Poison Ivy Contamination

[Scootermsp]

Well despite my precautions my arms are a freakin mess with poison ivy. I think I got it from some dead stuff clinging to a tree I bucked. I think my PPE stuff is all oil from it, chaps( underside of forearms contact them while sittting on tractor), gloves, Ear protection on helmet (I have it around my ears) I've had enough!!!! I'm going back to home heating oil !!!! (NOT!!!!) What works best for you folks to prevent it!!! I always shower immediately after and soap up at least 3 times on areas not protected by clothing. I didn't get it all summer, now it's happening a lot more. Thank You.

 

[cycledude232]

I get it bad myself, the best thing ive been able to come up with is to just avoid it as best i can, doing wood doesn't make that very easy. so i just wash up like you said you do, really well as soon as i can. may take 2-3 showers depending on the day. but its worked very well for me so far, ive only gotten a few little bitty tiny spots of poison ivy so far this year.(knock on wood)
when i get into it, it gets me bad, i swell up real big, and have to take steroids to stop the Alergic reaction. not much fun for me. one time i went blind from it for a week. on the bright side i got to miss a week of school. but it was totally not worth it.
Good luck. hope it heals up quick.

 

[Soilarch]

Haven't found much for PREVENTING. Technu makes a wash to get the oil off of you after exposure. You can wash your clothes or anything else in it as well. But using it in that method will get expensive. I've heard the oil isn't that hard to wash off of things. I'm not sensitive enough to worry about cleaning my ear muffs or other tools.

But I do get it, and when I do it instantly spreads to the same 4-5 spots...usually in the same order. Then, I don't seem to heal from it nearly as quickly as most people. 2 weeks minimum, more likely a month. Most summer's I just live with it in my elbows, behind my knees, and on top of my belt.

The best things I've found for AFTER you already have it:

Keep bynadril in your system, take a half-dose every 4-6 hours or whenever you start itching. You'll be a little groggy for a day or two after that your body builds up a resistance and you feel fine. It completely worth it for me. YMMV

Hot Water. As simple as it sounds, the best and most sure-fire itch relief is your hope in your shower and turn the head so your whole body isn't in the water stream turn it as hot as you can possibly stand...every couple minutes turn it a little hotter keep it at the almost unbearable level and put your rash (wherever it is) in the hot water. It will feel things you didn't know were possible, and you may even start seeing things...but 5 minutes after the shower you forget you even have poison ivy.

Baking Soda and water combined into a paste. Rub it on the area and let it dry. Sit down and TV, you'll need something to take your mind off the itching. Let it dry. By the time it's dry it'll stop burning and you should be good-to-go for 8-24 hours.

 

[Jkebxjunke]

Haven't found much for PREVENTING. Technu makes a wash to get the oil off of you after exposure. You can wash your clothes or anything else in it as well. But using it in that method will get expensive. I've heard the oil isn't that hard to wash off of things. I'm not sensitive enough to worry about cleaning my ear muffs or other tools.

But I do get it, and when I do it instantly spreads to the same 4-5 spots...usually in the same order. Then, I don't seem to heal from it nearly as quickly as most people. 2 weeks minimum, more likely a month. Most summer's I just live with it in my elbows, behind my knees, and on top of my belt.

The best things I've found for AFTER you already have it:

Keep bynadril in your system, take a half-dose every 4-6 hours or whenever you start itching. You'll be a little groggy for a day or two after that your body builds up a resistance and you feel fine. It completely worth it for me. YMMV

Hot Water. As simple as it sounds, the best and most sure-fire itch relief is your hope in your shower and turn the head so your whole body isn't in the water stream turn it as hot as you can possibly stand...every couple minutes turn it a little hotter keep it at the almost unbearable level and put your rash (wherever it is) in the hot water. It will feel things you didn't know were possible, and you may even start seeing things...but 5 minutes after the shower you forget you even have poison ivy.

Baking Soda and water combined into a paste. Rub it on the area and let it dry. Sit down and TV, you'll need something to take your mind off the itching. Let it dry. By the time it's dry it'll stop burning and you should be good-to-go for 8-24 hours.

