Poison Oak And Poison Ivy

July 20, 2004

Encountering lots of poison oak and poison ivy while geocaching. So went to Google, printed out photos of both plants and carry them when geocaching so I can avoid this dadgum stuff. Also carry soap and water in my car trunk for a quick wash down if exposed. If infected a product called Zanfel should help, it is sold at Rite Aid and Walgreens but is very pricey.

Follow up info (7-20-04): Researched Ask Jeeves on poison oak and poison ivy.

Result: I will be carrying a grease cutting soap such as Dawn, bottle of Isopropyl Alcohol and a jug of water in my car trunk. I wil also carry a packet of Isopropyl Alcohol wipes in my GPS pack for immediate treatment if exposed.

NOTE: Treat as quickly as possible after exposure, this is important. Remember to get photos of these pests and learn how to spot them, prevention is better than cure.

More Follow Up: Have been carrying an old mop handle as combination walking staff and bush poker (I'm 78 and need a little help walking on rough terrain). Works great for for pushing brush and branches aside instead of doing it by hand. Great also for prodding around suspected cache sites, those metal or plastic containers really sound off when poked lightly through brush.

Edited July 20, 2004 by jrcache

July 20, 2004

Great idea. I have no idea what the nasty stuff looks like and I also have no idea if I react to it. I don't want to find out the hard way either. Knowing me, I'd probably end up crawling around in it looking for a cache.

I love your preventive measures....I'm gonna copy them. Thanks.

July 20, 2004

It is a good idea to know what it is in order to avoid it. I react to PI (no PO in the east) and have noticed something over the last couple of years. A heavy dose of sun block seems to provide a barrier. Two weeks ago I found myself in quite a thicket of ivy. A couple of hours before going out I applied sunscreen lotion (cream not liquid/spray) and when I returned home washed with soap. The ivy was ripe with oils and glistening in the sun but I wound up with only one blister on my leg, smaller than a pencil eraser.

Edited July 20, 2004 by Midway Cafe

38.2k · July 20, 2004

There is also a product called Ivy Block, which is applied like a sunscreen and creates a barrier between your skin and the plant. The plant's oil (urushoil) supposedly washes right off. Never tried it, but if the mfrs. claim proves true, it could be a good thing to apply before a day of chasing caches.

2.1k · July 20, 2004

We don't have ivy and sumac out here in California but we got some really bad PO!

My wife gets it from looking at it -

she has been using Tecnu

I found this geocaching page by searching for PO -

http://www.agefive.com/ironchef/html/poison_oak.html

check it out - uses a form of kerosene to clean the oils off you.

Seem to work well for her and can be used before also. we don't find that is smells all that bad though (ref. to cat pee)

this is very good info - most of which I have known - especially that it does NOT spread on its own as most people think.

see also - http://www.teclabsinc.com/pro_tecnu.html

and http://www.life-assist.com/al100.html

Edited July 20, 2004 by CompuCash

2.3k · July 20, 2004

There is also a product called Ivy Block, which is applied like a sunscreen and creates a barrier between your skin and the plant. The plant's oil (urushoil) supposedly washes right off. Never tried it, but if the mfrs. claim proves true, it could be a good thing to apply before a day of chasing caches.

I'll vouch for the stuff. I'm severely allergic, and that stuff works! Expensive as heck, but works!

July 20, 2004

You don't need an expensive product from Walmart. I use isopropyl alcohol. All you're doing is pulling plant oil off your skin.

2.5k · July 20, 2004

You can also carry around Hand Sanitizer. When we did the Cache N Dash, a couple people were carrying it in my group and they both swear by it. If you have to reach in to a cache sitting in the poison ivy, just sanitize and you won't break out.

