Bush Hogging Poison Ivy

[Skyco]

I always wash my hands/arms and legs if I was wearing shorts if I even remotely suspect I got in the stuff. I use Dawn or 90% isopropyl alcohol. I try to do this every hour if I'm working around the stuff. The Tecnu is supposed to be great stuff but dang it is expensive...
The hands are especially important as I've gotten it on my face and other places that are much more unpleasant. Ever pee in the woods? Guess what happens if some of the oil is on your hands

 

[ampsucker]

thanks for the informative post, paulchristenson!

i would mention that if you have a large vine going up a tree, it can be the source of a large patch of "ground ivy" around it. kill the source before you have any hope of eradicating all the little guys, they will just come back from new seeds next year.

amp

 

[Bob_Young]

I've got a lot of PI and get into it every year both with brush hog and chainsaw. In the past, I've had bad cases of the stuff but never enough to send me to the hospital. Sounds like some of you are hyper-sensitive to it.

These days I automatically dive into the shower as soon as I can with a bar of Fels Naptha laundry soap, scrub down thoroughly (no brushes, though), and toss the clothes in the wash. As long as I remember to do all that, no problems. Forget, and I pay.

Luckily the local market keeps Fels Naptha on the shelf, though a lot of other stuff comes and goes. It's the old brown brick-shaped laundry soap and is a bit harsh. It was my Mom's standard remedy and I regret the time I didn't take it seriously.
Bob

 

[flINTLOCK]

We had large PI vines on most of the trees on the property where we built our house about 10 years ago. I cut thru the bases of the vines with an axe in early winter. Put roundup on cut stumps right away. Pulled vines down late winter withour any problems. Threw the old gloves away that I used. Wore coveralls that were washed with the old sneakers I wore at the local laundramat. No problems.

 

[JamesH]

We moved onto our 20 acres of rural property two years ago. I to have experienced the PI problems.
I have found as others have suggested elsewhere to pour very hot water over the PI once it has started breaking out. This at least gives you some temporary relief from the itching. Don't do it immediately after though as it spreads the oil.
My brother and I both seem to get along pretty good by taking poison ivy pills. They are a homeopathic pill. I never saw much truth in these types of things but I can say that since I have started taking them I have not had a serious breakout in over a year. I still get some reaction but at least there is no weeping.
Your mileage may vary.

 

[bx24]

Whatever you do: DON'T take a hot shower and use a scrub brush on your skin because it feels good.....Oh my God was that a mistake. Just currently healing from my current battle with poison ivy.

Let me second this. There is nothing worse than a cold shower, and nothing feels better than using a brush during a hot shower when you have the "itch", but all the hot water does is open up the pores of your skin and make the problem exponentially worse.

If you cannot handle an ice cold shower, at least wash up in a sink your hands, arms (and legs if your flexible) in cold water and then move into the shower.

 

[davitk]

Let me second this. There is nothing worse than a cold shower, and nothing feels better than using a brush during a hot shower when you have the "itch", but all the hot water does is open up the pores of your skin and make the problem exponentially worse.

If you cannot handle an ice cold shower, at least wash up in a sink your hands, arms (and legs if your flexible) in cold water and then move into the shower.

OH YEAH, poison ivy AND a cold shower..... now you're talking!! Bring on the summer

 

[N80]

The contact dermatitis you get from any plant with urushiol does involve histamine release. This is important for several reasons. It is probably why one poster had less reaction when he took allegra beforehand. But that could have been coincidence too. There are many, many variables that contribute to the severity of a reaction. And antihistamines can help. Benadryl, Zyrtec, Allegra, atarax can all help. Still, as others have mentioned, with a bad reaction, they are unlikely to help much. But, the hot shower/brush part is where you really find the power of histamines. Heat and scratching, even though they feel good at first, cause histamine release. So even if that warm water and brush feel good for a moment, you will pay the price afterwards! That's why your mom always told you not to scratch. The more you scratch, the more you itch!

 

[Champy]

My brother and I both seem to get along pretty good by taking poison ivy pills. They are a homeopathic pill.

Any details on these pills? Name / Brand / Store to purchase? Thanks

 

[N80]

Any details on these pills? Name / Brand / Store to purchase? Thanks

Well, you can't argue with success but he said these pills are homeopathic. You might want to look up what 'homeopathic' means:

Homeopathy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm guessing that the principle behind these pills is that tiny doses of urushiol (or similar substance) will somehow convey immunity, much the way allergy shots help prevent allergies. Unfortunately, when you ingest a substance lots of things happen to it. In other words, they get digested. Proteins get broken down, etc. The molecule gets changed and its properties get changed. That's why there are very few (none that I know of) allergy sensitizers that come in pill form. That's why people have to get allergy shots.

So, it seems unlikely that a pill would work. BUT! Far be it from me to argue with success. If the pills work and don't hurt anything, go for it.