Poison Ivy :(

[engy]

I had a little bit of energy so I pulled some weeds in my flower beds and took a short walk in our woods. I got poison ivy on my neck!? Oh geez, this stinks.

I am putting baking soda & vinegar on it because someone recommended it.

Any other suggestions for me and anyone else who happens upon this nasty rash?

Thanks friends!

[Cheryl]

You have my sympathy!  I am susceptible to it, too.  I have tried lots of suggested remedies, including taking lots of vitamin C.  I usually end up getting a dose pack of steroids, because it will continue spreading on me for weeks. 

I do have a preventative suggestion, though.  Buy a bottle of Tecnu from your pharmacy.  Keep it on hand, and use it according to directions as soon as you think you have been exposed.  It removes the plant oil from your skin.  I'm certain that it has prevented outbreaks for me.

I hope yours clears up soon.   Hang in there!

[slccom]

Wash really, really well with soap and shampoo to get the remaining oils off, and wash the clothes you were wearing in hot water, all by themselves. Double rinse. Then wash again.

Don't burn them. The oil will become aerosolized and you'll breath it in.

Calamine lotion, oatmeal baths, sedatives....

Hang in there!
Hugs, Sharon

[Joe S.]

Dumbroz tablets for moist wraps, is what I used to have to use. My first case of it was in my lungs when a young scout used it for tinder. Now I am very careful to watch for it. I think the dumbroz soak dried it out.

[engy]

Joe, I have used domboro before- not sure if it is the same thing but does work great.

I used vinegar & baking soda paste since that is what I had. It took the itching away immediately & cleared it up in 3 days!

Thanks for the other tips, I will purchase some items to keep in my cabinet!

[Joe S.]

I did not remember the name properly. The last time I used it was over 30 years ago.

[Sleepy In Seattle]

I used to get it all the time when I was a kid - I was always in the woods! 

My mom used to put a SCALDING HOT washcloth on it - I mean as hot as you can POSSIBLY stand it - ALMOST hot enough to burn you, but not quite. Keep it on there until it cools off, then repeat - then dry the area and apply calamine lotion. It should kill the itching for several hours. It was the only thing that ever gave me any real relief!

Sorry you got into that stuff - it's EVIL!!! It's nice to live in the Pacific NW where we don't really have any of it - or many mosquitoes, either! My daughter doesn't know how much suffering she is spared, growing up out here, LOL... 

[Cassi307]

This topic is a reminder to me that one of these days poison ivy is going to get me. I know there is a rhyme about the rule of 3 telling you which plants to not touch but I can't remember it. I have a horrible habit of seeing weeds and just pulling without going for gloves first.  One of these days the evil weed is going to get me.

[slccom]

Leaflets three, let it be!
Sharon

[Cassi307]

This topic is a reminder to me that one of these days poison ivy is going to get me. I know there is a rhyme about the rule of 3 telling you which plants to not touch but I can't remember it. I have a horrible habit of seeing weeds and just pulling without going for gloves first.  One of these days the evil weed is going to get me.

Can't believe this but my son has poison ivy on his face for the second time since last year. He denies touching any plants. It is so bad his whole face is swollen. He is not complaining of itching. The md gave him prednisone. What other tips can you offer to help speed his healing?

[A66eyroad]

It's the oils on the plant that cause the allergic reaction.

I've been told that soap only spreads the oil around.  I've always heard that you should pour regular old alcohol (isopropyl) directly over the places where you've been exposed, then wipe down with paper towels soaked in alcohol, and to not use soap. 

I've also been told that the oils can remain volitile on your clothing for weeks following exposure.  Washing the clothes with other items will spread the oil over more items of clothing.  You should wash exposed clothes alone, and wash them a couple of times in the hottest water available with detergent.  I was told you should not wear them again for several weeks. (But I don't have enough clothing for that!)

[lighthouse33]

Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment, Single Use Packets 8 ea

Whether you're suffering from poison ivy, sunburn, or eczema, you know that the itching can drive you crazy. Soaking for 15 to 20 minutes in Aveeno Bath can help soothe your sensitive skin. The powder, made of 100 percent pure colloidal oatmeal, forms a milky bath when mixed in water. The Aveeno bath gently cleans ... no soap is necessary. When you're ready to step out of the tub, you'll find that your skin is softer, smoother and--best of all--your itchiness has been relieved.

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[Cassi307]

Thanks to both of you for the tips. The md said it is poison ivy but he does not remember touching anything plantlike. There is a remote possibility it was from our dog's fur but the dog has no sign of it and neither do I. I had already washed the clothes before he was diagnosed and nothing has happened. We just can't figure this out.

Thanks for the Aveeno tip but it is on his face and not body. Strangely he is not complaining of itching. We can try to dissolve some in water and he can use a washcloth soaked in the Aveeno against his skin.

The prednisone seems to be working. His face is less puffy today.

[A66eyroad]

Just FYI --- pouring the alcohol is useful directly after being exposed as a preventative measure, not as a cure!  I don't think I was very clear when I made that earlier post.  Sorry, everyone!

[engy]

Oh no! I'm sorry he has poisin ivy!

I found that vinegar & baking soda helped & Domsboro that Joe suggested to work the best for me.

I'm glad he got on prednisone since it is on his face.
Good luck!