'Tis the Season for Poison Ivy, Fa la, la, la....

I usually am careful around poison ivy seedlings in the garden.  I reuse the plastic bags our newspapers come in as a 'glove' to pull them, then seal, and put in the trash.  If I happen to think I've touched it, I apply Tecnu immediately to the area.  We have some in the shed in our 1st aid kit and will be adding rubbing alcohol to our kit.  Then, there's always the cold water and dirt treatment.

TREATMENT
This week I finally found out that I am allergic when I did not realize I had been exposed.  It is estimated that 85% of people are allergic to the urushiol oil. Typically the reaction begins 12 to 48 hours after exposure to the sap and lasts at least two or three weeks.  I washed the emerging itching vesicles with Tecnu to neutralize any residual urushiol oil and then applied calamine lotion.  The experience led me to research what others do when they are exposed to poison oak or poison ivy.  Here are some of their remedies which were helpful, especially for those who, like me, don't discover their exposure until the itching starts a day or two later.

• Tecnu:  Use it ASAP if you even THINK you've contacted poison ivy. Helps prevent the rash; 
• Rubbing alcohol: use if you think you have been exposed and have no Tecnu to help dissolve the urushiol oil off the skin before the immune system recognizes it.  (per Dr. Signore, DO)
• Oak-Ivy CalaGel:  Comes with two bottles.  First you clean the poison oil off with Tecnu skin cleaner and let it dry.  Then put the CalaGel on and let that dry. In an hour the itch is gone and the blisters clear up in a few days.
• Arrid Extra Dry Antiperspirant:  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 the area with an antiperspirant containing aluminum chlorhydrate (never use a stick or roll-on).
• Zanfel:  Expensive, but this is what they use in the ER nowadays, & it made a HUGE difference for the person; it actually helped the rash stop itching immediately, and cleared up in half the time.
• Benadryl:  Use along with bath treatments with Aveeno.  And, Natural Analgesic w/Emu Oil works wonders providing soothing relief to inflamed sores, blisters. (The contributor was still healing from the poison ivy blisters the 2nd week.)
• If you think you have been exposed but have no Tecnu or brown soap (like Fels Napta) handy to neutralize the oil, try our own John Leed's remedy.  Wash with cold water using dirt to help bind up the urushiol oil.  We have plenty of dirt in the Garden!
• Homeopathic Cimifuga racemosa:  Noted in Boericke's Materia to use both locally and internally for ivy poisoning. Consider keeping this remedy on hand. Organica in Northvale carries it or can order it for you.
• To relieve itching: Cool showers,  Lukewarm oatmeal baths, Baking soda paste (3 tsp soda: 1 tsp water), Calamine lotion

 NB: Wash with brown soap or Tecnu and cool water.  You can spread the urushiol oil by washing with regular soap and warm water. The warm water opens the pores, the soap emulsifies the oil, and the scrubbing pushes the oil into the open pores making the allergic reaction even worse. (After the oil has been absorbed or washed off, and you HAVE a rash, a hot shower can ease the itching. Many recommend heat for relief from the itch.)

PREVENTION

• Wear gloves when pulling poison ivy, preferably vinyl or blue nitrile gloves.  NB: The oil has the ability to pass through rubber latex gloves!
• Dissolve one pellet of Rhus tox 30c (poison ivy) by mouth once a month during poison ivy season. (per dermatologist & homeopath, Robert J. Signore, DO, DiHom)

June 2016 update
The birds must have been busy last fall eating poison ivy berries.  There are little sproutlings throughout the Garden and in the Park.  Know thine enemy!!  There's more to this one than  "Leaves of three, let it be."

POISON IVY FACTS  (NYS The Conservationist, June 2000)

• ID by the stem of the center leaflet which is longer than those of the 2 side leaflets.  Virginia creeper sometimes starts out as 3 rather than 5 leaflets but the leaflet stems are all the same length.  Occurs as a self-supporting shrub, a trailing vine or a hairy vine that climbs trees (note this form on some of our Pier trees.)
• Leaves can be smooth, lobed or toothed on the edges.
• Urushiol (yoo-ROO-shee-ol) oil causes the typical symptoms.  It takes 3-5 minutes for the oil to penetrate the skin after contact.
• Symptoms in sensitive people show in 12-48 hours and manifest in rash, swelling, itching and blistering. Only the oil can spread the rash, not the fluid within the blisters.
• It may take 10 days or longer to heal.
• Sensitivity develops only after the first contact when the body produces antibodies against the oil.
• The oil can be picked up even by indirect contact such as pets that bring it in on their fur or in smoke from burning the plants.
• Spring and Summer are the most dangerous times for poisoning because the oil is plentiful in new growth and this is when the plants bruise most easily.

Benefits: Provides food and shelter for wildlife – flickers & woodpeckers eat the berries and mammals eat the leaves, stems, twigs or seeds.  The roots prevent erosion, particularly on sandy soils.

Ridding Your Garden of Poison Ivy
Check out Rodale's article: Remove Poison Ivy in 5 Steps. No Herbicides Required

Last updated March 31, 2017