By eHow Health Editor
Rate: (38 Ratings)
Poison ivy is found all over the United States - especially east of the Rockies - and in Canada. The symptoms of contact dermatitis, the itchy rash that results from the skin's exposure to poison ivy, take at least three weeks to completely disappear. Follow these steps to make yourself a little more comfortable.
eHow Health Editor
Comments
tonygonw said
on 10/4/2007 The best cure for poison ivy that I have found yet (I have tried them all) is Melaleuca oil(tea tree oil), you dont have to break the infected spot, you can use MelaGel or Melaleuca's T36-C5, just apply to infected spot as soon as you notice the break out, itching and all can be reduced within 24 hours with just one application.
Anonymous said
on 8/23/2006 The only thing that has worked for me, in dealing with both the intense itching and especially the oozing of blisters caused by poison ivy, is a paste made of water and baking soda. None of the lotions or other potions I tried came near to the comfort and drying out effects of baking soda. It probably also works as a mild antiseptic as well. Only minor inconvenience is that as the powder flakes off, you might find yourself leaving trails of the stuff around the house, or in your computer keys.
On the other hand, since baking soda is a nontoxic cleaning solution, it's all to the good to have particles of it left in your bedsheets before they go into the wash, for example, rather than calamine lotion stains.
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 Try to take a cold shower, as cold as you're comfortable with. Hot water will make the rash ooze and spread. You're better off sticking with oatmeal baths until the rash is gone.
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 I get a poison ivy rash every year. What I do is; take some salt water and a lot of ice in a bucket. Let my hand or foot (or wherever he rash is located) soak for a while. That gets red of the itchiness. Then, I take rubbing alcohol and apply lightly to the area a couple of times a day.
Anonymous said
on 7/18/2006 I tried not breaking the blisters, which covered 100% of the rash, but it was too painful because the biggest one was the size of an quarter and it was stretching my skin so much it hurt. Burn/sterilize a needle and break it open and let it drain onto a sterile gauze and put one of those pain relieving antibiotic creams on it (like Neosporin), then put cortisone, and it is more bearable.