Urisherol: poison ivy’s wicked oil.
After seeing the gruesome pictures, and hearing the horrifying stories in part 1 who’s ready for some solutions? (If you haven’t read part 1, click here).
But first, let’s do a little Fact or Fiction to dispel myths and let a little light in on the subject. There’s a lot of different thoughts and assumptions about poison ivy, and it’s a painful mistake to be mistakenly mistaken-en.
Poison IVY is “contagious”
Fiction… The rash cannot spread from person to person, but Urushiol oil can if left on the skin.
Some people may not be allergic to poison ivy
Fact… Some people may have absolutely no reaction to the nasty oil—how fortunate for them. But, watch out, people’s sensitivity to Urushiol can change over time.
Scratching poison ivy blisters will spread the rash
Fiction… The fluid in the blisters is not urushiol. You only spread the rash by scratching at the unwashed place of contact.
Dead and dried poison ivy plants are no longer toxic
Fiction… I wish this were true, but it’s not. The oil stays active on dead poison ivy, along with any surface it touches, for 5 years or longer--what?! Yes, that includes boots, camping equipment, forestry tools, even pet fur.
You can prevent getting the poison ivy rash, even if you touched the plant directly
Fact…This is good news. It takes water, soap and excessive scrubbing no more than 2-8 hrs. after contact. Check out the link below found by @reedracer to learn more about how to prevent this. @reedracer didn't create the video, but he did reply to my Part 1 post with this helpful video, so I wanted to give him his props.
Leaves of three, let them be. Avoid the leaves of three and you’ll be okay.
Fiction…and Fact Poison ivy does have 3 leaves, but you also have to watch out for poison oak with 3-5 leaves, and poison sumac with 7 to 13 leaves. Both these plants contain Urushoil, the wicked oil in Poison Ivy. But as far as Poison Ivy is concerned, the catchy little rhyme is true. All Poison Ivy comes in leaves of 3. So, please, please, let em' be!
Source for facts: http://www.ivyblock.com/myths.php
Tips for how to treat skin and objects exposed to poison ivy
The number one tip I can give you comes from the video posted above. You have to remember that what you are trying to get off is like invisible, toxic vehicle grease. To get grease off your skin, you need a lot friction or scrubbing.
Apply rubbing alcohol or dish soap (like Dawn) to your skin to help dissolve the oils. I now prefer Fast Orange or an equivalent. Nothing gets grease off like good old automotive grease remover.
Be sure to rinse with cool water since warm or hot water will open your pores and allow more toxins in.
Put your drying towel and any exposed clothes separately in the wash. (If you love your husband,wife, man-servant or maid-servant, you might want to warn them to don plastic gloves before handling laundry...just sayin’).
Too late? Ideas to help the itch
Don’t scratch. I’m horrible at this as my wife can attest. It feels so good to itch it, however infection is a risk. Open wounds are grounds for all kind of nasty parasites and bacteria to enter in.
Apply a cold compress or a very very hot shower (after you’re sure you’ve already removed the oil of course). I really love to hate the boiling hot shower. It hurts so good. Once your nerve endings are seared, Ta-Da, the itch goes away!
Classic calamine lotion is a winner. Some say Capsaicin cream, labeled for arthritis pain, can suppress the itch for hours.
Antihistamines internally, before bedtime, to give you some rest.
Use a baking soda paste to pull the fluid out of the blisters. Allow to dry and flake off.
Source for facts: http://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Poison-Ivy-and-Poison-Oak
Other natural remedies for itching include: aloe vera, apple cider vinegar, cold coffee, chilled fruit rinds, chamomile tea bath, buttermilk or yogurt, acorn or oatmeal baths and so on.
That’s a lot of weird stuff, but if you’ve got the ITCH, you’ll try just about anything to get relief. Trust me.
Do you have any tips or ideas to share? I’d love to hear them.
Thanks for Reading!
As Always,
