Sooner or later it is bound to happen to all of us. I seem to have gotten into a good bunch this weekend and have poison ivy on both arms and hands despite using gloves and wearing long sleeves. Just wondering what people recommend for relief.
poison ivy
- Thread starter nwctjeff
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
- Status
Hey I think we have the potential for a good thread started here. I've had poison ivy so many times I've near developed immunity.
I remember heating the affected area with a hair dryer, just gettin' it as pipin' hot as you can stand it with the hair dryer, then immediately wiping it with rubbing alcohol, but it's gotta be freakin' hot first
I can't wait to see what else comes up for remedies!
I remember heating the affected area with a hair dryer, just gettin' it as pipin' hot as you can stand it with the hair dryer, then immediately wiping it with rubbing alcohol, but it's gotta be freakin' hot first
I can't wait to see what else comes up for remedies!
- Oct 8, 2008
- 450
too bad it isnt summer time when you can just put your arms in a pool w chlorine.
I've heard bleach and water works too but ive never tried it.
I've heard bleach and water works too but ive never tried it.
Hmmm..maybe you could plunge your arm into your stove to get it really hot, a bit of rubbing alcohol on top of that and I'll bet it wouldn't itch anymore. :ahhh: Actually, here's a link that's good for kids of all ages (unlike the wood stove remedy) http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/conditions/a/poison_ivy.htmansehnlich1 said:Hey I think we have the potential for a good thread started here. I've had poison ivy so many times I've near developed immunity.
I remember heating the affected area with a hair dryer, just gettin' it as pipin' hot as you can stand it with the hair dryer, then immediately wiping it with rubbing alcohol, but it's gotta be freakin' hot first
I can't wait to see what else comes up for remedies!
Sorry, not allergic to poison ivy. I only get it if i have a cut it can get into - and then it only lasts a couple days. Not allergic to mosquito bites either. But the kids and wife get it off the goats all summer and they swear by a product called Ivy Arrest.
Same here. Put some bleach in a paper cup and use a Q-tip to dab it on. It will work.johnsopi said:
BTW if you see hairy vines on a log, don't touch them.
That sucks.
I just moved East...we don't really have he evil weed in the Midwest. But I just got over a case doing, what else, sawing down a tree. It got me on seventy percent of my bod. The doc said she'd never seen a case so bad. It sucked.
NONE of those home remedies worked for me. Piss, bleach, heat, calamine, Tecnu, Calagel... it was all worthless, thought the Tecnu is good for next time, if you even THINK you've been exposed. Buy some now and keep it handy, so the next time you get into that crap you can shower it all off.
My sincerest sympathy.
I just moved East...we don't really have he evil weed in the Midwest. But I just got over a case doing, what else, sawing down a tree. It got me on seventy percent of my bod. The doc said she'd never seen a case so bad. It sucked.
NONE of those home remedies worked for me. Piss, bleach, heat, calamine, Tecnu, Calagel... it was all worthless, thought the Tecnu is good for next time, if you even THINK you've been exposed. Buy some now and keep it handy, so the next time you get into that crap you can shower it all off.
My sincerest sympathy.
My Dad and I used to cut wood in the winter and we'd sometimes forget to keep an eye out for those "hairy vines" - I got it so bad as a kid I had an eye swollen shut once or twice. Never really found a great treatment - best I've tried is something called Ivy Dry (zinc acetate in benzyl alcohol).
I have a few lines of defense when I get into poison ivy. The first is to make sure all clothing, gloves and boots are either cleaned or at least kept seperate so I'm aware they're contaminated (I've gotten poison ivy from my shoelaces many times). I then scrub-brush my hands with soap and cold water, repeating several times - the lather can spread the poison ivy oil, so it is very important to thoroughly rinse hands as well as the bar of soap (I once jumped right in the shower, lathered up and rinsed real quickly, and spread the poison ivy over my entire body - and I do mean entire!).
If I do start itching I always make sure to scrub again, especially my finger nails, with a hard-bristle brush and something stronger than regular soap. That helps keep it from spreading even more, hopefully.
My favorite poison ivy story is the time I pitched a tent in barefeet in the dark. Walked out in the morning to discover we made camp in a jungle of the stuff. Well there goes the vacation, I figured - too much time had passed for soap and water to do any good. But I went to the car and looked around for a minute. I pulled out a can of WD-40, sprayed my ankles and scrubbed 'em down with steel wool, and hit the campground showers. No itching, and still no cancer. Necessity is a mother...
