I've been reading all over the internet trying to figure out if poison ivy in contagious or not. My boyfriend got it friday night and his symptoms started sunday morning. Now it's monday night and i spent the entire day with him and know for a fact that my skin contacted his outbreak. I guess I'll find out if it really is contagious at some point in the near future but I'd really like to know before then because I'm totally stressing out! Also, could there be any connection between the poison ivy and the fact that my eyes are bugging me to death? they've been itching like crazy (i haven't been scratching) and they're really dry even after i use eye drops..
i hope someone can help me and if you can, thanks in advance!
Anonymous2007-06-04T22:30:02Z
Favorite Answer
Only with certain people. Some people can look at poison ivy and break out, while others can roll around in it and never get even a small rash.
Also, some people can go years w/o being allergic to it and then aquire an allergy to it later in life.
From what I understand, any open wound infected by poison ivy is enough for another allergic person to acquire a rash themselves if they come in contact with that open sore.
Hope this helps! And go bet some Ivy-Off at the drugstore, works awesome!
RE: Is Poison Ivy contagious or not?!? I've been reading all over the internet trying to figure out if poison ivy in contagious or not. My boyfriend got it friday night and his symptoms started sunday morning. Now it's monday night and i spent the entire day with him and know for a fact that my skin contacted his outbreak. I...
Yes, poison ivy is contagious. That is, until the person has taken a shower. It's weird I know, but that's how it works. One time I had poison ivy really bad and had to go to the doctor, and that's what they said when we asked if it was contagious.
But, some people, like my mom, just aren't allergic to poison ivy. Maybe your one of those lucky ones!
And yes, it could be why your eyes are really itchy. That was how I first realized I had poison ivy, I woke up and my eyes were driving me crazy, I got up to go to the bathroom, looked in the mirror, and my face was soo swollen with poision ivy..it was terrible.
The dermatitis you get from poison ivy/oak/sumac is from the allergen. If it is washed away from your boyfriend (took a shower), you cannot get it. If the allergen is still on his body, he can transfer it to you. I doubt that the eye problem is related to the poison ivy unless you have been rubbing your face on your boyfriends lesions. It also sounds like you've had the eye problems longer than your boyfriend had the poison ivy.