Poison Sumac help

[Divided Attention]

Be very careful if you burn brush, the oils can be in the smoke and I have seen some NASTY reactions where folks have inhaled the smoke and had a poison ivy reaction in their lungs. NOT cool! +1 on the technu - they also make a pre-exposure product.

You must use a "detergent" i.e. dish detergent - Dawn and the like to break up the oils, often "soap" won't do it.

Some folks need help getting over the hump once a reaction sets in, as their system goes into overdrive and keeps reacting. Some need a steroid to break the cycle. Secondary infections are a risk, keep from scratching if at all possible. oral antihistamines often help. Good luck!

[kragluver]

I've lived around poison ivy/oak for most of my life and had it on nearly yearly occasions. I think the folks here in Parker County like to use it for ground cover (not):)

The one product I've found that works without fail is Zanfil. You can find it over the counter at most drug stores. Its not cheap, but I've taken to always having a couple tubes around the house during the spring and summer months. The kids and I are almost always needing to use it. It makes having poison oak nearly a non-issue. It will absolutely control the itching if you follow the instructions. Its important to use the scrub for 30-60 seconds before washing it off.

There's really no way you can kill out the plants but you can control it. As others stated, birds always bring the seeds back into your yard. The plant is a tuber which means the root system is highly interconnected. You can have plants off your property that are interconnected with plants on your property 100 yards away. Unless you kill them all, you can't eradicate it! Use Round Up or Weed Be Gone marked specifically for Poison Oak or brushy plants. Regular weed spray will not touch poison oak. I typically treat my property a couple times in the spring and then again in the fall when the poison ivy leaves turn dark red and make the plants relatively easy to find. In this way, you can control the spread of the plants, but its a yearly battle.

[Vol Texan]

When I have an allergic reaction to poison ivy, oak, etc. the only thing I've found that works to cure it, is going to the doctor and getting a steroid shot - this is what works quite well for me.

For medical reasons, I'm sure not everyone can go this route - but for me, it clears up the allergic reaction over night.

I know you asked for home remedies, but I'm with Abraham - and 'better living through chemistry' is the route for me. I don't like the shot, but I keep a Medrol dose pack in my travel kit (I'm out of the country a lot, and my doc keeps me stocked with several different things, just in case I need it while overseas).

It has 6 pills for the first day, five for the second, then four, three, two, and one for the successive days after. I've used it for poison ivy, and found that I was just fine after a day and a half.

[Abraham]

Also, poisonous plants like ivy, sumac, etc. aren't harmful to the worlds other critters, only us humans...

[MolonLabe]

The one product I've found that works without fail is Zanfil. You can find it over the counter at most drug stores. Its not cheap, but I've taken to always having a couple tubes around the house during the spring and summer months.

I think it's about 35$ and worth every penny. I also found this on a blog a while back, it claims immediate results also?

"At the first sign of irritation caused by poison ivy/oak, wash the area with soap and water if possible, but in any case, spray (never use a stick or roll-on) the area with an antiperspirant containing aluminum chlorhydrate. Arrid Extra Dry was a favorite, but any kind that is not too sticky will work. Simple deodorants won't work; it must be an antiperspirant! This material reacts with the urushiol, the principal irritant in poison ivy/oak, and deactivates it. It will even provide relief and start healing when oozing blisters are present. My sons never went camping without it."

[DocV]

IIRC, poison sumac is a bush or tree rather than a vine. My bet is your plant is poison ivy. As mentioned before, crushed jewelweed (aka touch me not) is a folk remedy. Jewelweed is most often found along side water. With that said, your medical doc has other stuff that works fine too.

ETA: A "wilder" once told me that applying bleach to the affected body parts prior to a breakout did wonders. That 'cure' sounds almost as bad as having the rash.

[RPB]

Poison oak/Sumac/Ivy never bothered me ... Stinging Nettles get me every time though ... detergent

------------------------
Which reminds me of a trick mom taught me about oil paint/Grease (In the days before orange "Gunk" was made)

When cleaning an oil off skin ....Never apply water first, as in when you apply ""soap/detergent and water"
With oil paints or grease, thin it with Vaseline or baby oil (mineral oil) then apply detergent.
If you have an oil paint on skin that started drying, applying water on top, then detergent is harder.
Using gasoline/thinners dries the skin, but using baby oil thins it, use a rag, reapply oil, then detergent, then water

or something like that


Alternatively, train a pet skunk to brush against the poison plants, like cats rub their faces on stuff to mark territory ... then avoid anything smelling like skunk

[Tass]

Go to the doc. Get a steroid shot...believe me, it helps! I was once tasked with cutting down "those vines" growing in the oak trees in the back yard. Every inch of exposed skin was covered in huge blisters, eyes swelled shut...doctor wouldn't even come in the exam room. Just stayed in the doorway and said 'yep'. He also sent home antibiotics, cause I couldn't stop scratching.

Tass
(My mother always believed it was his plot to keep me from going to prom ...I had to have special gloves made to cover the gauze wraps that were still on my forearms!)

[anygunanywhere]

There is always the nuclear option.

Anygunanywhere

[Ericstac]

thanks guys. i called the doctor and he said to get some of the over the counter stuff so i bought some technu liquid stuff that you use to clean immediately afterwards, including tools and junk. I also grabbed a tube of technu scrub for the current wounds and the pharmisits actually recommended rotating between bynadryl creme and cortizone creme so i got those as well. i tried the technu scrub on one calf and the benedryl on the other.. both reduced dramatically but you can still feel its there.. the technu feels more like an abrasion now, maybe because it has been scratched raw.lol.. the benedryl has a faint need to itch feeling but it is tolerable.. both are tolerable.. when i get home i will try them on other areas of my body.

i still have to tackle removal of the vines.

[MotherBear]

If you know local handyman types, ask around a little -- we hired a guy who didn't react to the stuff to remove it when we had an infestation. He made a business of it (along with other odd jobs) and was very thorough. If you ask me, it was worth every penny not to touch the stuff myself.

[dawgfishboy]

If benadryl doesn't help try combining Zantac 150 and Zyrtec (or Claritin) instead. Last time I was in for contact dermatitis, Doc told me to take those instead of the benadryl. Seemed to work better.

Also, next time try using Ivy Block before you work in those areas again. I started using this before cutting or maintaining bike trails and haven't had a bad case since. It tends to sting a little while applying but I'll take that over the 14+ days of nonstop itching.

[kragluver]

I tried the Tecnu stuff several years ago. Unless they've improved it since I last tried it, it did absolutely nothing for me. Zanfil was the answer (it is also a scrub). I swear by the stuff.

[Ericstac]

I tried the Tecnu stuff several years ago. Unless they've improved it since I last tried it, it did absolutely nothing for me. Zanfil was the answer (it is also a scrub). I swear by the stuff.

Do you have to continuously apply it or just once or twice and the itch is gone for good?