Poison ivy is a plant that grows in North America. You may develop an allergic reaction if your skin comes into contact with its leaves, stems, or roots.
An allergic reaction can develop in response to urushiol, an oily resin present in poison ivy. Other plants also produce urushiol, including poison oak and poison sumac.
Mupirocin is an antibiotic available as a topical cream or ointment that treats bacterial skin infections.
Does mupirocin work for poison ivy?
Mupirocin is an antibiotic. It isn’t a treatment for poison ivy rash because the rash is an allergic reaction and not a bacterial infection.
What medications are most effective for poison ivy?
Poison ivy rash usually goes away on its own, but it can take weeks to resolve.
Treatments for poison ivy rash aim to relieve symptoms like severe itching.
Because a poison ivy rash doesn’t involve the release of histamines, natural chemicals the body can produce during an allergic reaction, antihistamines aren’t an effective treatment for this type of rash. In some cases, antihistamines may even worsen a poison ivy rash.
Oral glucocorticoids are usually the first-line treatment for poison ivy rash. These include:
- triamcinolone
- prednisone (Rayos)
Betamethasone (Sernivo) is another topical steroid cream that can reduce itching but can cause skin damage with prolonged use:
If your poison ivy rash is severe, a doctor may recommend a one-off steroid injection.
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