Poison Ivy, Oak, Sumac Protection

[Traveler]

This is probably one of the better explanations I have seen relative to poison ivy.

There is actually no such thing as immunity to poison ivy. Poison ivy rash is caused when a particular irritating, toxic chemical in the poison ivy gets on the skin and stimulates an inflammatory reaction by certain immune cells in your body, called a delayed hypersensitivity reaction. The chemical in poison ivy will produce this inflammatory reaction (and the consequent rash, blistering and itching) in everyone exposed to the chemical, assuming that the exposure reaches a certain threshold. What is true is that some people have much lower thresholds for getting the rash, and so they will seem to be "sensitive" to poison ivy, while other people will have higher thresholds, so they will seem to be "resistant" to the rash. However, a "resistant" person will get poison ivy if they come in contact with enough of the plant for long enough. Another thing that can happen is that repeated exposures over the course of your life can gradually sensitize your immune cells to the chemical. This means that you may appear to be "resistant" for most of your life and then, suddenly with one final exposure, become "sensitive."

[jeffmeh]

I agree with the general premise. This stuff works great to remove the urushiol. https://www.meangreen.us/

[Jim Obermeyer]

Jewel weed is the best remedy for poison ivy. All the remedy soaps and potions contain jewel weed. Look on youtube for different ways to prepare it and carry it. It grows around creeks and road sides and youtube will show you how to identify it.

[swjohnsey]

The stuff he was holding up likely wasn't poison ivy. Not sure of his expertise when he can't even identify it.

[b-square]

+1 on the Timberwolf.

Also my Father in law ate some on a dare when he was 8, says it almost killed him. To this day he has never had another reaction to PI. I never know whether to believe his stories - he should have been dead long before my wife was born.

[swjohnsey]

Some folks are not sensitive to poison ivy/oak. I'm not. I can wallow in it without any problems. Never tried to eat it.

[Greenlight]

If you're going on a longer hike, it makes sense to get with your doctor first and ask for two things. First is a 30 day supply of antibiotics. You'll have a discussion about that one, of course, to ensure you don't misuse it. The second thing is a Prednisone pack. This is just part of a strategy from prevention and protection, to mitigation and response. Yes, I'm an emergency manager. LOL. If you start to get the rash, you start popping Prednisone. It will help dry it out quickly. If it keeps getting worse, when you get to a town, you go into the RediMed for a shot in the butt of Cortisone. The two drugs together are the standard treatment for contact with urushiol.

[Don H]

Yes, I'm an emergency manager. LOL. If you start to get the rash, you start popping Prednisone. It will help dry it out quickly. If it keeps getting worse, when you get to a town, you go into the RediMed for a shot in the butt of Cortisone. The two drugs together are the standard treatment for contact with urushiol.

Prednisone is indicated for severe poison ivy reaction, not just contact with it.

Personally I wouldn't start popping Prednisone every time I have contact with poison ivy.

[Traveler]

Prednisone is indicated for severe poison ivy reaction, not just contact with it.

Personally I wouldn't start popping Prednisone every time I have contact with poison ivy.

+ 1 This is one of the reasons many MDs won't prescribe antibiotics without seeing the symptoms first and have people use a prescribed antibiotic in the wrong application.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Some folks are not sensitive to poison ivy/oak. I'm not. I can wallow in it without any problems. Never tried to eat it.

This is another great example of why it is so important to pick your parents carefully. I have never gotten a case of poison ivy despite being exposed to it many times and I don't think my siblings have either. Nevertheless I also do my best not to tempt fate and I don't get careless around the stuff, I always remind myself that I am not immune, just less sensitive to it than most folks. One of my big worries outdoors is that I will find myself in a situation where I am exposed to enough of it at once that my body finally has a full blown reaction.

[SGTJones]

Prednisone is indicated for severe poison ivy reaction, not just contact with it.

Personally I wouldn't start popping Prednisone every time I have contact with poison ivy.

I started getting a rash in GA, popped 3 prednisone and it went away. Seems like the key is to suppress the immune response before the rash fully develops and wash the urushiol oil off so it doesn't cause further irritation.

But that was the only time I had any issue with poison ivy on the trail. Kind if surprising really since some places are literally covered with the damn plants.

I'm wondering if the lack of frequent showers means that we have our natural layer of oil on our skin intact and if that helps keep the urishi oil off. Or if maybe our immune response is already somewhat suppressed due to the stressors of hiking. Or I've just been lucky and haven't gotten it on me.

[swjohnsey]

This is another great example of why it is so important to pick your parents carefully. I have never gotten a case of poison ivy despite being exposed to it many times and I don't think my siblings have either. Nevertheless I also do my best not to tempt fate and I don't get careless around the stuff, I always remind myself that I am not immune, just less sensitive to it than most folks. One of my big worries outdoors is that I will find myself in a situation where I am exposed to enough of it at once that my body finally has a full blown reaction.

Yep, I have heard you can suddenly lose your immunity. Poison Sumac is much more potent, but you don't see it very often.

[swjohnsey]

If you have been in the woods much and have never had it you probably aren't sensitive.