July - Dermatologic Concerns from Summer Activities
Not everyone has a reaction to poison ivy, oak or sumac, collectively referred to as the toxicodendrons. For those who do, however, a brief brush with these unassuming plants can lead to days or weeks of severe itching.
Sun safe behavior can minimize the risk of developing skin cancer. For more information on skin cancer, click the links below
We remain open for in-office visits.
All of us here at Dermatology of North Asheville remain fully committed to minimizing the risk of contracting COVID-19, and our office practices continue to evolve to reflect this commitment. This is particularly important at this time, given the increase in cases seen both in North Carolina and nationally. This includes protecting both our patients and our staff members. However, we are also committed to continuing to provide the absolute best care for our patients.
We are currently seeing patients in our office. Patients are asked to call the front desk to check-in, rather than congregating in the waiting rooms. Patients are also asked to bring a mask if they have one; otherwise one will be provided for the visit. When it is time for their appointment, patients are ushered into the clinic and directly into an exam by a medical assistant. At the end of the visit, patients are walked out by the same assistant, ensuring minimum potential contact. These protocols allow for a safe, measured resumption of routine visits, full body skin checks, surgeries, and even cosmetic visits. We are performing temperature checks on all staff daily, and are implementing temperature checks for patients as well. If you feel unwell, please tell us prior to your appointment and we will gladly reschedule your visit.
For patients who are uncomfortable coming into the clinic, we continue to offer telemedicine / online visits with video. Let us know how we can best meet your dermatology needs!
Dermatologic concerns from summer activities
With so many of our usual indoor activities curtailed, many of us are taking advantage of the outdoor opportunities afforded by our beautiful state - with potential consequences for our skin. In this post, I’ll talk about what do to if your sun protection had a little lapse, as well as what to do if you wind up on the wrong side of a poison ivy patch.
Treating sunburn at home
The most common summer-vacation related dermatologic concern is probably sunburn. In a previous post, I talked about choosing and using sunscreen. Well, what should you do if you overdo your sun exposure a little bit?
1. Limit your sun exposure. If you notice yourself getting a little pink during the day, alter your plans for the rest of the day (and the upcoming days). Get out of the sun, put on (more) sunscreen, and slip on a hat and long-sleeved shirt for more protection.
2. Take frequent cool baths or showers. When you’re done bathing, don’t towel all the way dry, but instead leave your skin a little damp. Then apply a good moisturizer. This will help “seal in” the moisture your skin has absorbed during your shower.
3. Speaking of moisturizers, when treating sunburn, choose one with aloe vera for a cooling, soothing sensation. However, be wary of aloe vera preparations with lots of alcohol, as they can dry the skin further.
4. Don’t forget to hydrate from the inside, too! You lose a lot more water from the skin when healing from sunburn, so drink plenty of fluids while you’re recovering.
5. Avoid products with names that end in “-caine”. In some patients, they can cause allergic reactions on the skin, making the sunburn hurt worse.
6. Apply topical steroids. Over-the-counter hydrocortisone is usually enough, but for severe sunburns, talk to your dermatologist about whether a prescription cream would be a better choice.
7. If your skin blisters, don’t try to pop or unroof the blisters. Believe it or not, your skin will heal much better if they are left intact.
Dealing with poison ivy, oak or sumac
Not everyone has a reaction to poison ivy, oak or sumac collectively referred to as the toxicodendrons. For those who do, however, a brief brush with these unassuming plants can lead to days or weeks of severe itching. However, acting quickly may prevent a rash at all! If you come into contact with one of these plants, these steps may help.
Wash the area of your skin that touched the plant. Wash thoroughly, but gently. Rubbing too hard can further irritate or damage your skin. The offending agent (uroshiol) is in an oily substance, so you must wash with some sort of solvent such as one of the following:
Rubbing alcohol
Poison Ivy Wash (liquid or towelettes)
Dish soap
Laundry detergent
Thoroughly rinse with plenty of cool water. This will remove the uroshiol, along with the agent you used to clean your skin.
Wash under your nails - don’t forget that the oil can get trapped there as well.
Wash the clothes you were wearing in your washing machine.
“If the rash persists for more than a week, or if you are worried your rash may be infected, see your board-certified dermatologist for help.”
How long until you know if you will avoid getting a rash depends on whether you’ve ever reacted to one of these plants before. If you have, the rash will usually appear in 24 - 48 hours. If not, the rash can take 2 to 3 weeks to develop! This can sometimes make it challenging to tell exactly when you were exposed, if you don’t recall a specific encounter.
If you do develop a rash, take short, lukewarm baths. Apply hydrocortisone lotion or calamine lotion to the skin. Although oral antihistamines (like Benadryl or non-drowsy options like Zyrtec, Allegra or Claritin) are recommended and can be extremely helpful in calming the itch, do not use topical Benadryl. Apply cool compresses to the skin instead, particularly after applying hydrocortisone.
If the rash persists for more than a week, or if you are worried your rash may be infected, see your board-certified dermatologist for help.
Remember, it’s never safe to mow, weed whack or burn poison ivy, oak or sumac! Mowing or weed whacking can fling the toxic substance quite far. Burning it can cause the uroshiol to aerosolize, potentially causing severe respiratory distress or even death.
If you have any of the following, go to the emergency room immediately:
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
For more information on treating sunburn or poision ivy, or for any other dermatologic concerns, either call to schedule an appointment with us, or visit the American Academy of Dermatology public education website.
