Question about poison oak/ivy/sumac

[Diesel JD]

Hey I'm just wondering what you recreational climbers and pro arborists due to mamage the risk of poison ivy while climbing. This is probably one of the main reasons I am not a climber professionally. I'm pretty allergic to the stuff. Any ideas are good,
J.D.

 

[Xtra]

1st know what it looks like and if at all possible just stay away from it.
If that's not an option I've had fairly good results with "Ivy Block" prior to working in ivy and then washing with "Tecnu" afterwards. Tecnu has a chemical that attaches and washes away the poison ivy irritant (urushiol).
If the weather is cool enough wear long sleeves & gloves. Also don't wash your contaminates clothes with anything else.

Good additional info: www.poisonivy.us

 

[Diesel JD]

Great facts buddy, I'll look into it. It's true that ID is most critical. Heck I've always gotten it when I failed to make a correct identification. Most recently helping a friend with a fell tree behind the club house pool in the winter time. It was a Nissa, a local swamp dweller with lots of vines, being winter...all the leaves were gone. I was suspicious it might be poison, but thought naah, probably just grapes or virginia creeper. I thought wrong and paid for it.

 

[JimK]

Diesel,

I'll share my personal experience with poison ivy. I have a moderate reaction to it. I climbed an Ash last November that had "dead" poison ivy vines. In case a reader isn't aware, the poison ivy vine is hairy. Three leaves in the summer and hairy vines in the winter are the respective alerts.

When I climb, I wear polyester hiking pants. From November through Febuary I had repeat poison ivy rashes from wearing these pants. They were contaminated by the November climb, and they were washed weekly. Apparently this low grade exposure built up my resistance. I'll get a poison ivy bubble for 3 days max.

I understand that sumac is a different beast. I've never encoutered it. However I hear that air contact near the plant can result in a reaction. Anyone have a sumac encounter?

 

[Diesel JD]

Good tip on it being hairy. I will learn to wtach out for that. From my understanding, poison oak poison sumac and even a related "cow itch" vine can cause allergic reactions in some people. Id on't know if you would call my reaction moderate. It seems to be pretty bad, iot usually takes oral prednisone and a trip to teh doc to get rid of. Takes me about 2-3 eeks to be close to normal even at that. From what I hear in some cases, the reaction works liek you said and you become less allergic over time and sometimes more....weird stuff. Thanks for sharing, any more?

 

[Diesel JD]

Ugh, that page brings back too many bad memories!! I tell you, I think you needed a barf bag just to hang around me. It's a vicious plant...I just hope I learned my lesson to stay away from it, and yet I love trees, love climbing and cutting wood...catch 22 but I can't get this stuiff again. Thanks for the info!
J.D.

 

[NickfromWI]

When recreationally climbing, I avoid it by knowing how to ID it, then just not climbing trees that have it growing in or around.

At work I avoid it by ID'ing it before others do, then starting on a different tree before they even realize what's going on.

love
nick

 

[TreeMike]

I am not allergic to poision Ivy poison oak. So I always get the nasty vined up trees. I do know a few guys who use cheap hairspray (like aqua net) they spray all exposed skin before getting into it. Its supposed to close your pores. It seems to me like it works.

 

[Diesel JD]

Thanks for all the good info guys. I love working in the woods and climbing trees, but poson ivy is pretty nasty on me. Looks like some of that stuff in the links someone provided. Maybe worse.

 

[hobby climber]

I was exposed to poison ivy a few years ago and had little trouble with it,(light rash on wrists & arms). Didn't think much of it at the time and shrugged it off as No Big Deal! Well guess what? Less than a week ago, I was exposed to it again. Didn't know about it till a day or two later but by day three I had spots rashes & blisters on my wrists, arms, neck, chest & ankles. Went to the doctor & was told that it stays in your body. So the next time you come in contact with it,it will break out all over. I was put on steroids, antihistamine, anti inflammatory, and calamine lotion. Its now day four of the treatment and the oozing finally stopped and the itching is not as bad. The point I'm making is this: Once you get it, GET RID OF IT!!! See your doctor and get the medication that will clear it from your body. Otherwise it will only be worst the next time you contract it. Trust me ! One last point, you can't have any contact with poison ivy while on the medication...doctor said it would be a Very Bad thing to do! HC