what shold i do if I think I've been in contact with poison ivy/oak?

Answer 1

Everyone say cold water (to not open the skin pores) and soap. I disagree based on some medical articles I've read and I've had a lot of experience as Poison Oak is all around our vacation home and I also suffer contact dermatitis to English Ivy.

Sure, soap and cold water is great. Much more important is to wash with whatever water you have as soon as possible. Yes, it is an oil, but water does take it off. Within an hour and usually you're fine. Even hours later, wash as soon possible, because the longer it is on your skin, the worst the reaction will be.

Once you've washed it off your skin and put your clothes and shoes through the laundry, poison oak does NOT spread. We have the impression that it spreads because it pops up first, about 24 hours after exposure, on the thin skin between our fingers, on our face, neck, and inside of our arms and legs. One to 3 days later, from the same initial exposure, it develops on thicker skins areas like the outer parts of the arms and legs. Thick skin on the palm and soles are last to manifest the itchy rash.

Once you've cleaned it off, you're on to steroids. Or not. A mild case can go for 7-10 days. A bad case in a sensitive individual can be many weeks, so don't try to tough it out. 1% hydrocortisone cream is over the counter and helps on small areas and to sleep at night. Predisone pills (usually 6 x 10 mg the first day, then 5,4,3,2,1 pills for the next days) is by prescription and knocks it down a lot in a few days. There are lots of reasons not to steroids, but short-erm use for a bad case of poison oak is one I can support.

There is also a steroid shot in the butt that works amazingly fast. I had it so bad that time that plasma was oozing out of my skin, my arms looked 50% wider from the puffiness and it involved my genitals (took a pottie break during gardening!). After the shot, I was feeling 50% more human ever 4 hours. The reduction in itching, swelling, and redness was wonderfully fast and effective. That, of course, was from a doctor.

Good luck.

Answer 2

~What was the highlight of your day? Nothing special, but the anime that I've been watching is getting really intense :D ~Do you own anything made from real leather? Not that i know of XD ~Have you ever seen a rainbow? Lol yes ~Have you ever touched the blue sky? I assume that's impossible lol ~Have you seen a falling star? Nope, although I've seen a shooting star.. ~Do you look in a mirror everytime you walk past one? Yup yup yup ~If you do, do you admire your beautiful self? Yes! I've always been like that, trying to look the best all the time since i became a teenager (around 13) lolol ~The last person you talked to, through real life/text/phone/email, w/e. What's the first letter of their first name? Real life: K Text: C Phone: P E-mail: A ~Are you hiding anything from me?!?!?! Not that i know of lolol ~Give a nickname to the person who posted above you. (you can go back & edit) Girl-with-a-name-I've-never-heard-of LOLOL ~What's something that gives you butterflies? So far, no idea lol ~Who's your favourite author? Don't have a favorite lol

Answer 3

It is an oil, but since you wont be able to get it off completely, dont use soap on that area or it will spread.
There is this new stuff out that you put on poison ivy and it absorbs the oil strait off the skin so that it doesnt spread. Unfortuanately it costs like 25 bucks. I know they sell it over the counter.

Answer 4

If its within a couple of hours wash off with soap and water, otherwise there isn't much you can do but wait and see if you break out. Only 30% of the population is allergic to the oils on the plant that causes the welts. I just had it, I know. It took me 5 days to break out, i had to go to the Dr. He gave me steroids and a cream. Good luck!!!

Answer 5

Go get a shot asap. Wanna hear about my experience...hope it gets me 10 pts. when I was 15, I got poison oak from helping a friend of my mothers with yard work. if you were to spread out your finders that was as far as I could close mine. Found out that it spreads very easily. where gloves or something if you have to go to the bathroom, or maturbate. Yea, I got it all over myself...and DO NOT TOUCH OR SCRATCH ANY PART OF YOUR BODY!!!! So, yea....go to doctors asap

Answer 6

I wash using two different types of soap AND kitchen detergent. Put the towel into the wash immediately and don't use it again until it's clean. I had a neighbor who used to wash with pure bleach, but she was probably a bit overzealous.

Answer 7

Wash with warm soapy water ASAP. There are special soaps that are said to help remove the toxins from your skin before the blisters arise. Quickly check with your pharmacy.

Answer 8

dont scratch that makes it worse

the best thing 2 do is 2 wash it off and put some kind of anti itch cream on it or something

MAKE SURE U DONT SCRATCH

Answer 9

Just rub on some medicine. If you want to scratch, cover your arm with water and scratch.

Answer 10

go to a doctor