home remedy for poison ivy?

Jeff B

Jeff B

Thanos was right
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Location
Lincolnton N.C.
So my girl friend got ahold of som poison ivy a few days ago & has the rash going on. Anybody know of a home treatment/cure?
:popcorn:
 
Well the obvious bit is, wash constantly and don't touch it to keep from spreading.
The "poison" base is an oil... tehre are a ton of misc rubs and ointments... but the last time I got it, I put some of my wife's face astringent (e.g. often used for acne" on it. Dosn't feel great (actually the "good" kinda pain lol) but that dried up the skin and it seem to go away faster.
 
I usually scrape it a little then put some alcohol on it. It hurts but it'll dry it up. Don't use bleach like a lot of people say. It gives you a slight chemical burn from the chlorine.
 
Been useing bleach since I was a kid. Granny used it on use kids when we would get poison ivy/oak. I still use it. Bleach has always worked well for me.
 
Take a 4 1/2 flap disc to it and then spray with brake cleaner. Don't touch it and get rid of that flap disc. Normally good in 2-3 days. If that don't work, or you got it places you can reach with a grinder, go to the doc and get some steriods.
 
792.5cj5 said:
Take a 4 1/2 flap disc to it and then spray with brake cleaner. Don't touch it and get rid of that flap disc. Normally good in 2-3 days. If that don't work, or you got it places you can reach with a grinder, go to the doc and get some steriods.
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holy crap. do you also cut yourself because you like the pain?
 
Keep an eye on it, to see if it goes 'systemic'. This means the poison has entered the blood stream. Then the rash will start showing up all over. Go to an urget care place and they will put her on a 1 week course of steroids.

I get into it almost yearly. A few years required urgent care.. So use my advise at your own risk
First Pay attention to what your doing. First few years I didn't pay attention to what I was touching outside, hence the aftermath.. Now if I even 'think' I've touched something, I go inside and wash up. Use COLD water it will keep your pores closed and use ivory or other really good dish soap, wash up everything. Wash the door knobs of any tools you were using with thinner, acetone or MEC etc..
Once you have it... well...
In summary, the more pain you feel the fast the ivy goes away...
For mild case, bleach and other stuff does seem to work. calamine and shit is weak..
If you can stand it, I've scrubbed the area in gasoline and let it sit on it until it burns and you can't take it any more, ~10mins Diesel or K1 will work also.

As said the oil gets into your skin and as your body tries to get ride of it, thats what causes the rash/reaction. So my theory if you can irritate the area your body sends more blood to try to heal it and that speeds up the healing..

If you have it on your hands/fingers if you can tape over it that will also help some.

I've found that scratching the bumps/rash off and washing repeatedly with alcohol seems to help too..

When I moved into my house there was a 3" Ivy vine from a tree, me and my pops were swinging on it before we finally pulled it down... Yup it was ivy :) What fun...

And incase you haven;t heard it before DO NOT BURN it. It will get in your lungs and cause a reaction in there also. It can be deadly..

I go out mid spring and when I find some, I wear $1 throw away work gloves and have a grocery bad ready, I pull it out, toss in bag, repeat around the yard, tie up bag, pull off gloves carefully, as I toss in trash. Wash up outside with cold water.. Been doing well with this method last 3 years... Now I only mess with the ground bees :)
 
i know you said home treament but Im highly alergic to the shit...lol...and to keep it from getting bad before it gets bad I have found that "Oak and Ivey" brand wash is AMAZING. You can get it at cvs for under $10 and all you do is rub it on for 2min or so before you take a shower. Works great :)
 
sgtbriangreen said:
holy crap. do you also cut yourself because you like the pain?
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LOL :lol:

Here's a trick I got from a doctor back in college when I was covered from the ears down to waist in the stuff (was pulling 2-3" vines in the winter from trees and didn't realize what it was).

