HELP with Poison Ivy treatment

Can anyone out there tell me what the plant is that you use the sap from as a topical treatment for poison ivy. No, it's not calamine lotion. That stuff is worthless. I remember my grandfather saying that this plant always grew where poison ivy grew so you had the remedy if you just knew what to look for. Oh, why didn't I pay closer attention. I happened to get into some poison ivy while weeding my raspberries and didn't realize it now I'm covered with the watery bumps and blisters.

Jewelweed (Impatians capensis) is the one I know.

Thank you, that is the name.

Are the flowers orange, not yellow as in plant files?

Plant Files shows a few different pictures and most of them looked orange to me. As far as I know it ranges from golden yellow to reddish orange

go to the drugstore and buy a tube of Zanfel, read the instructions. It works!
It costs about $ 35.

The plants in this area have yellow flowers, but I have seen them in other places with orange flowers. There is at least one other species (Impatiens pallida) native to New York, but I think it also usually has yellow flowers.

Dutchlady, I had been the Zanfel route that only works if you get the oil off your skin immediately. If you don't know you've come in contact with it, the bumps and rash have already started and it doesn't work on them.

Jewelweed is very common.It grows best near water.It is very effective in treating poison ivy.Although it also works best when applied early it is also quite effective once the rash has been established.
If you are very prone to poison ivy you may want to purchase or make jewelweed soap.I have never tried it so I don't know if it is as effective as using the sap but it would be worth a try.If you google jewelweed soap you will find sites that sell it.Good luck...I know how miserable poison ivy can be.
http://www.altnature.com/jewelweed.htm

We use tea tree oil. You can apply it directly to the affected area or you can put a few drops in your bath water and bathe with it. It's also good for mosquito bites and ant bites. You can usually find it in the supplements section at Wal-Mart or at any health food store.

Stephanie

Thanks for the info, on both the soap and oil.

I have Tea tree oil. We use in on DH's feet. I'll try it.

Please try plain ol vinegar.. you will be amazed at the instant relief!! The relief is temporary.. but I assure you .. you will NOT mind reapplying the vinegar! I have had PO.. and PI many times and have tried everything.. and the vinegar was the best for the constant feiry itching... Good luck!!

u have my sympathies, I get PI n PO just by being in the area when it is virulent/ n it takes a Dr script of prednisone if I dont baby the stuff fast. Luck with the jewelweed.

TECNU-= Great for Poison Ivy!!! sold in most pharmacies, is used by the NC state for all of their road crew. This is the best stuff!!. Rubb on for 2 minutes to the affected area , then rinse in cool running water.....it definitely dries it up and greatly shortens the duration of the rash....I use it daily when I get it. The company also makes another product that you spray of that pits a protective cover over the weeping areas to dry them up....I have not been without in since discovering it 6 years ago....oh yes...it can also be used to clean tools , etc!

Octogan soap then tub full of water and 1/2 cup clorox. Just soak in it.
Used to get Phenol with Colodian at druggist but they have stopped that cause of kids sniffing it.

Lavina

"tecnu"- available in most drugstores (may need RPh assistance in locating), But is well worth the asking. You can also google Tecnu and call the Comany directly.( They will send Illustrations of the different leaves,& used to also send sm samples to carry with you.
This is a viscous solution that, after being shaken is applied to the affected area., gently, but continuously rubbed in for minimum of 2 minutes, then rinsed in cool Running water NOT soaked. (soaking tends to reinfect.,) I have applied this product daily or many times daily because I am alsolutely convinced (from good experience ) of its extraordinarilary surerior treatment efficacy against this dread and dreadful rash.
I wish you the best in your recovery and one last bit of my experience. When it is in the very weepy stage. After treatment with TECNU, I have been known to quickly (due to the pain!) pour plain household bleach over the draining part. ...this always has dried it up for me..

Hmm. This is one I have lots of sad experience with! Jewelweed is the one, and in the West, for Poison Oak, the antidote that grows nearby is mugwort ( I believe that's correct......)

