Poison Ivy
Any recommendations on the best way to get rid of Poison Ivy?
The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
Richard Ewell, CSA General
I've heard Burts Bees Poison Ivy soap works well. Taking a hot shower using this and applying cortisone 10
Getting lost is a way to find yourself.
If you are exposed or think you have been, a lukewarm shower with something that will remove the oil is recommended. Believe it or not, I use MeanGreen which is reputed to be the product that inspired Zanfel. Even after skin reaction, this seems to help, and at least removes any residual oil. Hot showers are not recommended before removing the oil, as they open pores and can spread the oil into the pores. Wash all clothing and gear also.
Topical cortisone and oral antihistamines can relieve some discomfort while healing. Different people react differently, even at different points in their lives. I am cursed to get it bad enough that if I do not catch it immediately and do the MeanGreen wash, I will likely end up on oral steroids to get rid of it.
Winter....Originally Posted by Astro
Geez, what incredible timing!
Just today I was attempting to ID what I believed is poison ivy. I've never really paid much attention to it, despite countless warnings by other hikers, "Hey dude, watch out for all the poison ivy 'bout a mile up the trail..." I never paid attention and never had the RASH, so I've just assumed I was not susceptible.
However, I do remember hearing the best way to ID it, i.e. Leaves of three, leave it be. But not all leaves of three are poison ivy, see here: http://www.electricant.net/projects/poisonivy/
Today I was hacking a bush and saw "leaves of three", so I decided to read up on poison ivy and in that process I've read about people that claim to eat the stuff to develop an immunity. I wouldn't recommend that. However, what I'd consider doing is small doses on the skin and see if you can develop immunity, but that's just the way I roll, if it hurts do it more, that's what I do...
BTW, I rubbed the stuff all over my arms and legs and still don't feel a rash, so I guess I am not susceptible to the oils.
Here's some pics I took today:
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There is only one thing that actually works. Prednisone. If the doc can start you with a shot then the pills where you take 6 the first day 5 the second etc. down to that last pill. All other products are whistling Dixie.
BTW, I rubbed the stuff all over my arms and legs and still don't feel a rash, so I guess I am not susceptible to the oils.
Come back in a couple of days and tell us how you did. I don't have a reaction for a day or two myself. Hope you do okay.
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so no thumbs up on calomine lotion? that was the go to remedy when I was a kid
Let's hope he washed his hands before taking a wiz.BTW, I rubbed the stuff all over my arms and legs and still don't feel a rash, so I guess I am not susceptible to the oils.
Come back in a couple of days and tell us how you did. I don't have a reaction for a day or two myself. Hope you do okay.
The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
You never know which one is talking.
[/QUOTE]Geez, what incredible timing!
Just today I was attempting to ID what I believed is poison ivy. I've never really paid much attention to it, despite countless warnings by other hikers, "Hey dude, watch out for all the poison ivy 'bout a mile up the trail..." I never paid attention and never had the RASH, so I've just assumed I was not susceptible.
However, I do remember hearing the best way to ID it, i.e. Leaves of three, leave it be. But not all leaves of three are poison ivy, see here: http://www.electricant.net/projects/poisonivy/
Today I was hacking a bush and saw "leaves of three", so I decided to read up on poison ivy and in that process I've read about people that claim to eat the stuff to develop an immunity. I wouldn't recommend that. However, what I'd consider doing is small doses on the skin and see if you can develop immunity, but that's just the way I roll, if it hurts do it more, that's what I do...
BTW, I rubbed the stuff all over my arms and legs and still don't feel a rash, so I guess I am not susceptible to the oils.
For 51 years I thought I was immune too, but I guess that changed this past week.
Last edited by Astro; 05-21-2013 at 23:04.
The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
Richard Ewell, CSA General
Tecnu lotion & scrub most pharmacies carry it. Can't beat it
"your gonna need an ocean---of calamine lotion" so the song says!
The reaction to poison ivy takes 10 to 14 days to resolve--no matter what you do...
Calamine, cortisone topical, benadryl, etc will help with the symptoms, until enough time has past (10 to 14 days)
Oral or injectible cortisone will also suppress the symptoms. If the cortisone wears off before 10 to 14 day, the itching and rash will reappear.
Best to recognize and avoid it.. Second best is to wash with warm soap and water within an hour or exposure...Also wash clothes, gloves, garden tools, etc that have been exposed.
