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Entry bubble I Have Poison Ivy!

By: Joanne | July 01, 2008 | Category: Health

poison ivy My garden was, ahem, a wee bit overgrown, so I spent the whole weekend on my hands and knees weeding. Apparently while I was ripping out weeds with wild abandon, I came in contact with some poison ivy and now I’ve got an itchy, itchy poison ivy rash on my wrists, just at my glove line.

There’s a funny thing about poison ivy and me. Poison ivy and ragweed are the only things in this world to which I’m allergic. I have a pretty good idea about what ragweed looks like, but it doesn’t really matter – you don’t have to be in direct contact with it for it to get to you. But for some reason I’ve got a mental block about poison ivy. I can identify any number of cute little wild flowers that grow around here, but I never see the one thing out there that will surely give me a miserable rash. Go figure.

Poison ivy rashes are caused by oil that the plant produces, called urushiol. Typically you have a reaction after direct contact with the plant, but sometimes the oil can get on your pet and you can pick it up when you touch your pet (this happened to me once) or it can even be carried on the wind if someone is burning the plant. If you like to be outdoors in the summer, do your best to protect yourself. Your best defense is to recognize the plant and try to avoid it. If you do come in contact with the plant, try to wash the oil off your skin with soap and water. And remember, for any particularly nasty rash, you should consult your doctor. I had to do that for my first case of poison ivy, which covered my legs in red bumps and made me insanely itchy!

I hope that writing this post helps me (and you) remember what poison ivy looks like so we can avoid it next time we’re around it. Leaves of three, let them be. Leaves of three, let them be. Leaves of three, let them be. This will be my summertime mantra.

Image credit: Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

| View Comments [12] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: itch   ivy   joanne   poison   rash  

Comments (12):

blue comment bubble Posted by Blistery Bill on July 01, 2008 at 08:28 AM EDT

Evil nasty Poison Ivy, the Scourge! As a chronic sufferer i find it refressing to know others hate it as much. I break out at the mere sight of the evil plant! Have you tried good old cheap chlorine bleach on your rashes? I don't recommend it on "senstitive areas (like your eyes) and have ruined a few shirts with the stuff, but it eases my suffering quickly, drying the skin and causing the rash to peal and go away. Ah, sweet relief! I pour enough into a paper towell to soak it and rub it on full strength.

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blue comment bubble Posted by A. Gardener on July 01, 2008 at 08:40 AM EDT

I feel your pain, uhhh, itch? My neighborhood is pretty lush with vegetation in its common areas, especially various types of ivy and groundcover. Unforunately, invasive tendrils of poison ivy abound throughout and get into our yards, so it's almlost like gardening in a mine field. I've read that the oil from poison ivy can be a little tough to wash off with just soap and water, so I prefer to use Dawn dish detergent to wash off my hands and arms, even if I have been extra careful out in the yard. Sure, the strong dish soap may dry out my skin for a day or two, but it beats catching the rash.

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blue comment bubble Posted by Joanne on July 01, 2008 at 09:13 AM EDT

Blistery Bill,
I've heard of people using the chlorine method, but it sounds scary and I've never tried it. I guess I'm in the camp that prefers a trip to the dermatologist over a good chlorine scrub : ) If the rash is mild I'll reach for the jewelweed, aka touch me nots. I don't think there's any scientific evidence that shows it works, but it seems to make me feel a little better. Who knows, maybe it's just healing on it's own.

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blue comment bubble Posted by Joanne on July 01, 2008 at 09:17 AM EDT

You're smart to wash thoroughly after being outside. In 7 years I've never had a poison ivy problem on my property, but apparently that's changed and I need to be more careful!

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blue comment bubble Posted by Justin on July 01, 2008 at 11:31 AM EDT

Blistery Bill - I swear it works for me, too. I know what poison ivy looks like, but can't go a whole summer without avoiding it. Bleach speeds up my recovery process.

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blue comment bubble Posted by lucyw on July 01, 2008 at 01:14 PM EDT

We have poison ivy growing in and around our chain link fence. Does anyone have a sure fire way of getting rid of the ivy? I could probably just pull it out (I'm not allergic, my husband is), but is there a spray that can be applied (that won't hurt animals .. I have two dogs who play in the fenced-in portion of the yard)? Any and all suggestions will be appreciated!

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blue comment bubble Posted by Mike on July 01, 2008 at 01:20 PM EDT

Soap is only somewhat effective because urushiol bonds so strongly to skin. I recommend a product called Tecnu that is available at most drug stores. It unbonds the urushiol from the skin and allows it to be washed away. Wash with it after exposure to avoid getting a rash, or use it as soon as a rash develops to shorten the itchy time. It makes my rashes go away in about two days.

The reason poison ivy rashes last for a couple of weeks is that the urushiol is still on your skin and you keep reacting anew to it. Tecnu removes the source of irritation.

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blue comment bubble Posted by Joanne on July 01, 2008 at 01:26 PM EDT

I did some searching and found recommendations for various herbacides, which wouldn't be my first choice especially if you're concerned for the safety of animals or kids. I did get two suggestions from readers today that I'll share though. One reader who is very allergic gets help from her husband who isn't allergic. She says he wears gloves, then covers his hands with two layers of plastic bags, grabs the plant as close to the roots as possible, roots it out, and closes the bag around the plants, stuffing it entirely inside and tying it closed. She reports a lot of success with this method.
Another reader had a poison ivy problem when he bought a property with a neglected yard. He got himself a propane torch that hooks to a propane cylinder and torched his yard. That was the end of the poison ivy problem.
Good luck and if you find a solution, let me know. Apparently I need to develop some poison ivy control techniques!

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blue comment bubble Posted by luckylady46158 on July 01, 2008 at 02:07 PM EDT

MY SON HAS ALWAYS BEEN ALERGICS TO POISON IVY. WHEN HE GETS IT HE REALLY GETS IT. ALL OVER HIS BODY AND HAS TO HAVE SHOTS OR DOSE PACK. HE JUST LOOKS AT IT AND HE WILL GET IT. I WONDER IF A PERSON CAN GET AMMUNED TO IT AFTER GETTING IT SO MANY TIMES?

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blue comment bubble Posted by lucyw on July 01, 2008 at 08:34 PM EDT

Thanks, Joanne .. appreciate the help. If you hear of further techniques, please keep us posted! The propane torch sounds good, though .. will share this with the husband.

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blue comment bubble Posted by Itchy Scratchy Guy on July 02, 2008 at 09:26 AM EDT

Bill & Justin, I'm With you on the bleach, but be careful, it works well because it is a harsh chemical. that is also why it can be dangerous. Of course Joanne has to hedge or else appear to have the government endorse the method.

Lucy, Try going to your local garden supply store, the "Mom & Pop" places are best because they actually have people that have made careers knowing about plants. I got an herbacide at my local store that kills viney plants without hurting the other vegetation. it kills Poison ivy, regular Ivy, and other simalr vines but won't hurt the stuff i've planted. As i am at work i can't tell you what it is called. Then again, when all else fails, if you are careful, you can burn it, but make sure you get the roots too otherwise it'll come back.

Deer love to eat Poison Ivy too, the only good use i can think of for it.

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blue comment bubble Posted by kayla 1 on July 23, 2008 at 07:37 PM EDT

I have it so bad I dont know what to do

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