Edited to add this link:

Poison Ivy website

Edited July 20, 2004 by fly46

3.9k · July 20, 2004

Found this stuff via google: Industrial - Ivy Barrier

edit: Woops! Brian, as usual, beat me to it. :blink:

Edited July 20, 2004 by JMBella

38.2k · July 20, 2004

You don't need an expensive product from Walmart. I use isopropyl alcohol. All you're doing is pulling plant oil off your skin.

That only works if you wash it off quickly. If it sits on your skin for any length of time, nothing will help outside a natural immunity.

38.2k · July 20, 2004

You can also carry around Hand Sanitizer. When we did the Cache N Dash, a couple people were carrying it in my group and they both swear by it. If you have to reach in to a cache sitting in the poison ivy, just sanitize and you won't break out.

Edited to add this link:

Poison Ivy website

I don't see how this will work. The sanitizer is not removing the urushoil from your skin...it's just spreadng it around. But if they say it works, it may. Then again, there are still people who insist that Skin So Soft repels mosquitos.

Edited July 20, 2004 by briansnat

July 20, 2004

Luckily I've never had a reaction to poison ivy. I do know what it looks like, and always keep an eye out for it. Managed to run into this field full of it on the way to a cache last week.

Yes, that's a path down the middle of it, and yes, all the plants on the ground are indeed poison ivy.

I walked it anyways, thankful I had long pants on, I may not have a reaction to it, but that doesn't mean I want to rub it all over myself.

Edited July 20, 2004 by KC0GRN

3.9k · July 20, 2004

Luckily I've never had a reaction to poison ivy. I do know what it looks like, and always keep an eye out for it. Managed to run into this field full of it on the way to a cache last week.

Yes, that's a path down the middle of it, and yes, all the plants on the ground are indeed poison ivy.

I walked it anyways, thankful I had long pants on, I may not have a reaction to it, but that doesn't mean I want to rub it all over myself.

I don't know what's crazier, the person who hid that cache or the people who still hunt for it. That's freakin evil. :blink:

3.5k · July 20, 2004

I hear good things about Technu.

For some reasons, I'm one of those people who just DOESN'T get poison ivy. I never have. I remember going hunting with my dad when I was a kid and he warned me NOT to go near the poison ivy. Well...that was like pointing out a "wet paint" sign....I rolled in it. Nuthin'.

Perhaps I have no soul.

Bret

July 21, 2004

I'm not going to quote the picture, but if I saw that, I'd be turning around real fast.

July 21, 2004

When I was younger, my dad swore by washing our clothes in Fels Naptha soap after we had been out playing in the woods. He also had us wash any exposed skin with the soap. You can buy the soap in bar or flake form. Use the flake form to make your own detergent. Here is a link.

This soap is not recommended for daily use on skin but it is perfectly okay to use occasionally and it works wonders for removing permanent marker from your skin. <_<

My dad insisted on us using it and I never got poison oak/ivy. I didn't use it last week and I now have a small patch of poison oak on my forearm. I always wear long pants while caching but I forgot about my short sleeves! :mad:

I don't know if this is an 'old wives tale' but I thought I would share the info.

38.2k · July 21, 2004

I hear good things about Technu.

For some reasons, I'm one of those people who just DOESN'T get poison ivy. I never have. I remember going hunting with my dad when I was a kid and he warned me NOT to go near the poison ivy. Well...that was like pointing out a "wet paint" sign....I rolled in it. Nuthin'.

Perhaps I have no soul.

Bret

I was like you at one time. I could bathe in the stuff without effect, until I reached my early 30's, then all of a sudden, allergic. Still not as bad as others. I can walk through a patch of the stuff and all I get is a credit card sized sore or two. But I know peope who all they have to do is look at the stuff and they're covered head to toe.

July 21, 2004

You don't need an expensive product from Walmart. I use isopropyl alcohol. All you're doing is pulling plant oil off your skin.

That only works if you wash it off quickly. If it sits on your skin for any length of time, nothing will help outside a natural immunity.

