Basically, I just had to wait until the spines cleared out of my skin. I ended up going to the doctor who prescribed an antibiotic cream and a course of prednisone (corticosteroid) to help me through the worst of it. I used bactine and anti-itch cream, which burned, so I switched to neosporin instead. After the rashes started appearing, I also resisted any harsh ‘home remedies’ that might have further damaged my abused skin. I looked like I had actual burns covering my arms and neck!Īnyway, I am not an expert or a doctor or anything, but I had, sort of accidentally, done the right thing treating myself, even before I knew I had the rashes(!), by hosing off (totally soaked myself, clothes and all) before going inside, and immediately hit the shower. Also, because it’s like a large ‘open’ wound(s), you are vulnerable to infection from other contaminants as well… and let’s face it, you’re in the garden, you’re going to have dirt on you. Anybody is susceptible as it is physical damage, not an allergy. These things crystalize from the sap and cut/embed themselves in your skin like tiny bits of glass. Upon researching it, I learned that this plant has calcium oxalate crystals in the sap.

At first I thought that it had to have been poison ivy and that I’d developed an allergy… but it’s not the same thing. And soon (within another couple of hours) found myself covered in horrible painful rashes. Well, hours later, I had cut and yanked and decimated these vines and managed to save two or three trees. I also counted on my history of not being allergic to plants (I don’t press my luck, but I do not react), and I thought I was safe. Everybody told me that it was a ‘safe’ vine.

However, I had several trees being strangled by the junk … a walnut tree and a beautiful Japanese maple… and I decided to wage war. It probably won’t get you if you only brush against it. Unlike poison ivy, Virginia creeper is ok if you do not get the sap on you. Be aware that if you are allergic to it, you are allergic to the urushiol oil, btw, so do not burn the plant or vines as the smoke will be irritating to you, and do not attempt to deal with the plants without protection even in winter as the oil is still in the vines/roots even when dormant (I’d guess that it’s safer then, but I have known people to still get it by cutting the roots in the dead of winter, no leaves on the plant!) It generally has no effect on me at all, and the only time I’ve ever been effected by it is when I’ve worked in it all day and (without thinking) scratched itches, rubbing and pushing the oils into my skin! Even then, I’d only get a very mild rash that wouldn’t last long, maybe a day or two. I would rather roll around in a whole pile of poison ivy than mess with Virginia Creeper.

Plant in wood itch soft thorns