Poison Ivy/Oak?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Went to explore my back yard (huge, worthless steep slope) and came back with poison oak. I was not aware of the encounter and got a pretty bad reaction. Had to go to the doctor and am on the pills.</p>

<p>My question, how do I know I was in contact and to administer poison oak/ivy washes immediately? I know, I should have recognized it, but on a steep, you get hold of any thing for your live. And in most cases, you don’t know until reaction sets in and it is too late.</p>

<p>I saw some “home” remedies on the net, one of them is pointing hair dryer on the infacted skin and “blow” it away! OMG, it hurts and NOT effective. What works?</p>

2

<p>Try this stuff:</p>

<p>[Zanfel:</a> Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac Treatment - Zanfel Poison Ivy Wash - Zanfel Laboratories](<a href=“http://www.zanfel.com/help/]Zanfel:”>Zanfel: Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac Treatment - Zanfel Poison Ivy Wash - Zanfel Laboratories)</p>

<p>It’s crazy expensive, but it worked for me.</p>

3

<p>I have to get steroids from the doctor to stop the reaction. I wear long sleeves and long pants when exploring or I come in and wash right away.</p>

4

<p>Poison oak is so pretty too :stuck_out_tongue:
[CDC</a> - Poisonous Plants - NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic](<a href=“http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/plants/]CDC”>http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/plants/)</p>

5

<p>Here’s another CC thread on the topic -
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1166833-treatment-poison-ivy-sumac-itching.html?highlight=poison+oak[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1166833-treatment-poison-ivy-sumac-itching.html?highlight=poison+oak&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>Yup, I was on Prednisone for 10 days, it got better soon enough, but when I finished the perscription, the thing flares up again! I had to vist the doctors again and this time he gave me a pretty heavy 21 days dosage.</p>

7

<p>You need the book The Poison Oak & Poison Ivy Survival Guide. I think it is on Amazon.com
in paper and print form. It has a chapter on identification (really good), and I remember she talks about the hair dryer or hot water, and if used right, will stop the itch for a long time. Good luck</p>

8

<p>Once you recognize it (leaflets three, let it be), if you do come in contact with it, we used to use Fels Naptha soap to wash any possibly exposed skin to get the oil off before it sunk in. Warm water, not hot. You have a couple hours “grace” period of it sitting on your skin before the point of no return. Also, take any clothes that may have touched the stuff and carefully peel them off and put directly into the washing machine, not touching the top of the machine and wash with detergent. You can do all the right things but then come in contact with the oil again from clothes, shoes, boots, tools, so be careful. I used to do field work on the West Coast where the understory plants were pure Poison Oak.</p>