Anyone have a remedy for poison ivy?

[MickeysMommy]

One that works?

I have it on my arm from clearing out my mom's backyard. I'm trying everything but seems to be spreading and not drying up.

I thought Ivy Dry was my friend, but apparently not.

Help

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Wait it out.

Maybe Benedryl. If it's bad enough, see a doctor and get a steroid shot.

 

[Christine]

About the only thing that works is going to a dermatologist for prednisone or something like that but they usually only like to do that in severe cases.

 

[MickeysMommy]

I've been using the Ivy Dry but it's no working. I just started using Benadryl cream but that's iffy too

 

[The Mystery Machine]

One thought, a poultice.

Someone here on the boards posted about it and I have been considering it for some skin issues I have. There are many remedies out there. I have not used one, yet, so cannot comment on which one is better or works.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I get it pretty bad (red, nasty blisters). My dad gets it even worse (his eyes will swell shut). If it's just itching & blisters, what you want is a product called "Rhuli Gel". The company has been gobbled up (I believe by Benedryl), but it will still say "formerly called Rhuli Gel" on the package. It's a clear gel and it provides the best relief of anything I've used BY FAR.

Now, here's an odd trick I got from someone else that helps even more - blow a hairdryer on the affected area until you just absolutely cannot stand it anymore. Then, apply the gel. That's good for pretty much 100% itch free for 4-6 hours.

 

[Gracie09]

cortizone-10 and zanfel

 

[Deb in IA]

Our daughter got it really bad on both hands. She went out to "pull weeds" one day, not knowing the weeds were poison ivy.

She was in college. Her hands were so swollen and weepy that she couldn't move them to do her chem and biology labs. So she went to the ER. The doctor told her that they don't usually give steroids for poison ivy, since it is usually just a streak across an arm or leg, but hers affected her functioning as a student, so they put her on a 5 day oral steroid burst, oatmeal soaks, and topical Benadryl.

 

[lynxstch]

Ivarrest (I got it at Walmart) is the ONLY thing that works for me..I usually get it at least once a summer..somehow I snuck by without it this year..lol

 

[sam_gordon]

Ivarrest (I got it at Walmart) is the ONLY thing that works for me..I usually get it at least once a summer..somehow I snuck by without it this year..lol

That's what I use. It's not really a "cure", IMO, but it prevents the itching for a time period.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

I normally go get a steroid shot, Benadryl and an aluminum acetate solution dressing. I have had to got to the ER to get the shot a few times. I get it very bad even after taking a series of poison ivy extract shots.

 

[lynxstch]

That's what I use. It's not really a "cure", IMO, but it prevents the itching for a time period.

for me it's the only thing that helps dry it out, have tried alcohol, caladryl, Benadryl, calamine, straight up Clorox, and this is the one that works!

 

[scrapquitler]

Our daughter got it really bad on both hands. She went out to "pull weeds" one day, not knowing the weeds were poison ivy.

She was in college. Her hands were so swollen and weepy that she couldn't move them to do her chem and biology labs. So she went to the ER. The doctor told her that they don't usually give steroids for poison ivy, since it is usually just a streak across an arm or leg, but hers affected her functioning as a student, so they put her on a 5 day oral steroid burst, oatmeal soaks, and topical Benadryl.

I always get Prednisone. Every time. I always get it so badly that my eyes swell up and it ends up all over my entire body. This summer I ended up with 10 days of prednisone, and benadryl.

One thing that helps is something called TECHNU, it's a scrub that you are supposed to wash any skin that may have been exposed to the poison Ivy (or in the case of my yard, Poison Sumac) and it is supposed to eliminate the oil that causes the rash.

BTW, if you are highly allergic to the oil in Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Sumac, you should be careful with the skins of mangoes, because they have the same oil. I always wondered why fresh mangos made my lips feel numb, now I know.

 

[John VN]

I always scrubbed the day lights out of it with FELS-NAPTHA soap. Feels good for the need to scratch and helps dry it out. Have also used white vinegar but it stings.

 

[dja14]

Bleach water. Everyone looks at me crazy but when I was a kid I always got it so bad and our (very) old family dr told my mom to either put me in the swimming pool or put a cup or so in the tub of water. It really helps dry it up fast. My mom would get me up early and do it before school and then after school and before bed. As an adult I have tried lots of things but the bleach water works better than anything else.

 

[MickeysMommy]

Thanks, everyone, for the replies!

 

[bookgirl]

Ban Roll On

Antiperspirants will help the drying process.

 

[GaryDis]

Another vote for Ivarest, which I think I got at Wegman's.

I had my first encounter with PI, a very mild case, but I can kick myself for not getting my reading glasses and using the Techu properly. I was trimming some PI, and one leaf very lightly brushed me above my gloves. I washed briefly after finishing up (with 30 minutes), but apparently I wasn't firm enough with the Tecnu.

Now I just need to figure out how to explain to the grumpy neighbor that the huge vine hanging over the fence into my rose garden is poison ivy. A dangerously large poison ivy, dropping leaves on my side.

 

[low-key]

just pour some bleach on it, if it isnt out of control that will dry it up

 

[GaryDis]

Bleach water. Everyone looks at me crazy but when I was a kid I always got it so bad and our (very) old family dr told my mom to either put me in the swimming pool or put a cup or so in the tub of water.

just pour some bleach on it, if it isnt out of control that will dry it up

Diluted bleach as @dja14 describes is plausible, but pouring bleach directly out of the bottle seems likely to do more harm than good.

I'll stick with the store bought remedies, anyway.