Darn Poison Ivy

[FatTek]

Is there a really cool technique for not getting poison Ivy.. other then cover up all the way or something along those lines?.... any creme or anything like that... I got it on my neck and it sucks... need help soon thanks alot
Teko

[Apok]

There is this stuff called Technu, or something to that effect. If you get into the poison ivy you apply this stuff as soon as possible and rub it into the effected areas and let it sit for like five minutes then wash it off. It is supposed to lift the oils from the poison ivy off your skin. Works pretty well. It has saved me from a few really bad cases of poison ivy.

[Falcon]

I heard of something that began with an 'a' that is supposed to help. I've never had to try though I've never had it somehow.

If I can find the name, I'll post it.

[Phil]

carry around jewel weed oil, put it on at the end of the day, and it neutralizes the effects of poison ivy's oils. By the way, I don't think you can buy jewel weed oil anywhere, but it's a fairly common plant that grows near streams. there may even be some where you're playing.
It's leaves are a bright green and spade shaped which have a kinda bumpy edge. the plant itself grows to about 3-5 feet tall. the easiest way to identify a plant that might be jewel weed is to hold the leaf under water, where it will sparkle due to the air trapped under the oil on the leaves.
(i finally learned something from boyscouts)

[ReverseFlank]

i just dont get poision ivy.....

[roboscout]

rubbing alcohol were help dry it up quicker

[Phil]

I've heard the rubbing alcohol thing before, but i've always been told that you need to scratch the rashes open and then apply the alcohol to get the full affect.

[TheBanker]

Thread moved. Sorry it took so long.

[roboscout]

no scathing need just apply every few hours to help dry it up and never scatch the rash only makes it worse.

[Dante]

go to your local walmart and look for something called ivy blocker (or something along those lines). you apply it before you play and it helps keep the oils from poison ivy off you.

if you do get poison ivy the best way to get rid of it is to take steel wool or something really abrasive and scrub it until its all open and oozing everywhere. then you take bleach and pour it over the infected area. it'll burn like hell but it dries up quickly.

[Rctaylor]

Calemine lotion does everything Bleach/Alcohol/Scratching will. It soaks into the sores and dries up the oils.

It will leave a dry, dusty pink residue where you put it.

[Iron Maiden]

Best way to avoid getting poison ivy? WATCH WHERE YOU ARE AT! But alas this is airsoft and we pretty much wind up laying in a whole batch of it.

Get some stuff called Bandaid Brand Anti Itch GEL. It is THE best thing I have found so far. Does 10 times better than calamine lotion. Plus you don't go around looking like some pink polka dotted weirdo cause this stuff is clear. I carry it in my med bag at the events so if you want to know what it looks like, come find me at one of the games.

Also, you can use Oatmeal bath stuff. Dries the blisters up and helps stop itching and encourages healing. AND DON"T SCRATCH! When you get home from an event or even if you can do it sooner, strip off all clothes, head gear, watches, socks, shoes, whatever you had on and either wash them IMMEDIATELY or wipe them down with alcohol (like watch bands and shoes) to get rid of the poison ivy oil before putting them back on. Areas of your body that sweats the most will be more susceptable to soaking up the poison ivy oils. (IE: under your watch bands or bands from your goggles)

And always remember DO NOT TOUCH YOUR EYES!!!! If you even think you are getting some on your eyes go get it taken care of by medical personel. And if it happens to be poison oak....this is all worse and takes longer to heal.

Hope this helps.

[Silverback]

I pray I don't pick it up again. I'm just know finishing up a corticosteroid pack of Methylprednisolone!

[Miyagi]

Epson salt in a hot bath. MAKE SURE YOU WASH ALL THE CLOTHES YOU WERE WEARING WHEN YOU GOT THE IVY.

[Windex]

Phil, I know what your talking about. We had some amish guys build a deck on our house years back and we were in the wooded area or something like that and they pointed out the plant that suposedly cures ivy poisoning. The plant, i believe grows little yellow flowers on the top of them or the sides. The plant should crack off and be very green for even a plant, there should be the oil/juice of the plant in the middle stalk. I'm not sure if they were hollow or not but i thought they were. Other then that I always try to wash my hands and face with a surfactant liquid soap. A surfactant soap will remove oil, much like jet dry or borax removes grease and grime from dishes. Other then that just try and stay outta that stuff. Clothes help but when ya sweat and start taking things off its kinda hard to avoid the plant/weed. Specially if you sweat alot your pores begin to open up and its hard not to get it.