I have a few lines of defense when I get into poison ivy. The first is to make sure all clothing, gloves and boots are either cleaned or at least kept seperate so I'm aware they're contaminated (I've gotten poison ivy from my shoelaces many times). I then scrub-brush my hands with soap and cold water, repeating several times - the lather can spread the poison ivy oil, so it is very important to thoroughly rinse hands as well as the bar of soap (I once jumped right in the shower, lathered up and rinsed real quickly, and spread the poison ivy over my entire body - and I do mean entire!).
If I do start itching I always make sure to scrub again, especially my finger nails, with a hard-bristle brush and something stronger than regular soap. That helps keep it from spreading even more, hopefully.
My favorite poison ivy story is the time I pitched a tent in barefeet in the dark. Walked out in the morning to discover we made camp in a jungle of the stuff. Well there goes the vacation, I figured - too much time had passed for soap and water to do any good. But I went to the car and looked around for a minute. I pulled out a can of WD-40, sprayed my ankles and scrubbed 'em down with steel wool, and hit the campground showers. No itching, and still no cancer. Necessity is a mother...
there is a product called Zanfel that is supposed to relieve after contact has been made. I bought a tube, but havent used it yet.
What I use to hasten recovery is DomeBoro soak. Follow the directions. It dries the stuff, relieves the itching a little. I then use itch relief (believe it is from J&J
(clear gel with alcohol smell) to stop the itching.
I one time had it so bad on my forearms that the doc prescribed steroids coupled with the DomeBoro and Calamine. My forearms were blisters on blisters, I had to keep them bandaged because they weaped so much.
Stuff is a pain, I do not get it enough to develop an immunity, luckily or should I say unluckily.
(clear gel with alcohol smell) to stop the itching.I one time had it so bad on my forearms that the doc prescribed steroids coupled with the DomeBoro and Calamine. My forearms were blisters on blisters, I had to keep them bandaged because they weaped so much.
Stuff is a pain, I do not get it enough to develop an immunity, luckily or should I say unluckily.
Bummer dude. Just posting here to rub it in that I'm one of the 15% that aren't allergic to it! I like the recommendation to treat it with cider from the inside. I'm assume that cider is supposed to be hard. Maybe that's why I never get it. I just "vaccinate" myself so often....
I'd be a little worried about the bleach method... do you guys dilute it with water?
I don't get it either, but my wife does. Wash it best you can with real hot water and soap. To releave the itch you can try making a paste out of baking soda and water and smear it on and let it sit on as long as possible. Reapply as often as you can.
I don't get it either, but my wife does. Wash it best you can with real hot water and soap. To releave the itch you can try making a paste out of baking soda and water and smear it on and let it sit on as long as possible. Reapply as often as you can.
I get it. It sux. Usually I'll find a little blister here or there on my leg or arm, just a few at a time, and they seem to last forever.
However, we don't get chiggers here, so I can't complain that much.
However, we don't get chiggers here, so I can't complain that much.
Poison ivy, poison oak and chiggers around here. I get them all...
Poison ivy and oak takes some time to dry out. I just rub on some biodiesel and it will dry it out fast. Not ichy after a couple days, gone in a week.
Chiggers, yeah, they suck. Nothing but a waiting game on those. Takes me 1-2 weeks to fully get rid of those little guys.
Poison ivy and oak takes some time to dry out. I just rub on some biodiesel and it will dry it out fast. Not ichy after a couple days, gone in a week.
Chiggers, yeah, they suck. Nothing but a waiting game on those. Takes me 1-2 weeks to fully get rid of those little guys.
Thanks everyone. Some interesting suggestions here. I have been using some otc itch relief/drying gel that seems to be making slow progress. The right arm is weeping quite a bit and is actually more of a pain type of sensation than an itching. It has been several years since I had a case of pi this bad. It won't keep me from being back out cutting wood on friday though.
Everyone that replied about not being allergic should count thier blessings.
Everyone that replied about not being allergic should count thier blessings.
Risser09 said:
I second the product zanfel its a little pricey but worth it when your not itching by the next day. Its got gritty stuff in it and it works.
Although I no longer get poison ivy ( I landscaped for 13 yrs and guess developed an immunity). I can literally take it in my hand and rub it all over and nothing will happen...lol
Anyway , if you take the Impatient plant or flower and rub the green stems and leaves so the juices of the plant leaves a green residue on the infected area.....you will see your poison ivy rash will be gone when you wake up the next morning.
Anyway , if you take the Impatient plant or flower and rub the green stems and leaves so the juices of the plant leaves a green residue on the infected area.....you will see your poison ivy rash will be gone when you wake up the next morning.
- Status
