According to the American Academy of Dermatology, there are over 10 million Americans each year that develop an allergic rash after contact with Poison Ivy. The invisible oily resin called urushiol causes the ill effects of these poisonous plants.
Poison ivy is found in every state except Alaska and Hawaii. These plants are important to the eco-systems where they thrive as the small, white or bluish berries found on the ivies feed a number of birds and small animals. The irritants found in urushiol oil do not affect most animals and the tangles from the plants serve as shelter.
This oily resin can stay on pets, shoes, hiking boots, clothes, toys, garden tools, lawnmowers and anything else that has made contact. In fact, the oil stays active on any surface, including dead plants, for up to 5 years.
Poison ivy (Rhus radicans) is a plant that has three large, shiny leaves on each stem, and grows wild. Direct contact with Poison ivy will cause a slight itchy spot, which gets worse and worse.
Poison Ivy mainly grows in the form of a vine. Poison Ivy produces an oil called Urushiol. Urushiol is a skin irritant that is found in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. Due to the presence of urushiol, many people are allergic to Poison Ivy, which can be very dangerous to individuals. As this oil is found on every part of the vine, sometimes even the slightest touch can trigger an allergic reaction.
There are several ways in which you may end of with Poison Ivy. They include:
- Come in contact with any part of the vine.
- Touching clothing or pets which have come in contact with the vine.
- Inhaling smoke from a burning poison ivy vine can also cause an allergic reaction.
The resulting rash can range from mildly unpleasant to a true emergency with intense swelling, blistering, and oozing; With even a moderate case the itching can seem unbearable. Here are some of the common symptoms of Poison Ivy
- Extreme itching accompanied with red rashes.
- Eruption of rashes in the form of streaks or patches at the affected area.
- The affects may subdue after sometime or may prolong depending upon the severity of the reaction.
Here are some Self-Care measures you can take:
Learning more about poison ivy, oak and sumac before heading outdoors.
- Avoid touching your skin or any other clothing which still contains the triggering oil.
- Keep a first-aid kit handy which would at least compromise of soap, warm water and a brush.
- Wash the clothes in hot water and soap to remove the residue.
- Apply any cream if available to stop the itching.
- Avoid too much heat as sweating can aggravate the itching.
Home remedies have been used to relieve poison ivy itching and help a speedy recovery. After applying the remedy of your choice, don’t forget to wash all the clothing and equipment as they may also been contaminated.
Some Effective Home Remedies For Poison Ivy
Ingredients: Hot water and a banana!
Instructions: Take as hot as shower as you can stand for as long as you can. It feels so good and also relieves the horrible itching. Then taka a banana peel and rub the inside on the infected area. the itch is gone for 8 to 13 hours, enjoy!
Ingredients: Vick’s VaporRub
Instructions: Clean infected area; rub Vick’s on area twice a day to rid infection. Slightly burns at first for a moment. Dries it up in 1-3 days.
Ingredients: Dishwashing Liquid
Instructions: Rub dawn dishwashing liquid onto skin area and within 15 to 20 minutes the itch will disappear. Do not wash off until the next morning and then reapply within a couple of days the skin area will clear. This home remedy is also good for mosquito bites.
Ingredients: Salt
Instructions: A good home remedy for poison ivy is to bathe the area with a warm solution of saltwater.
Ingredients: Milk Of Magnesia
Instructions: You can also apply milk of magnesia at affected part to stop the itching and provide a soothing effect.
Ingredients: Watermelon
Instructions: You can apply a slice of watermelon on the rash to help in healing and soothing the skin.
Ingredients: Calendula Lotion
Instructions: Applying calendula lotion on the rashes helps in reducing the itching and spread of rashes.
Ingredients: Calamine Lotion
Instructions: You can apply Calamine lotion on the affected area.
Ingredients: Peach Tree Leaves
Instructions: Boil some leaves from peach tree. Wait till it cools down; later dab this solution with cotton on the affected areas. There won’t be any more rashes to bother you anymore.
Ingredients: Baking Soda and Coffee
Instructions: Make a thick paste of half a cup of baking soda and a proportionate amount of coffee. Pour cool coffee in the baking soda bowl to make a thick and fine paste to be applied on the rash. Let it dry naturally and you would notice the difference in a day or two.
Ingredients: Aloe Vera Juice
Instructions: To provide relief pour aloe vera juice on the affected area. This helps in soothing and drying out the poison.
Ingredients: Tofu
Instructions: To provide relief apply tofu on the affected area. This helps in soothing and drying out the poison.
Ingredients: Apple cider vinegar
Instructions: To relieve poison ivy itching, combine equal parts of water or alcohol and apple cider vinegar. Dab on affected areas, let dry, and repeat as often as needed.
Other Simple Home Remedies for Poison Ivy
A cool compress would provide a great relief as it helps in containing the itchy feeling.
To relieve the itch, you may also soak a washcloth in cold milk and make a compress for your itchy skin.
Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.