So, I got my first case of poison ivy or oak or hogweed or something on our hike this weekend. Not sure how it happened though. We were careful to wear long pants and stay on the trail. It's only my top left shin and it's REALLY itchy.

The trail was mostly like this:


But it's starting to get a little crowded in some spots. Not as bad as it was in this pic from last summer but on most of the scrub was at least waist high:


I've got anti-hystamines and calamine lotion at home but what would you use in the field? I'm thinking that both would work well but carrying a bottle of calamine lotion in my pack just doesn't seem right. I thought a tube of Gold Bond cream might work better.

Any suggestions about how to avoid something like this or how to treat it??

My FAKs always have a topical anti-itch cream, like Cortaid. That's my top choice. Calamine relieves the itch but doesn't, in my experience, work as well, as well as being bulkier to carry, so I don't carry it. An anti-sting med like a bee sting swab is a good next choice for temporary relief. Last is Neosporin plus pain, it works better than nothing and I always have some, but it's not great for this.

Thanks Chaos. I'll have a look for that.

You can get single use packets of Hydrocortisone cream.

This site also has lots of other travel size items from food to games.

REI also carries single use size first aid items.

See if you can find Tecnu at the drug or outdoor store. It is great for removing the oils. Even if you already have the rash, Tecnu can help prevent it from spreading. If you got the oils on other items (boots, pants, etc.) you can use it to remove the oils and prevent re-exposure.

Tecnu

Pete

I ran across this a few weeks ago.

That could be it. It was out there for sure. I just can't figure out how I got it through my pants.

I carry anti-itch cream from the dollar store. Works well for me.

In my fanny pack, I carry generic antihistimine capsules in my minimal FAK along with some anti-itch stuff I found at Walmart in the clearance section.

Have not had the occassion to try any on a poison ivy rash yet.

Its the last picture in this post.
http://ilbob.blogspot.com/2012/03/walmart-shopping-trip-today.html

here on the left coast we have poison oak.
first is a physical barrier - long pants, long sleeves, gloves.
second might be this product: IvyX.
post exposure: what pete said above - you gotta get the oils off.
for me, i use benadryl creme ( comes in large tubes or in stick form for travel ) under a bandaid ( helps keep my fingers off the itch and also stops the spreading. )
the last little bit i had on the back of my left hand took two weeks to go away - but little to no itch.
maybe a mix of your favorite steroid cream with a bit of benadryl creme might work.

I've had Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac so many times I end up going to the Doctor's office for steroid shots and tablets as well as special cream. Last time I got it it was down my entire left side at its peak. Not fun and the OTC stuff doesn't work anymore. Granted, I had never seen Tecnu before so it might work, but I'd rather not find out. When we go hiking next time, I'm going to try the IvyX bsmith suggested.

-Jason

Here on the left coast we have Poison Ivy too,along with Poison Oak.Usually growing right beside these 2 rotten devils,one can often find Jewelweed,of which works Real Well (& Free!) at Detoxifying the Urushiol,the poison in poison Ivy/Oak!The Jewelweed flowers(Orange colored) seem to be the most potent part,to be rubbed onto the affected area's,this stuff will stain your skin bright orange,but it works Very Well!There are pure extracts of jewelweed that can be found at health food stores,& Probably online too,Definitely worth looking into!I personally have not been affected by Poison Ivy/Oak(Knock on wood),but I have friends that seem to get it from just being in the vicinity of such.Good Luck!

Milk of Magnesia, apply to the itchy spots.

I used to get poison ivy so bad it would spread to my entire body. As I got older this went away, but poison oak kicks my butt.

Tried tons of stuff. The best was called Ivy Dry, but I don't think they make it anymore. Tried MoM at a friend's suggestion, works well.

Hate that stuff.
I'm like JBmat ... once I get it on one place, it spreads over my entire body. it seems to be carried by some sort of oil that goes with the plant - it doesn't easily just wash off with soap and water. i have not tried Ivy Dry. Basic Calamine lotion wasn't all that helpful, as I recall.

Pete2

It is an over-reaction by your immune system to the oils in the plant.

The healthier your immune system, the worse your reaction can be.

I carry a small bar of soap wherever I go. If I accidently find myself in a poison ivy patch, as quickly as possible I wash my exposed skin where it may have touched the plants. This often nips the reaction in the bud, or at least lessens its severity.

If you can also wash or change your clothing, that helps too.

Remember that the oils of the plant can transfer from your hands and body and clothing to anything else it touches. Then you pick up, say, your axe and the axe handle has oil from when you handled it a couple days before, you can get another rash.

I remember, as a little kid, I was walking around one of my father's job sites with him and asked him, "what's this?" as I preceded to grab a hairy vine of poison ivy hanging off the side of a tree.

My father scooped me up, ran me over to his work truck, poured gasoline all over my hands, and then wiped them off with a rag.

Apparently it worked, because I never got poison ivy. I did get to learn what it is though.

(Another funny memory from that day is my father having to explain to my mother why I smelt like gasoline when she came to pick me up.)

ROFL

I've heard Mugwort works for countering poison oak but never tried it.

Not for a pack really,but Ive had a couple bad poison oaks as a kid....was staying with a friend,got into some.His mom had me take a shower and pour bleach on myself,full strength from top of head to toe,than shower it right off.

That oil was GONE,skin was very dried up too,and best of all,no breakout at all but for a couple teeny dots that didnt even itch.

Tecnu works well for my wife. Our dogs seem to pick up Poison Ivy oils by running through our forest. My wife has given up petting them. She has a really fierce reaction to poison ivy.

I recently ordered the following Jewelweed salve to test http://www.localharvest.org/jewelweed-salve-poison-ivy-relief-lg-5-oz-jar-C10968

good advice. calamine is the 19th century approach, using a clay base to absorb the oils which cause the rash. These oils are present in the exudate from he blisters that form, so contact with the exudate will cause further blistering. The active ingredient is the oil, and removing the oil is best accomplished with soap or dish detergent and water, lots of both; other non=polar solvents-gasoline, alcohols, wd-40 might work but have some inherent hazards of their own. Nasty stuff. Topical and systemic steroids, and antihistamines are the state of the art in treatment.

Thanks guys. The itch is now long gone and it's scar now. FAK has been restocked with some creams and more prep pads. Made through a recent portaging trip without getting it again so, so far so good.

I get poison ivy EVERY YEAR no matter how much I try to avoid it. This year I got some on my eyeball. Yes, it was as bad as it sounds.

Avoiding? It's hard. I treat every woodland outing as a tick/poison ivy exposure, I use Burt's Bees poison ivy soap (coal tar based) to wash up and I KNOW it works when I KNOW i've contacted poison ivy and wash within 20-60 minutes. It's when I don't notice that I get it. It's EVERYWHERE around here, and you can't always avoid it.

At the moment I have a small patch of poison ivy on my left calf and ankle. That's exactly where the 4 yellowjacket wasp stings were delivered about 3 days ago.

Fels Naptha soap works too, but really, nothing works for me AFTER the rash is out - I just ride it out.

Jewellweed is wild and commonplace here, and where you see it, there's poison ivy nearby. Does not work for me, but many people say it does for them.