What is Poison Ivy?
Poison Ivy, is an inflammation of the skin caused by direct contact with the allergy causing secretions that come from the Poison Ivy plant.
You can get a rash from touching the plant directly, or touching something that has touched the plant, like your clothes or your pet.
A rash from poison ivy causes significant itching and discomfort. Luckily, there are
home remedies to calm the rash and the itching:
Home Remedies
Aloe vera. Aloe vera sap is an anti-inflammatory and will help treat the rash when the sap is applied directly to the affected area. Break of a leaf and soothe away! Allow to dry and gently wash off. Reapply every two hours. You can also purchase Aloe Vera from health food stores.
Baking Soda. Mix a paset of baking soda and water then spread it on the affected areas. Reapply every two hours for a total of 3 applications each day. Before going to bed, pour a cup of baking soda into a lukewarm bath and take a soak.
Coffee. You can pour cold coffee over the rash to soothe the area. Since coffee beans contain chlorogenic acid, an anti-inflammatory, the cool liquid has a great soothing affect.
Cold/Cool Water. A cool bath or shower can really help to ease the itch. Placing ice-cold compresses on the rash for a few minutes every hour may also provide relief.
Cornstarch. Dusting the affected area with cornstarch can also be used to relieve poison ivy itch. You can also make it into a paste as with the baking soda.
Epsom Salts. Soak the affected area in a solution of Epsom salts and water for 30 minutes daily. Another remedy calls for making a paste with Epsom salts.
Oats. Bathing in lukewarm water mixed with oatmeal can help to dry out oozing blisters and soothe irritated skin.
Soap and Water. The most important thing do to is to wash off the poisonous plant oils! Rinse of really well in a shower with lukewarm water before using soap; this will reduce the risk of spreading the oil. You only have about 10 minutes to get the oil off the skin before it starts to penetrate.
After the shower, its best to air-dry. Any towels used for cleaning should be washed immediately in hot water and detergent. The oils CAN linger in the towels and re-infect you.
Vinegar. Most itches, regardless of where they came from, can be soothed with a simple vinegar rinse. Wash the affected area with soap and lukewarm water, then rinse with water. Apply vinegar with a cotton ball, rub gently, and rinse. White or apple cider vinegar will work.
Remedies from the Medicine Cabinet
Calamine Lotion. The old tried and true. Calamine lotion can be mildly soothing and help dry the rash. Apply it in a thin layer, however, so that the pores in your skin are not sealed.
Burow's Solution or Domeboro. This product is not as popular as calamine, but is equally effective. It is sold without a prescription and can and relieve mild rashes when applied as a compress. It comes in a tablet or powder form that you mix with water (according to package directions).
Hydrocortisone Creams. These creams can work for a mild rash, but for more serious cases, they may not be strong enough.
Preventative Measures
Learn how to recognize the plant so that you can avoid it. Click here to see pictures of varieties of poison ivy plants. In particular find out what the plant looks like in your area. Often, hiking trails will show pictures with warnings if poison ivy or poison oak is in the park.
Don't Touch! If you touch the oil after initial contact, you will spread it. For example, you unknowingly walk over poison ivy and it gets stuck to your shoe. You later remove the show and get the oil on your hands when touching the boot (as a rule, its best not to touch the bottoms of your shoes when you remove them, and always wash your hands!). Later on, after removing the show, you might touch your face or skin, or even your “parts” if you go to the bathroom. What a disaster! The damage is done by the time the rash breaks out. Touching the rash once it appears does not spread the oil -- or the rash.
Cover up. Wear long sleeved shirts, long pants, boots, socks and gloves.
Don't let your pets run free in the woods. If it gets on their fun and then you pet them, you could get poisoned.
Rinse your clothes outside. If you think you've had a close encounter with poison ivy, the oil may be all over your clothes. If you walk inside your home without rinsing your clothes, you may transfer the oil to rugs or furniture. Water deactivates the oil, so once your clothes are soaked, they're safe.
Wash your gear. It is a good idea to rinse off camping, hiking or other outdoor gear so that you don’t come into contact with any oils from touching it later on. The oils can linger while equipment is not in use.
Carry rubbing alcohol with you. If you know you have touched the plant, you might be able to clean it off with alcohol before it is absorbed into your skin. If you move quickly enough, you can avoid or reduce the reaction you have to the oils by cleaning it with the rubbing alcohol. Pour the rubbing alcohol over the skin, don’t use a cloth.