Hot water also works for bee stings too when they start to itch. I remember I was stung by a wasp on the hand the day before we were to leave to go ti WI to visit with my wife's family... benedryl is not an option while driving... I was hitting every rest area along the way and praying they had hot water... ( some don't.. grrr) but most do but not that hot .. hot enough to get about 70 miles of relief. must have looked silly when it was bout 150 miles before I found one rest area.. man was it itching bad... i ran the hot water on it for like 5 minutes.. I think I did the OMG its itching so bad little dance LOL

 

[Bruce Hopf]

I get bothered pretty bad by Poison Oak too. I was on eBay a while back, and found a person that sells Jewel weed Salve, and Soap. I thought what the heck, $14.99 + shipping + under $20.00, give it a try.
It's supposed to clear it up in 3 days, but 5 days later, the rash was all gone. Normally, I have the rash up to 2 weeks.
It came with 3 bars of Soap, and 5 oz jar of Salve. Here is their eMail address if interested. [email protected] .
For Bee stings, I've always taken a dime, and just used the edge of it, and it pulls the Stinger, and Poison right out. No itching afterwards. Bruce.

 

[mga]

I get bothered pretty bad by Poison Oak too. I was on eBay a while back, and found a person that sells Jewel weed Salve, and Soap. I thought what the heck, $14.99 + shipping + under $20.00, give it a try.
It's supposed to clear it up in 3 days, but 5 days later, the rash was all gone. Normally, I have the rash up to 2 weeks.
It came with 3 bars of Soap, and 5 oz jar of Salve. Here is their eMail address if interested. [email protected] .
For Bee stings, I've always taken a dime, and just used the edge of it, and it pulls the Stinger, and Poison right out. No itching afterwards. Bruce.

i just ordered that myself. waiting for it to arrive. went thru 5 days of itching hell.

as others have said, the best thing to do if suspected of being exposed is to wash immediately. however, the ivy/oak oil does not wash off easily and if you don't use the right soap, you might end up spreading it. often, ordinary soap doesn't cut thru the oils.

one product that i found that works for me to relieve the itching is called BioFreeze. i now keep a tube of it just in case. it might sting a little going on, but in a few minutes it'll give you a couple of hours of relief, which is a blessing when you want to take a wire brush and scratch yourself.

Jewel Weed is supposed to be a natural remedy for poison ivy. you squeeze the water out of the stem tube and apply it to the infected area.

 

[John Ellison]

I get P.I. too. What works for me is to keep rubbing alcohol and a couple of clean towels in the truck. Wash off good with the alcohol when I know/ feel that I have been in it. Then when I get home a Technu bath.

 

[Wet1]

Once you have it there's not much you can do about it with OTC stuff. The key is to avoid getting it in the first place. I've been in the woods and doing landscaping for as long as I can remember. It took me a long time to learn about how to deal with PI, but I have now gotten to the point where I hardly ever get it anymore. Here's what I do:

I try to be aware of it and make sure to avoid it if I see it. If there's any chance that I've been contaminated, I first make sure I don't touch or rub any other spots on my body to minimize spreading it.

ASAP, I will thoroughly clean the possibly infected areas with a solvent. Technu works well, but is expensive. I've found the citrus solvents work excellent for removing the oils and they aren't as hazardous as lacquer thinner or other petroleum based solvents (most of these work excellent as well), although they do dry your skin out (but this is the least of my concerns at this point!) I buy the citrus solvent by the gallon jug. It's cheap and lasts a long time compared to those expensive little bottles of Technu. The other thing you want to do is get the ivy oil off your body ASAP. If you can get it off within the first 15 minutes of exposure you have a much better chance of not getting the 'infection', if you wait hours you're pretty much screwed. Use clean rags and when you think you've removed all the oil, get another clean rag & solvent and clean some more!

Next clean the poop out of anything that has value and might have also been contaminated, otherwise throw it away. The oil is hard to remove, typical hand soap or laundry detergent wont do a very good job of removing PI oil. Again, I've found the citrus solvent works wonders for cleaning gear and clothing. After I think everything is 'clean' I run the clothing through the wash (using a lot of detergent) to remove the the citrus cleaner smell (although I kind of like the smell) and remove any left over traces of oil.

With any luck you'll be itch free...

 

[B-Edwards]

Back when I cut R/w i kept it for a solid year , not bad but it was on me somewhere the entire time. I finaly figured out I had to avoid it. I dont know how many new guys would come in and I would ask, are you alergic to poison oak? Answer- no , I can eat the stuff. Fast forward 1 day OMG ! they were covered in it. I think alot of people cant indentify it . Few years later a new guy comes in same story, he had his shirt off and wrapped the vines around his head and entire mid section. I was lmao especialy after he told me I know what I'm talking about ,But he didnt catch it so he got every tree with p/o after that. That is the only way I dont get it.