[Iron Maiden]

I did a little research.

Jewelweed is a smooth annual; 3-5 ft. Leaves oval, round- toothed; lower ones opposite, upper ones alternate. A bit trumpet shaped, the flowers hang from the plant much as a jewel from a necklace, Pale Jewelweed has yellow flowers, Spotted Touch-Me-Nots have orange flowers with dark red dots. The seeds will 'pop' when touched , that is where the name Touch-Me-Nots came from. The Spotted Jewelweed variety is most commonly used for rashes although the Pale Jewelweed may also have medicinal properties. Another curious thing about nature.....IT GROWS NEXT TO POISON IVY! Or by water. You can crush the plant and rub the salve onto the blisters or affected area and the antigen in the plant stops the ability of the poison ivy from working and causing a more affected area or further irritation. For more persistant areas that have scabbed over, keep rubbing or make a poultice out of the plant and allow the plants "juices" to soak in.

[Rctaylor]

http://altnature.com/Poison_ivy/poisonivyjewelweed9875.jpg

There is a very ironic picture showing Jewelweed, and on the tree is poison ivy. If you don't know already, the poison ivy is the darker plant, with 3 toothed leaves and reddish stems. You may have to fight off Poison Ivy plants just to get your cure.

Thats pretty interesting, Maiden.

[Phil]

yeah, as a test today i found a jewelweed plant, and rubbed on my wrists ankles and neck, where i get poison ivy most often, later i ended up prone in a small patch of the nasty poison ivy plants, so i walked out scotch free. I was very please and pointed out to our team that we have a few of the plants growing in the staging area of our field.

[AirsoftDvl]

Well, don't fell to bad. My freind went to the bathroom out in the woods... And guess what leaves he used to whipe his Butt? Yea so imagine itching that all day.

[ctrlurself]

Russian Hog Weed (i don't remember it's real name, this is what everybody where i lived called it) is the worst i've ever encountered... it's a more sever form of this: http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/weedguid/ghogweed.htm the stuff is horrendus. It causes blisters/sore/postules of puss etc. and it is so hard to distinguish in the woods. i'd take poison ivy over russian hog weed anyday.

when u get home from a game, take a hot bath/shower, then apply calamime lotion... it is a one shot deal, it clears it up pretty instantly... the goal is to use hot water to open your pores, and then apply calamime to soak all the oils out.

[edit] here's a better link on hogweed... http://dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/plants/hogweed.html but again, russian hog weed is blisters and sores instead of spots.

[debsairsoft]

There is this stuff called Technu, or something to that effect. If you get into the poison ivy you apply this stuff as soon as possible and rub it into the effected areas and let it sit for like five minutes then wash it off. It is supposed to lift the oils from the poison ivy off your skin. Works pretty well. It has saved me from a few really bad cases of poison ivy.

I agree with the Technu. At my other house, I somehow managed to get poison ivy every year. You can't really kill the plant. I belong to the National Home Gardening Association, and they gave me this stuff to test. Let me tell you, it is so great, if you even THINK you have been exposed to poison ivy, and put it on your skin, you will not get it. After exposure if you waited to late to put it on, it sure clears it up faster. I feel for you. That is the worst thing to get!
Deb

[Atomic]

Dante-you are a masochist.

A couple of truths about poison ivy-

1. It doesn't spread. The rash only crops up where the oil touches your skin. Sometimes the reaction is delayed, giving the impression of "spreading".

2. Wash off immediately if you have been in it. Dump all of your clothes directly into the washing machine and don't sit on anything in your home with the contaminated clothes.

3. Once you have washed, itching makes the blisters larger, but does not spread the poison ivy, since the oil is the offender and has been washed away.

4. Benadryl creme stops itching, Calamine stops oozing. Unless you are oozing, use benadryl and save yourself the stares from other people.

5. Don't use steel wool, scouring pads, bleach, or alcohol. They came about solely so someone could laugh at you as you scream in agony.

That is about all I can think of. See also: http://www.webmd.com/allergies/tc/Poison-Ivy-Oak-or-Sumac-Topic-Overview

Atomic
Registered Nurse

[sniper J]

A little bit of ivy dry can cure it after you get it. It will make your skin feel very stiff and weird to move but it will cure it in about 3 days, at least in my case it did.

[Iron Maiden]

Yeah the scratching really doesn't spread the poison ivy, but the fingernails are almost always dirty and when you scratch that is when you open your skin to all that nasty infection, so now you not only itch you have a wonderful infection on top of it. Plus wonderful looking scars.