Toxicodendron radicans, or better known as Poison Ivy
Posted By RichC on August 19, 2019
Since there hasn’t been time to put together a summary post for our week with my little helper Annalyn, I’ll update the latest of many poison ivy encounters Brenda and I have had over the years. Brenda usually tangles with poison “something” yearly and I do my best to just avoid the evil plants until cooler weather (long sleeves and long pants). Unfortunately, I needed to clear the fence line in the woods to keep my fence painter going last week and thought I was handling it with care — I obviously was not being careful enough.
Although we never seem to avoid poison ivy entirely, we have learned how to best mitigate the rash and reduce the itching. Here are our steps in avoiding and “doctoring” a poison ivy irritation:
Cover all skin areas when you are working around poison ivy if you can’t avoid it- Wash immediately with Dawn Dishwashing Soap (or other oil and grease-cutting soaps)
- If a small or moderate skin rash/itch appears, use Ivy-Dry for the itch and helping it to dry (we like it better than other – FYI, Brenda is a pharmacist)
- If severe, or on your face, or any internal area, see a doctor and ask about oral corticosteroid, such as prednisone.
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