 

[Bruce Hopf]

I always used to wait until the Second Frost, to hit in the Fall, before I went near the Bush. I was working around an old fence pile in the Bush, cleaning it up, and I had to do a lot of fishing around in the Poison Oak, to get a lot of it.
I washed up real good, but not good enough with this Jewel Weed Soap, it temporary stop the Itch, but the mistake I made, was when it started to itch again, I didn't was with it again.
I was able to contain the Spread of it with the Jewel Weed Salve, and I applied it 3 to 5 times a day. When I washed up, I used the Soap, and I was impressed how it cleared up the Poison Oak.
I've even had Poison Oak in the Middle of January, from the stuff that climbs the trees, because the frost does not kill that stuff.
I always hated getting Poison Oak, down below the belt, because that stuff is worse than Jock Itch. LOL. Bruce.

 

[woodbooga]

Jewel Weed is supposed to be a natural remedy for poison ivy. you squeeze the water out of the stem tube and apply it to the infected area.

This is my prefered method. Free and plentiful supply of the stuff in the northwest facing part of my property.

Some posters her poo-pooh jewel weed, but I swear by it. Among the few natural cures I personally believe works.

 

[Scootermsp]

Found The Cure Today!

I did some research last night on the net and came across ZANFEL (available at CVS, RiteAid, etc check www.zanfel.com). It's expensive, $40 for a 1 oz. tube. I bought the RiteAid brand generic for $26. It pulls the PI oil out of your skin, stops itching within 30 seconds and it's literally dried out instantly. I used it on my arms about 830 this AM. It's about 1130 AM and it feels 95% better. I'd pay $100 a tube it works so well....finally a cure !!!!!!!(even the big oozing patches are dried out) TIME TO SAW !!!!!

 

[clawmute]

Not just Poison Ivy but Poison Oak & poison Sumac. It all eats me alive. I really hate the poison Sumac - it has broad leaves not the ivy shaped leaves.

I've never found anthing that will keep it off you. I've had my eyes nearly swelled shut by the stuff. Steroids helped mine but they are bad too. I try and use my tractor bucket to scrape the vines from the trunks, but then you get the stuff all over the bucket.

 

[hickslawns]

Jewel weed is a good cheap remedy. Natural remedy. The thing you will start to notice is jewel weed is generally growing in areas near poison ivy. Once you know what it looks like, if you see PI, then look around and you are almost sure to find jewel weed.

If you have a pool or hot tub available, the chlorine also helps to dry out the rash.

If I get it in a couple small spots, then I will use a paper towel such as Bounty and fold them over to make them stronger, put some Clorox on them, and pop the small blisters and dry them out followed by a shower.

 

[mga]

I did some research last night on the net and came across ZANFEL (available at CVS, RiteAid, etc check www.zanfel.com). It's expensive, $40 for a 1 oz. tube. I bought the RiteAid brand generic for $26. It pulls the PI oil out of your skin, stops itching within 30 seconds and it's literally dried out instantly. I used it on my arms about 830 this AM. It's about 1130 AM and it feels 95% better. I'd pay $100 a tube it works so well....finally a cure !!!!!!!(even the big oozing patches are dried out) TIME TO SAW !!!!!

good old ebay......

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38.l1313&_nkw=zanfel&_sacat=See-All-Categories

but, who wants to wait a week for delivery!!!!

 

[bama]

I read that if you can get the oil off within 15 minutes of exposure, you will not get a rash. However, I have never been able to figure out WHEN and WHERE I was exposed.

 

[woodbooga]

I read that if you can get the oil off within 15 minutes of exposure, you will not get a rash. However, I have never been able to figure out WHEN and WHERE I was exposed.

I'm always on the lookout for the stuff. Like Homer Simpson says, "Leaves of 3, away from me. Leaves of four, eat some more."

 

[mga]

I'm always on the lookout for the stuff. Like Homer Simpson says, "Leaves of 3, away from me. Leaves of four, eat some more."

and, what about leaves of 5?

 

[B-Edwards]

Leaves of 5 here is called Viginia Creeper, it may/probably does have another name but I have never had any reaction to it at all. The next time you have it take a nice long warm shower then take a hair dryer and blow it on affected area.

 

[woodbooga]

I'm always on the lookout for the stuff. Like Homer Simpson says, "Leaves of 3, away from me. Leaves of four, eat some more."

and, what about leaves of 5?

Wait a second... [sound of chewing]...

Leaves of five, still alive. Leaves of six? Still in the mix. But leaves of seven, you go to heaven.