Third best remedy is to scratch.
Thanks everyone for the feedback.
Hobby, unfortunately I believe I have the 3rd remedy (probably why spreading).
The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
Richard Ewell, CSA General
We use to rub jewel weed on it...can't say that the best way though.
http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio...ewel_weed.html
actually, scratching will not spread it. The reaction is to the oils in the plant. If you have washed, the scratching of the oozing sores does not spread the reaction.
It may seem that way, due to delayed response to initial spreading of the oils on your skin. Different areas of skin respond to the oils in various time frames. If you have washed the oil from your skin (and don't re expose yourself from clothes, tools, or even your pet).. you cant spread it. Treat the symptoms, wait 2 weeks, and you will be fine.
"Let's hope he washed his hands before taking a wiz.' <----been there,done that! not a pretty sight
Moldy, this may be the case once all of the urushiol (the oil in the plant that causes the reaction) has been removed, but the first step is removing it to limit the skin contact. That can make an enormous difference in the initial exposure.
If the exposure is severe enough, then prednisone is the only thing that really makes a difference in terms of clearing the rash more quickly, at least for me. Some of the other products can make one more comfortable, though.
Being in the Horticultural/Landscaping industry I've had it REALLY BAD about 3 times. I don't get it anymore though even if I pick it up with bare hands and rub it on my body. I do think people build up an immunity to it. Decades ago before I developed an immunity to it( I used to get during the summer just by looking at it) interestingly enough I had three Brazilians working for me, an Uncle and his two nephews. The Uncle and one nephew would pull it off trees and out of the ground bare handed and bare chested in shorts during when the Urushiol oils were peaking during sweaty(their pores were maximally open) 90* days. They would even chew on it. They did this for two days straight one time hacking at it and filling up a 6 cubic yd dumpster. They had no signs of a reaction to the Urushiol oils. Thje other nephew(brother) was highly allergic to it. When the leaves of poison ivy look shiny and reddish the oils are high. Don't get near it.
If you catch it right away you can wash the oils off you and gear with Technu or something similar. There are one or two supposedly natural concoctions to try too. Calamine doesn't do crap in my opinion but make you pink. But when you have it bad or it's spreading the most effective shortest duration remedy is to get a max dosage cortisone shot. If you have no adverse reaction to cortisone that's how I would go in a heartbeat. Don't fool around with it when you are hiking in summer. It can spread easily as a hiker. In about 2 days you'll be good. Dried up and happy. The doc can give something to stop the itch too along with the cortisone shot. The Prednisone pills take longer to work but they do the job too. When you got it bad the shot is the way to go. Be aware of drug interactions and side affects with both cortisone and Prednisone. The doc will ask before they go either route.
BTW, even after washing all my clothing and bathing and dousing myself in Technu I gave it to two different GFs after having been intimate. Nether were with me when I contracted the allergic reaction. You can spread it to others.
Jewelweed(Impatiens capensis), the native member of the Impatiens genus that you'll find along the AT in abundance takes the sting and itch out of not only Poison Ivy allergic reactions but also Stinging Nettle. It has small orange-reddish flowers and a leaf of it in water turns sivery like a jewel. Native Indians used it for several things medicinally but also as a fishing lure to attract fish.
The problem with poison ivy and poison oak is that the oil that rubs off the plant on to your skin is not a real poison. Most people's autoimmune system thinks it is a poison and reacts to kill it. Perhaps in the distant past many thousands of years ago there was such a poison plant or animal that we needed defense against that looked like poison ivy to our system and we evolved triggers for our autoimmune system. Once that system activates and goes after the oil it is in a mode of "shoot first and ask questions later". In that battle most of the havoc is created when innocent skin cells get into the line of fire. Once it's in your body and you have a bad reaction the only thing that actually works is to shut down your autoimmune system which can be done with a strong dose of steroids like prednisone. Sure, step one is avoid the plant, step two is, if you get into it wash as soon as possible. Once you skin breaks out, go to step three, see the doc, you don't need to suffer for a week or more and risk secondary infections.
Oh another note. I was exposed to Poison Ivy by walking through a ankle high field of it barefooted in shorts along the Delaware RIver. After 2 days with no sign of a allergic reaction I thought I was in the clear. As someone else said only after about 3-4 days did I develop a rash. I got it bad that time.
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