My son and I use a poison ivy tincture, available by perscription, that makes us much less sensitive to poison ivy. Once a week we drink 6 ounces of water with 15 drops of the tincture in it. It's made an incredible difference. Before the tincture, he would end up taking prednisone several times a year to deal with rashes, not a good thing since it's a potent drug. He's used the tincture for two years now. He still gets a rash occassionally but it's very minor. It lasts only a few days and is very managable with benedryl and Calagel. I don't know if it's available every where as I think it may be relatively new. --- "Rex L. Bavousett" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I second the Tech-Nu product and Benadryl to releve > the itch. If > going the perscription drug route, I highly > recommend Predeisone > (spelling may be wrong). It is a hard duty drug, a > steroid, but is > very effective. > Rex > > >Be sure to check out a product called Tech-Nu. I > learned about it years ago > >from National Park Service folks, who told me it > has cut employee lost time > >due to poison ivy exposure by up to 90 percent. > Tech-Nu comes as a lotion. > >It breaks down erushiol chemically, on > contact--even subcutaneously--and > >it's effective when applied to exposed skin as long > as 3-4 hours after > >exposure. It's possible that I may be part of the > 15 percent who are immune > >to poison ivy, however, I use Tech-Nu when I know > I've been exposed--and > >that's pretty often!--and I haven't had a problem. > I've not seen Tech-Nu > >advertised, but I have seen it for sale at > Wal-Mart, of all places. > > > >--Bill Witt > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: Iowa Discussion, Alerts and Announcements > >[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf > Of Ericka > >Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2001 9:08 AM > >To: [log in to unmask] > >Subject: Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac - Resources > & Relief? > >Importance: High > > > >I'm working on an article re: "Irritating Plants"- > would love to receive > >personal experiences and/or comments on the > information below... > >Thanks - > >Ericka > >---------- > >http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/article.asp?PageType=article&ID=1320 > > > >For weeping blisters: > >* Mix 2 teaspoons of baking soda in 1 quarter (4 > cups) of water. > >* Dip squares of gauze in this mixture. > >* Cover the blisters with the wet gauze for 10 > minutes, four times a day. > >(Do not apply this to the eyes.) > > > >* Make sure you wash all clothes and shoes with > hot water and a strong > >soap. Also, bathe pets who have come in contact > with poison ivy, oak or > >sumac. The sap can stay on pets for many days. > >* Keep your hands away from your eyes, mouth and > face. > >* Do not scratch or rub the rash. > >* Apply any of these to the skin rash: > >* Calamine (not Caladryl) lotion > >* Zinc oxide ointment > >* Paste made with baking soda - mix 3 teaspoons > of baking soda with 1 > >teaspoon of water > >* Take a bath with lukewarm water and an > over-the-counter product called > >Aveeno colloidal oatmeal > >* Take an over-the-counter antihistamine such as > Benadryl, as stated on > >the label > > > >If self-care/first aid measures don't bring relief, > call your doctor. > >---------- > >http://www.aad.org/pamphlets/PoisonIvy.html > > > >Poison Oak > >In the West, this plant may grow as a vine but > usually is a shrub. > >(pictured). In the East, it grows as a shrub. Hair > grows on its fruit, trunk > >and leaves, which have three leaflets. > > > >Poison Ivy > >In the East, Midwest and South, it grows as a vine. > In the far Northern and > >Western United States, Canada and around the Great > Lakes, it grows as a > >shrub. Each leaf has three leaflets. > > > >Poison Sumac > >Grows in standing water in peat bogs in the > Northeast and Midwest and in > >swampy areas in parts of the Southeast. Each leaf > has seven to 13 leaflets. > > > >Poison Plants: Ivy--Sumac--Oak > > > >Those nasty weeds - poison ivy, poison sumac and > poison oak - are the single > >most common cause of allergic reactions in the > United States. Each year 10 > >to 50 million Americans develop an allergic rash > after contact with these > >poisonous plants. > > > >Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac grow almost > everywhere in the United > >States, except Hawaii, Alaska and some desert areas > of Nevada. Poison ivy > >usually grows east of the Rocky Mountains and in > Canada. Poison oak grows in > >the Western United States, Canada and Mexico > (western poison oak) and in the > >southeastern states (eastern poison oaks). Poison > sumac grows in the eastern > >states and Southern Canada. > > > >For the sake of convenience, poison ivy in this > pamphlet will refer not only > >to ivy but to sumac and oak as well. > > > >Poison Ivy Rash > > > >Poison ivy rash is an allergic contact rash > (dermatitis) caused by contact > >with an oil called urushiol (you-ROO-shee-ol). > Urushiol is found in the sap > >of poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac. It is a > colorless or pale yellow > >oil that oozes from any cut or crushed part of the > plant, including the > >roots, stems and leaves. After exposure to air, > urushiol turns > >brownish-black, making it easier to spot. Contact > with urushiol can occur in > >three ways: > > > >* Direct contact - touching the sap of the toxic > plant. > >* Indirect contact - touching something to which > urushiol has spread. The > >oil can stick to the fur of animals, to garden > tools or sports equipment, or > >to any objects that have come into contact with a > crushed or broken plant. > >* Airborne urushiol particles, such as from > burning plants, may come in > >contact with your skin. > > > >Once urushiol touches the skin, it begins to > penetrate in minutes. In those > >who are sensitive, a reaction appears as a line or > streak of rash, usually > >within 12 to 48 hours. Redness and swelling occur, > often followed by > >blisters and severe itching. In a few days, the > blisters may become crusted > >and begin to scale. The rash takes 10 days or > longer to heal. > > > >The rash can affect almost any part of your body, > especially where your skin > >is thin, such as on your face. A rash develops less > often on the soles of > >your feet and palms of your hands, where the skin > is thicker. The rash does > >not spread, although it may seem to when it breaks > out in new areas. This > >may happen because urushiol absorbs more slowly > into skin that is thicker, > >such as on your forearms, legs and trunk. > > > >Who's Sensitive, Who's Not > > > >We are not born with a sensitivity to poison ivy. > Sensitivity develops after > >the first direct skin contact with the oil > urushiol. An allergic reaction > >seldom occurs on the first exposure. A second > encounter can produce a > >reaction, which may be severe. About 85 percent of > all people will develop > >an allergic reaction when adequately exposed to > poison ivy. > > > >This sensitivity varies from person to person. > People who reach adulthood > >without becoming sensitive have only a 50 percent > chance of developing an > >allergy to poison ivy. However, do not assume that > you are one of the few > >people who are not sensitive. Only about 15 percent > of people seem to be > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Spot the hottest trends in music, movies, and more. http://buzz.yahoo.com/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]