Poison Ivy cure?

[ultrarunner]

I get a pretty bad reaction to Poison Ivy. I use one of the scrubs (can't remember off hand) which are only designed to remove the urushiol , the oil that it leaves on you, then I use calamine lotion to stop itching. Before I used the scrubs I'd go to bed with it just on my forearms, then the next day or two it would be all over my chest and stomach from where I'd be laying at night.
Couple of years ago, working on the treeline, I needed a pee. I think you know where I'm going with this! Next couple of days I swelled up so bad I had to go to urgent care. Doctor said she didn't need to see it (thank heavens for small mercies!) and gave me a steroid that got the swelling down within hours, I've never been so happy to pay a medical bill!

Yep… touch nothing in the field… nothing!

Cool shower and keep underwear on…

Good gloves help but only when doing that kind of work.

I had jeans that had gone through the wash 3 times in a row and left them in the shop for next year canyon work…

I noticed the pant leg had black marks like a Sharpie and sure enough I got poison oak and the kicker is plans changed so I never went in the canyon.

There are some Samoans here that make good money clearing poison oak… native plants in Samoa have similar compound and they say they are imune.

I’ve got 20 acres of it well tamed but must be always vigilant.

The nearby subdivision with sidewalks has poison oak hedges reaching over the sidewalk…

I mentioned it to the owner and she won’t do anything…

I can only thing spray it all… chemically burn it to the ground and then carefully haul away next year…

How this can not be a public nuisance I will never understand.

 

[5030]

My wife and I get it about every year and we use 'Ivy Wash'. Not that expensive, cures the itch right away as well.

 

[newbury]

I used to be EXTREMELY allergic to PI. Eventually I sort of gave up, I'd infect my self somewhere I could monitor it, like the top of my forearm. I'd take an early spring leaf, lightly rub it on (while wearing gloves) wash around it. It would fester up and itch for 2 weeks then generally I'd be good for the rest of the summer. It might just made me more aware of PI.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

As a kid, my buddy and I rubbed poison sumac all over so we could get a day off of school. We were out over a week. What worked for us to stop the itch was a bath with cornstarch mixed in.
Sincve then, I use prevention, even in dead of summer heat, long sleeves, long pants, gloves and a hat when working with any poison plants.

 

[ultrarunner]

There are accounts of native Americans at the time of the Spanish Missions being immune but no such luck for the Spaniards.

Immunologist at work said often no to little reaction first contact but watch out next time.

Maybe explains why some will have contact and no reaction.

 

[ponytug]

@ultrarunner Chemistry tip: I add Oxi-Clean to anything that might be contaminated with poison oak. The peroxide in Oxi-clean (and its non-bleach competitors) attacks the urushiol, decomposing it.

Trivia: the black smear on your pants is how black lacquerware is made. Urushiol is the base for lacquerware. I can't imagine what the working conditions must be like.

All the best,

Peter

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

Couple of years ago, working on the treeline, I needed a pee. I think you know where I'm going with this! Next couple of days I swelled up so bad I had to go to urgent care. Doctor said she didn't need to see it (thank heavens for small mercies!) and gave me a steroid that got the swelling down within hours, I've never been so happy to pay a medical bill!

Same thing happened to me, but unfortunately, I also handled some diced Carolina Reapers and got some Atomic Balm on my hands first.

 

[5030]

I've heard that Nightshade berries work as well (If you have any growing nearby), we do bit I've never tried it. We just use Ivy Wash. Never knew that about H2O2 either, We chemically inject it in our well water to precipitate out the sulfur dioxide so our clothes are always washed in it.

 

[CalG]

I've tried rubbing down ivy exposed skin with the juice of Jewel weed. A wild plant that usually grows close by the p i.
There is lots of it around my place.
Some sort of natural-pathic remedy.

It has worked, or perhaps I didn't really get into the pi. Hard to tell.

When living in Calif, a few friends and I went for a hike up one side of a small canyon and down the other side. Once to the bottom, we had to bushwhack about 100 yards of brush to get back to our cars. None of us had a clue the brush was poison oak. I got some moderate rash and itch on one forearm, nothing on my bare legs. One of the gals was hospitalized for over a week. I felt so bad for her.

 

[DarkBlack]

Poison ivy sucks
Sorry, thats all I have to say