Poison Ivy Shot Cost

Last Updated on December 22, 2022
Written by CPA Alec Pow | Content Reviewed by CFA Alexander Popinker

Poisonous ivy is a plant that causes allergies. Seven out of 10 people are allergic to poison ivy, making it the most common allergy in the world.

People with allergies are sensitive to urushiol, an irritating resin found in poison ivy. If you touch one of these plants, urushiol can get on your skin. In around two hours, you may develop a rash on the skin and itching. Symptoms can last up to three weeks or more. You may also develop a rash by touching clothes or other items that have been contaminated with urushiol. And if you have urushiol on your fingers, you will spread the rash all over your body every time you touch it.

How Much Does a Poison Ivy Shot Cost?

The cost of the poison ivy shot, which usually is a cortisone injection, is anywhere between $15 and $50, depending on the doctor’s office. This price estimate would not include the doctor’s office fee. In general, the doctor will use one shot if you are suffering from this severe allergic reaction. In case your situation is not that serious, the doctor will prescribe you an ointment, a pill, and/or a cream. Regardless of the type of treatment you choose for poison ivy, expect to spend around $160 at your local doctor’s office, without health insurance.

You might also like our articles on the cost of allergy testing, allergy shots, and trigger point injections.

In case you have health insurance, then it may cover the costs of the poison ivy treatment. Make sure you contact your health insurance company and ask about what and how much is covered.

Poison ivy shot details

Some of the common injections that a doctor may administer for poison ivy allergies include cortisone and steroid.

The doctor will prescribe you a cream after the shot is administered. You should use this cream for up to three days to heal faster and to make the poison ivy reaction less itchy.

The most practical choice when treating poison ivy allergy is to go to a doctor’s office, but if you suffer from a severe allergic reaction you should go to an urgent care unit. Every person’s reaction to poison ivy is different, so the treatment will be different as well.

What are the extra costs?

As we already mentioned above, the doctor’s office fee is not included in the cost of the poison ivy shot. If you don’t have insurance, you will have to pay anywhere between $60 and $110 for the doctor’s office fee. The costs may be double or even triple if you decide to visit an ER room.

You may not get rid of the poison ivy 100% with only one shot and extra medication and/or creams may be prescribed. Depending on the brand, the cost of the medication and creams would be anywhere between $15 and $30. For instance, the cost of an oral corticosteroid like Prednisone, which is often prescribed, would be around $35 without insurance.

Important things to consider

After touching the poison ivy, you have about 15 minutes to get rid of urushiol. Use soap and warm water, if available. If you have a choice of several types of soap, use one that does not contain moisturizers. If it is impossible to wash immediately, clean the skin by rubbing alcohol to dissolve the urushiol. If alcohol is not readily available, you can use any product (or drink) that contains alcohol.

Wash the clothes you were wearing when you touched the poison ivy in the washing machine with warm water. Rinse the shoes as well.

Dogs and cats are not allergic to poison ivy, but their fur can carry the substance that causes allergies. So, if your pet has come in contact with poison ivy, it should be washed well. If you are allergic, have someone else wash it or wear rubber gloves and a raincoat to avoid contact with urushiol.

The rash appears after a variable interval, between 8-48 hours after the contact with the plant oil, but the specialists state that this interval can be between 5 and 15 days as well. It all depends on the reactivity of the host’s immune system.

The rash is not contagious; the patient cannot pass it on to others, even if the citrine fluid leaks from the blisters, because the toxic substance responsible for all these skin symptoms and signs has already been absorbed into the skin and the body begins to neutralize and metabolize it, the next step being its elimination.

Plants against poison ivy allergy

Cut a leaf from a fresh aloe vera plant into slices. Remove the gel and apply it to the affected areas. The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of the aloe plant make it an excellent remedy for poison ivy. Commercial aloe vera gel products are good if they are mostly made from pure plant gel.

Plantain contains a chemical called allantoin, which is anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial. It can also be useful.

How can I save money?

You will need a shot only if you are in a lot of pain. Before calling your local doctor, take into consideration using over-the-counter creams and medication. For instance, you can purchase some popular skin cleansers from Amazon for $15 to $30.