poison oak...

[SuMpn FuNkY]

what's the best way to avoid it, relieve it, make it go away?

 

FuNkY

[+JamesJM]

Avoiding it is simply recognizing...(very easy), and going around it. Going around it is not always easy, however.

 

I don't know how you relieve it...I don't think you can. It's one of those fun little things in life you must endure. Yes, there is medication, and some say it works - didn't for me, not much anyway.

 

Another thing - never think you are immune. I used to walk, roll, and frolic in Poison Oak and never got it - UNTIL - I did. Horrible. Since I have been through it several times and never had it effect me, but I know it can. It's like pistachios, sooner or later you're going to get a rotten one. - JamesJM

[+Huntnlady]

Get to know it, in all stages of its life cycle. Then develop a sharp eye for spotting it. A few bad cases of it will reinforce the importance of this. Then consider this...(an excerpt from my web site)

     I have gotten into it so bad I've had to go to the emergency room for a shot of hydrocortisone. I'm itching just writing about it. One thing I've found that helps me build up a small amount of resistance, is eating it. Don't laugh, and NO, I am not advocating that anyone else ever do this, but along about February, when the leaves are just coming out, I will take a tiny leaf and swallow it with water. I will do this every day for about a month, gradually eating a bigger and more leaves. As the sap rises, I am receiving a larger dose of the oily allergen. You might think that I develop a rash in the mucous membranes of my mouth, but this does not happen. I put the leaf in my teeth, chew as little as possible and swallow quickly. This treatment does no good if I already have poison oak- it is preventative only.

     I dared try this after reading about this method used by the half-indian children who were really susceptable, while their full-blooded indian parents were immune to poison oak. I also remember back in the 60's when I was a little kid, that you could buy the vials of the black plant extract to drink as a preventative. They don't sell it anymore, but I had a friend in the pharmaceutical industry that remembers harvesting poison oak plants to extract the sap at that same time.

     When you do get exposed, use TECHNU.The stuff really works.

Best thing, though, is to avoid the stuff like the plague it is.

 

Deer laugh when they hear my name!

http://www.geocities.com/ihunts

[+briansnat]

There is a product called Ivy Block that is applied like a sunscreen and supposed to protect you from poison ivy, oak and sumac.

 

Never tried it, so I can't vouch for its effectiveness.

 

Nothing you can really do to make it go away. It will run its course. But there are numerous anti-itch products that could help make it bearable.

 

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" -Abraham Lincoln

[Captain Chaoss]

I'm not sure of the differences between oak and ivy (heck, I may have had both) but I am still fighting to overcome poison ivy after a month, even with a steroid round.

 

I too was once immune. Accidently hitting a patch while weedeating, and it getting into an open cut took care of that.

 

I have heard the rumors about eating it, but wanted to get the info "straight from the horses mouth". The problem for me is, my sesitivity seems to be high enough that I react to the aerosoled Urushiol (the chemical component in the stuff that causes a reaction) So, if Joe Blow is burning off some underbrush, or mows a patch, yours truly can develop a nasty case just by driving by downwind.

 

By the way, its really difficult to fight brushfires and not come into contact with the smoke, which probabbly contains some poison ivy.

 

Two roads diverged in the woods and I,

I took the one less traveled,

and that is how I found the cache.

[Captain Chaoss]

forgot to mention, I've used the Ivy block, and never had a reaction when using. Of course, I didn't go roll in the stuff either. The Tecnu that was mentioned; I've used that also, with very positive results. It is useful for decontaminating your 4 legged caching partner as well. Though animals do not suffer from exposure, they can have the sap on their fur. You pet them, bingo, whatever you touch gets the oil. This stuff isn't just washed away by soap and water either. Invest in the Tecnu.

 

Two roads diverged in the woods and I,

I took the one less traveled,

and that is how I found the cache.

[+GeoCraig]

http://knoledge.org/oak/ is a great resource page.

[Captain Chaoss]

Thanks GeoCraig. Very interesting link. Anyone ever notice, there are hardly ever pics on the sites describing this stuff? or, they are low res, from far away?

Is the stuff communicable through photos?

 

Two roads diverged in the woods and I,

I took the one less traveled,

and that is how I found the cache.

[+joefrog]

I am HIGHLY allergic. Always have been. There are no happy "I used to be immune" stories here!

 

I've found a few products that work well for me. Aside from the Technu that has already been mentioned, the new stuff (well, relatively new -- a year or three old) by Calamine lotion. May be called "Calamine Clear" or "Cala-Clear" or something like that. It's in a white bottle, and is quite literally, clear liquid. It forms a "skin" over the rash, and does indeed relieve itching for a while. Best if it's on an exposed area that will not get rubbed by clothing. (no, that's not an excuse to go au naturel)

 

Hope that helps,

 

Joel (joefrog)

 

"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for ye are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!"

[claypigeon58]

I have the same problem since my paintball field is heavily wooded. What works for me is a bleach solution of 7 parts water to 1 part bleach. After your activity, just wash all your exposed skin with this solution, and it will remove the poison oil. Do it again after removing your clothes or touching anything else that might have been contaminated. I've been doing this for a few years now and it does work.