The poison oil can sit on your skin and the alcohol will still be effective. One of the functions of skin is defense. The oil doesn't suck itself right through your skin immediately. Once exposed, you have a couple hours to apply the alcohol and it will still have effect.

1.7k · July 21, 2004

Now, if they just had Ivy Block combined with sunscreen combined with bug repellant !

2.3k · July 21, 2004

Now, if they just had Ivy Block combined with sunscreen combined with bug repellant !

I'll be happy to mix some up for you, for $20 a bottle plus shipping... <_<

August 11, 2004

I found this link on the FDA web site. Good stuff: no hype or bs .

August 11, 2004

I just follow Homer Simpson's advice:

Leaves of 3 let it be, leaves of 4, eat some more"

August 12, 2004

My grandfather used to rub the poison stuff on his wrist every week, until his body built up an immunity to it. I did the same with poison oak, which worked, and I am working on the other two.

August 12, 2004

My grandfather used to rub the poison stuff on his wrist every week, until his body built up an immunity to it. I did the same with poison oak, which worked, and I am working on the other two.

From the article:

"Desensitization, vaccines, and barrier creams have been studied over the last several decades for their potential to protect against poison ivy reactions, but none have been approved by FDA for this purpose."

I think the procedure you're describing is desensitization. It may have worked for you, but there's no statistically significant proof that would allow company to sell a treatment based upon it.

Based upon my own hypersensitivity to the darn stuff, I'm sure it wouldn't work for me .

BTW, where do you live? I thought poison oak and poison ivy didn't mix geographically.

August 12, 2004

Grew up in Oregon, recently moved to Pennsylvania.

August 12, 2004

Ah, PI (Poison Ivy) .. what a great plant.

I did a little research on this topic recently due to reports of poison ivy near my first cache placement. You can find the info (along with great pictures) here:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?II...84d&LID=4164499

2.3k · August 14, 2004

You can paint yourself with a heavy coating of clear nail polish. the plant oil can't penetrate it to get to your skin. But be sure to leave a spot somewhere on your body (usually the small of the back) the size of a silver dollar so your skin can breathe. Super glue works too.

August 14, 2004

I have the problem that I'm colorblind (type3) and I can't tell what is poison ivy or poison oak, I just walk thru all of it... usually wearing shorts and t-shirt. I've never been bothered by anything yet... maybe I'm just immune or very lucky?

August 14, 2004

I am colorblind as well, but there is more than one way to spot this stuff.

August 14, 2004

Did anyone go look at the poison ivy rash slideshow?

August 17, 2004

I am extremly allergic so when I get I use Zanfel it works great!!! :lol:

August 18, 2004

I'm extremely allergic to PI. If I realize I've been in it soon enough, alcohol wipes can help. I start breaking out within an hour, and not much helps after that except zanfel, which is a truly miraculous product for the extremely allergic person like myself.

2.3k · August 18, 2004

Luckily I've never had a reaction to poison ivy. I do know what it looks like, and always keep an eye out for it. Managed to run into this field full of it on the way to a cache last week.

Yes, that's a path down the middle of it, and yes, all the plants on the ground are indeed poison ivy.

I walked it anyways, thankful I had long pants on, I may not have a reaction to it, but that doesn't mean I want to rub it all over myself.

Oh, GEEZ. Even as hard-core a cacher as I am, I'd have to take one look at that and turn away sobbing....

August 18, 2004

I'd go get the cache, but I'm immune

of course, i'd then have to eschew human contact until I washed myself and all my clothing

Like BB, I found a sea of poison ivy near a cache recently:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...d9-3766bac19d5e

August 18, 2004

I was asking a friend just the other day what PI looked like. I have seen pictures of it but never come across it in the wild. Now that I have seen live pictures of it I have seen it in my caching adventures. I believe that I am immune to the stuff as well as my children have inherited the trait. So I guess I am one of the lucky ones.

MT

1.3k · August 18, 2004

When compared to Stinging Nettle which one is more painfull, nettle or poison ivy? As an european, I've never seen poison ivy, but stinging nettles are (too) common here.

