Antihistamines are a group of medications that treat many allergic conditions. These medications work by blocking histamine — a natural chemical your body makes when you have an allergic reaction. Antihistamines are classified into two groups depending on how old they are.

Older, first-generation antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) have a known side effect of making you tired. Newer antihistamines — which include second and third-generation antihistamines — don’t make you as drowsy. These include cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin), and fexofenadine (Allegra). If your poison ivy rash is itchy and keeps you up at night, a first-generation antihistamine like diphenhydramine may help. 

You can try taking diphenhydramine at bedtime to see if it helps you sleep. But talk to your healthcare provider before giving this medication to your child. 

2. Steroid creams

Hydrocortisone 1% cream is a low-dose, topical steroid that can help your poison ivy rash by lowering skin inflammation and easing some of the itchiness. It can be applied to the affected area three to four times daily. If the rash doesn’t improve after 7 days, contact your healthcare provider. 

3. Oatmeal baths

Colloidal oatmeal baths or adding baking soda to your bath can help relieve itchiness. Colloidal oatmeal is made of ground oats that are boiled. It’s considered a skin protectant. When it’s added to water, the mixture creates a protective layer on the skin's surface. 

We don’t know exactly how colloidal oatmeal works to relieve itching and swelling caused by poison ivy. It may be that colloidal oatmeal lowers the amount of histamine made in the body and is anti-inflammatory. Any substance that lowers histamine has the potential to improve itchiness and inflammation.

Products like Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment can go directly into your bath to help soothe itchy, inflamed skin. Follow the instructions for how to use your specific colloidal oatmeal product.

4. Calamine lotion

Calamine lotion is a mix of zinc oxide and ferric oxide that can help soothe and dry up oozing blisters. Zinc oxide is a skin protectant that has soothing properties. Calamine products sometimes contain pramoxine (a local anesthetic) too. Pramoxine works by numbing the skin, which may relieve itching and pain associated with your rash.

A product like Aveeno anti-itch concentrated lotion contains calamine and is applied to the affected area three to four times a day. Always follow the directions on the label of your specific calamine product.

5. Astringents

Astringents — like aluminum acetate (Domeboro) — can help dry out blisters that are oozing fluid. Astringents can also help relieve your rash.

Domeboro solution comes as packets that you mix with water. You'll mix one to three packets in 16 oz of water and stir until dissolved. If using it as a soak, you should submerge the affected area in the mixture for 15 to 30 minutes.

To use the mixture as a wet compress, soak a clean cloth in the solution and cover the affected area for 15 to 30 minutes. You can repeat this process 3 times daily or as directed by your healthcare provider.

Is one OTC medication better than the others?

The short answer? It depends. 

There isn’t one product that’s best. But one product might be best for you specifically, depending on your symptoms. You’ll want to consider what you’re trying to treat when selecting the right OTC poison ivy medication for you. Are you trying to relieve redness, itchiness, or oozing? This can help guide your decision on which medication to try.

And, your medical history matters too. If you're pregnant, taking other medications, or have health conditions, talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist first. 

What side effects can I expect from OTC poison ivy treatments?

Like all medications, side effects may occur after using OTC poison ivy treatments. Below, we’ll break down the potential side effects that different poison ivy medications can cause.

When should I see a healthcare provider for poison ivy?

If your rash isn't getting better after 7 to 10 days, you should see a healthcare provider for your poison ivy. 

And, see your provider as soon as possible if you meet any of the following criteria:

• You have a temperature over 100°F

• Your rash covers 25% or more of your body

• The rash has spread to your face or genitals

• Your rash looks infected (e.g., pus, soft yellow scabs, or tenderness on the rash)

• The rash is getting itchier or keeps you up at night

If you have trouble breathing or have any swelling, especially around the eyes, seek emergency treatment immediately. These are signs of a severe reaction that require immediate medical attention.

The bottom line

There are several OTC products to choose from if you're treating poison ivy rash at home. OTC products that treat poison ivy rash focus on relieving itchiness and soothing the skin. They include hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion, and colloidal oatmeal baths.

Currently, there's no evidence to say that one medication is best. The best choice depends on your symptoms and medical history. If you're pregnant, taking other medications, or have health conditions, talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist before choosing an OTC product.

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American Academy of Dermatology Association. (n.d.). Poison ivy, oak, and sumac: When does the rash appear?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Poisonous plants: Recommendations.

Food and Drug Administration. (2021). Outsmarting poison ivy and other poisonous plants.

Johns Hopkins Medicine Health. (n.d.). Allergens: Poison ivy / poison oak / poison sumac.

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (2019). Aveeno anti itch concentrated [OTC monograph]. DailyMed.

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. (2021). Aveeno soothing bath treatment [OTC monograph]. DailyMed.

Joy, N. (2022). Calamine lotion. Journal of Skin and Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

Kurtz, E. S., et al. (2007). Colloidal oatmeal: History, chemistry, and clinical properties. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology.

Sobhan, M., et al. (2020). The efficacy of colloidal oatmeal cream 1% as add-on therapy in the management of chronic irritant hand eczema: A double-blind study. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology.

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GoodRx Health has strict sourcing policies and relies on primary sources such as medical organizations, governmental agencies, academic institutions, and peer-reviewed scientific journals. Learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate, thorough, and unbiased by reading our editorial guidelines.

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