Poison Ivy

[RR]

Last year I got poison ivy that lasted for a month. I had shots, creams, pills, everything. Wellllll it looks like I have picked it up again but I want to catch it early, it is on my hand. Can anyone PLEASE give me some ideas, I am going out of town this weekend and do not want to be covered in a rash!

[JennLM]

Oh gosh, I am so sorry. The worst I ever had was stinging nettles up in Oregon and my solution is not that most would do. Slather yourself in fresh wild blackberries. But being purple for weeks has it's disadvantages. My friend who told me it was a solution was right it soothed it but neglected to mention the staining. I looked like a bruised smurf since I was about 10.

Hopefully someone here has some good handy helpful Louise type tips.

[motorgypsy]

Scrub it!!! Forget the creams - you have to get the oil off your skin.

A husband and wife team who were researchers also had a problem with poison ivy and actually subjected themselves to it to figure out how to deal with it. Soo here is what they said to do and why.

Poison ivy oil which is found in the leaves, stems and roots of the plant, actually forms a complex with the skin. The first exposure does not usually cause any allergic reaction but from then on subsequent exposures cause worse and worse reactions. So this is an allergy and does not spread. It spreads when you contact more of the oil - probably on your hands, clothes or shoes.

The first thing is to know how to recognize the plant and avoid exposure. If you know you are exposed you scrub the area thoroughly with tons and tons of water. We actually use one of those scrubby pads used to wash dishes.

You also need to know that the oil will stay on your clothes, shoes, pets and so on until they are thoroughly washed so you can keep getting it back. Shoes are the worst and pets because you don't know they are exposed.

Once you have the rash the body causes the allergic reaction so that you will scratch it and get rid of the offending oils. Rather than scratching it you use a scrubby pad and wash it because until that thin layer of skin is actually sloughed off it will continue to weep and scab us and fester and itch.

I actually did an experiement myself scrubbing part of an exposure and putting a bandaid on another part. The part I scrubbed and it doesn't have to be with soap - water is fine - stopped itching in about two days. The other part itched for a week and when I removed the bandaid the entire layer of skin fell off just like with a blister.

You think you shouldn't scratch or scrub it because it looks so nasty but you have to to get rid of it. We also found that if we had an exposure and scrubbed and took benedryl that we greatly minimized the reaction so you might try taking benedryl pills at least at night so they don't put you to sleep.

SCRUB SCRUB SCRUB. It works!

[siegel]

I agree with everything that Kyle S said. I've had all the same experiences. I usually get a bit every year, either from the dogs or in the woods. The benedryl works and as well, old time Caladryl lotion seems to help stop the itch at night.

WASH well to get rid of the oil and watch out for oil that may be on your clothing, too.

ttyl

[pasoglide]

I just walk by it and I get it :( I only use CalaGel . It is made by Oak-N-Ivy Brand . I have tried every thing else and this is the only thing that works to dry it up . I scrub it also and then put it on . It stings at first but dries it up pretty fast .

[CarolU]

Use a good emulsifier to scrub with, like mechanics use to get off grease. Scrub off your outer layer of skin cells, don't forget between the fingers.

[motorgypsy]

Oh that is one of the worst places to get poison ivy - that and your face. Between the fingers drives you crazy. One true poison ivy story. Kyle's uncle went night fishing once and nature called so he went ashore behind the nearest tree. Since he had no TP he used leaves to wipe with. The next day he broke out with the absolute WORST case of poison ivy in a horrendous place. Yes - he wiped with poison ivy leaves. The family still talks about it! :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

[Donelle]

I have scrubbed with Dawn Dishwashing liquid as it emulsifys oil & breaks it up----just like on the commercials!. It seems to work pretty well---just do it as soon as possible.

[appyday]

MG great advice...thanks...my son gets it very bad..

[RR]

Thanks everyone, great advice. I am in Jacksonville Fl right now to see a friend graduate from nursing school. When I walked into the door she handed me a small bowl of blueish cream and told me to take a nice cool bath and rub this all over my body. Not only has it dried up the rash but also sluffed off old and dead skin cells.


What did she give me...........good ole fashion sea salt!!! :D

[appyday]

Thanks everyone, great advice. I am in Jacksonville Fl right now to see a friend graduate from nursing school. When I walked into the door she handed me a small bowl of blueish cream and told me to take a nice cool bath and rub this all over my body. Not only has it dried up the rash but also sluffed off old and dead skin cells.


What did she give me...........good ole fashion sea salt!!! :D

WOW great...

[motorgypsy]

YUP - scrub scrub scrub!!!