Anyway, what I found years ago was that most topicals I tried did way too little to relieve the discomfort. I would use something mild and drying and anti-infections (I have an essential oil recipe I use that is in a cider vinegar base, if anyone wants the recipe) but for the discomfort nothing works like hot water.

Hot enough to be painful, actually, but it feels like you are "scratching" when you, of course would never, LOL! -- and if you watch the temperature to keep it just where it is painful but not actually burning the skin, which we also do not want, you will use up the histamines in the area. This is the substance the nerves make that send the itch/pain signal to the brain. If you use them all up, it takes the nerves in that area around 6 to 8 hours to make more.

Voila! itch-free for 6 to 8 hours. Just wet a washcloth in hot water and apply, remove, apply, remove, continue til the itching stops, only 30 seconds or so. Or run hot water from the tap...... Pat dry after.

I would also cover the area loosely if it is a bad blistery situation. I used to wrap a cotton bandanna around my arm and go gardening away, kept it clean of garden dirt.........

My $0.02

;-)

Kyla

I'd like the Essential Oils vinegar base recipe.

I'd like the essential vinegar oils recipe, please

Okay, I guess no reason not to just post it here, is there?

simple, really.

4 drops each lavender, tea tree, cypress, helichrysum, in 1/2 oz. cider vinegar.

You have to shake it well each time you use it as oils do not really blend with the vinegar base

The helichrysum is rather pricey these days but I think it is worth it for this.

I put this in a brown glass dropper bottle and just dribble some on the site of the inflammation or blisters. Smells nice. ;-) The cypress is drying, the lavender and helichrysum are anti-inflammatory and balancing, the tea tree anti infectious..... and I understand the vinegar assists with pH balancing......

Turning to the "native plants" aspect of this forum, just a tidbit, I was fascinated to learn that the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest were not only not allergic to poison oak, they made baskets of the woody stems, and wrapped the leaves around food they steamed in firepits...... interesting.

thank you very much. I have all of those essential oils, so I'll make a batch the next time I get poison ivy.

I just broke out in a bad Oak-n-Ivy makes a product in about a 4-5 oz plastic bottle that is fir anti itch , anti inflammatory. Their products really do work very well. I think I previously mentioned TECNU for immediate application to neutralize the ureshal (?sp?). TECNU can also be used on garden tools , pets, clothing,etc. It works! Immediately too!

I just noticed what forum this is in: native plants, etc.
On that line I want to apologize for giving drugstore solutions to poison Ivy. I was, of course thinking of a quick fix to a prickly problem. Hopefully I didn't ruffle any feathers too badly.
I am very happy to know more about natural cures.

Well, I dunno, you were just RESPONDING to the native plants, like. :-D

Here's Sharran's article on using jewelweed: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/1076/

I'm horribly allergic to poison ivy. For me, the best thing is a trip to the doctor for meds, because I get a systemic reaction (the rash keeps popping up all over, not just where I came into contact). I appreciate the tips on this thread! I think the only thing I have to add is that I've tried the poison ivy blocking lotion (that you apply, like sunscreen, before working in an area where you might come in contact with it), and it seems to work. I also take paranoid precautions if I think I might have come into contact with it -- clothes straight into the washer, me straight into the shower for a scrubdown with Fel's Naptha soap.

Hi MITTSY,

I get poison oak worse than anyone I've known. I've caught it from petting dogs, etc., and like CRITTEROLOGIST, it goes wild. The only thing that relieved it at all -besides a (long) trip to the doctor- was an infusion of wormwood and oak leaves. Mostly wormwood- the whole plant except the roots.
The woman that made it for me said the same thing as your grandfather- If you are troubled by a plant, there will be another one to fix it in walking distance.

-I'd better be clear- it was applied topically! The stuff was so bitter that I could taste it on my fingers the next day no matter how many times I washed my hands.


(Tecnu was a miracle for me.)