If you've got a shower wand where you can direct the water very precisely, have her slowly turn the temp to the hottest she can stand - and don't be afraid to turn it all the way, but have her take her time. She'll initially feel like it makes it itch, but as the water gets hotter it will feel like it's being scratched and get the same relief without tearing up the skin. It won't feel hot at all. Keep pouring it on, turning it hotter, until she finally feels the heat. Trust me - she'll know when it's time! She'll also be amazed if the water stream strays from the rash - it will be hot!


Do this in the morning and afterwards you can go all day without itching. When the rash begins to burst later in the healing process, this also helps to dry it out so it's not as messy.
 
Thanks guys.

I went & got some of the astrigint as Ratlab said. After reading Yagers post I'm afariad is gone to the systemic stage & I'lll probably be taking her to the urgent care center soon if it doesn't show any improvement.
 
I've been allergic all of my life.

I got it real bad once and like Yager said, it got into my blood stream and popped up everywhere....even in my ears and nose.

Went to the doc. and got a shot or 5. That was 6 years ago.
I cant remember getting it since. I am not very careful about it now, and never worry about it. Seems like now, I am not allergic anymore.
 
Dylan W. said:
I've been allergic all of my life.
I got it real bad once and like Yager said, it got into my blood stream and popped up everywhere....even in my ears and nose.
Went to the doc. and got a shot or 5. That was 6 years ago.
I cant remember getting it since. I am not very careful about it now, and never worry about it. Seems like now, I am not allergic anymore.
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im super careful now, and wash like a mofo everytime i come in from the woods. a good shower washing with dawn dishwashing detergent does wonders for cutting the oil off. when i do end up getting it, i wash the affected areas with bleach. this seems to dry it up the best.

also, the hot shower trick works well and will give her some temporary relief.
 
I discovered the alcohol method on my 2nd round of 4 this year (I like poison ivy as much as yellow jackets). I get in the shower with the water on. Then scratch the crap out of it, then put isopropyl alcohol on it and let it soak. Then take a normal shower. When Im done, I turn the hot water to 11 and use the detachable shower head to blast the affected areas. Then put more alcohol on, then rinse off.
The first time it worked wonders, the second time it wasn't a bad case, and didn't seem to have much affect, and the third time it worked really well.
 
Zanfel... the only thing I've found OTC to be worth a fiddle. Chemically bonds with/encapsulates the oil and allows it to wash away. Despite being pretty expensive ($35ish), it sure fells good to scrub the itchy spots with it! I know 5-6 others that swear by it too...

Before & After Zanfel
 

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^^^That looks like you got bit by a rabid crocodile....not poison ivey..lol
Whats the story on that? Looks like the worst I have ever seen.
 
work in the woods and get it at least 5 times a year. its never been bad enuff for me to go to urgent care been lucky, i just leave it be, and it goes away in a week or so. but one of the fellas i work with is real bad allergic to it and he goes to urgent care and they give him a shot of somethin and its gone in 2 days. but the best home remedy ive tried is salt water.
 
Ive never been affected by it, ever.

Ive even rubbed my legs with it to prove a point, and no poison Ivy. Sucks for you guys! :lol:

My sister used to get it really bad, she used some sort of OTC poison Ivy pills, looked like round bb's
 
i've never seemed to get it. Always been around it since I work outside in landscaping and have even pulled down vines but I have never got it. A while ago they sold some fancy ointment at REI or great outdoor prevision company that seemed to cure or at least help some family and friends who had it.
 
I've made a salt paste and put on there. It stings a little at first but quickly dries it out. I usually just do that at night. During the day I just use the calamine lotion and it seems to work OK.
 
the astrigint has helped so far a lot after the real hot shower & scrubing. before bed she said she would try the salt bath.

Lots of good info in this thread. Keep it coming. Thanks
 
Caver Dave said:
Zanfel... the only thing I've found OTC to be worth a fiddle. Chemically bonds with/encapsulates the oil and allows it to wash away. Despite being pretty expensive ($35ish), it sure fells good to scrub the itchy spots with it! I know 5-6 others that swear by it too...
Before & After Zanfel
Click to expand...

30 seconds and its gone :D also used this but I still prefer the oak and ivey stuff.
 
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