September 5, 2004

Oh God, I hate nettles. I have bad nettle memories.

My favorite sport growing up was football...not sissy football...TACKLE! Ha! But one day we were playing a pick up game in a big open field near my friends house and I managed to throw the ball away (I always QB'd) but still got tackled. And then HE got tackled and I was rollin' around on the ground for awhile. Finally got up and felt like I was being eaten alive...I had bumps everywhere! *shivers* Give me a big noticable rash plant anyday.....

God I hate nettles.

Angela <><

P.S. If you take pets with you while caching watch out! The oils can get on a dogs fur and be transferred to humans that way also! A little FYI just to keep the post not completely off topic. *wink*

1.1k · September 5, 2004

This thread caught my attention because I am giving a talk on the subject of hazardous plants next weekend.

When compared to Stinging Nettle which one is more painfull, nettle or poison ivy? As an european, I've never seen poison ivy, but stinging nettles are (too) common here.

Nettles sting for an hour or two; some little bumps appear on the skin which, if you don't scratch, should go away the same day.

Poison Oak or Poison Ivy come at you with a delay. Within a few hours you will be able to tell that your skin has been exposed to an irritant. In the meantime gentle scratching will move the oils around and increase the affected area. From then on it depends on how allergic/sensitive you are. There is generally severe itching; scratching; skin infection,... it look very ugly and last several days.

Nettles are relatively minor.

September 5, 2004

PI just sucks, I have had it once before and i have it now. i've been on two differnt meds for it and the one i'm on now seems to be working, its a cream.

the oils get on everything from clothes. to shoes to your bed sheets as well as pets. you have to wash everything constently.

PO on the other hand didn't seem as bad as i've had it too.

both nasty stuff. but hey a little plant isn't gunna stop me.

3.3k · September 6, 2004

Did anyone go look at the poison ivy rash slideshow?

The winter photo is pretty scary; read the webpage for it.

Here is another good site about PI, PO and sumac, weblink

Go to the pictures link; it contains alot of lookalike plants. Most of the cachers identifying PO or PI around caches in my area (San Diego, CA) have misidentified these poison plants.

Those of you not allergic, consider yourselves lucky. Its one less hazard for you to worry about. I have PO on both arms right now, and I'm cursing you [ :blink: ].

September 6, 2004

When I was younger, my dad swore by washing our clothes in Fels Naptha soap after we had been out playing in the woods. He also had us wash any exposed skin with the soap. You can buy the soap in bar or flake form. Use the flake form to make your own detergent. Here is a link.

This soap is not recommended for daily use on skin but it is perfectly okay to use occasionally and it works wonders for removing permanent marker from your skin.

My dad insisted on us using it and I never got poison oak/ivy. I didn't use it last week and I now have a small patch of poison oak on my forearm. I always wear long pants while caching but I forgot about my short sleeves!

I don't know if this is an 'old wives tale' but I thought I would share the info.

My father has told me the same thing. He also suggest using laundry detergent of any kind (such as Tide or whatever) to wash off with. Since detergent is stronger than regular hand soap it washes off/breaks down the oils better, is his claim.

I used to get PI when I was a kid, but I seem to be "immune" to it now. I've had it once in the past 5 years, which was just a couple of weeks ago when it go into an open scratch on my wrist. Regardless if I know that I've been in a lot of PI I will still wash up with detergent to play it safe, and if I see a patch of PI I'll try to avoid it if I can.

And as for stinging nettles, I searched for a little info

Curled Dock plants live in the same areas that Stinging Nettles do. They are short, broad leafed plants that sort of look like overgrown Dandelions, but without the flower part. If you pick of one of their leaves and rub it on the affected area, you'll get a little relief. Also, if you are close to home you can rub a paste of baking soda and water on it, which should make you feel better.

Link

Poison Oak And Poison Ivy

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