How To Get Rid Of Poison Ivy Rash?

A want-to-be comedian might say that the best way to get rid of poison ivy rash is: don’t get it in the first place! In other words, stay away from poison ivy. This advice is all well and good but there are times when we need to be outdoors, in areas where this common plant might be growing. Sometimes it is difficult to live by the old saying, “Leaves of three, let it be.”

Like other “poison” plants, poison ivy is caused by contact with a plant that has a particular type of sap. This liquid is oily and will stay with us even after a brief brush against fresh leaves or stems. In fact, some people can even get the symptoms of poison ivy from touching a garden tool or a piece of wood that has been in contact with the plant. Some people don’t react strongly to poison ivy but those who do soon find a skin rash that itches and may even swell some areas of the skin. *If you pull up the plants and try to burn them you could get serious breathing or throat problems from the smoke.

Know Poison Ivy
Poison ivy is a vine in some areas and a shrub in others. It is usually identified by leaves in groups of three. Medical histories show that about 75 percent of the population is sensitive enough to poison ivy that they will develop a rash when they come into contact with the plant. Severe cases can involve blisters and fluids coming from infected areas.

For decades the best way to treat poison ivy was to use calamine lotion. This helped dry up the rash and also reduced the itching sensation. If you see evidence of poison ivy rash make sure you wash your clothes and your body thoroughly to help stop the spread of this condition to someone else. Items that may have come into contact with poison ivy should be washed separately from other clothing.

Use rubbing alcohol to clean your hands, arms and other exposed areas. If the rash has already started, put a cool compress on the affected area – soft cloth soaked in cold water. In fact, some people use cold, whole milk instead of water. This seems to be very soothing when the skin itches and burns. Don’t count out good old calamine lotion for quick relief. There are some other anti-itch creams and lotions that will help. You may also want to try Aloe Vera – directly from the plant or in a gel available over-the-counter.

If you have serious allergies to this type of infection you may want to consider antihistamines to relieve itching and swelling. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about the best medical treatments for severe cases of poison ivy rash. It is also very important not to scratch the infected areas. This will cause additional discomfort and may spread the rash to other parts of the body. You can reduce the discomfort by wearing clothing that doesn’t irritate the infected areas. Treat the symptoms of poison ivy and give it time to go away.

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