I was working with a chainsaw all last week cutting down a lot of trees and got some poison ivy on my face and wrist.  Anybody have any home remedies besides that pink lotion crap.

It would be appreciated.

[nelson] HA HA! [/nelson]

sandpaper

Quoted: [nelson] HA HA! [/nelson] sandpaper

LMAO.

Quoted: I was working with a chainsaw all last week cutting down a lot of trees and got some poison ivy on my face and wrist.  Anybody have any home remedies besides that pink lotion crap. It would be appreciated.

A doctor can/will prescribe a topical or oral steroid that will fix it up quick.

Sooner you get there, the better you will be.

Hope you washed the area with soap and water.
A mild bleach solution works better, but most people don't know it.

My mom got into poison ivy a while back, and thought rubbing alcohol would help remove the
oils.  It only moved the oils around, and made things worse.

OH NOES!!!!

Lumberjack Song - Monty Python
I'm a lumberjack and I'm OK
I sleep all night and I work all day.

Chorus:
He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day.

I cut down trees, I eat my lunch
I go to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays I go shopping and have buttered scones for tea

Mounties:
He cut down trees, he eat his lunch
He go to the lavatory.
On Wednesdays he go shopping and has buttered scones for tea.

Chorus:
He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day.

I cut down trees, I skip and jump
I like to press wild flowers.
I put on women's clothing and hang around in bars.

Mounties:
He cuts down trees, he skips and jumps
He likes to press wild flowers.
He puts on women's clothing and hangs around in bars?!

Chorus:
He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day.

I cut down trees, I wear high heels
Suspenders and a bra.
I wish I'd been a girlie, just like my dear papa!

Mounties:
He cuts down trees, he wears high heels?!
Suspenders...and a bra?!

...He's a lumberjack and he's OK
He sleeps all night and he works all day.

...He's/I'm a lumberjack and he's/I'm OK
He/I sleep all night and he/I work all day.

    I wipe the red areas down with acetone. Not kidding.
The itch goes away imediately so I can wear long sleeve shirts.
It also dries it up. Im not even aware I have it when I do this several
times a day.

A little bit of bleach and water.It will dry it ,and the surrounding skin up. I know for a fact it works.

 Go to a good pharmacy and ask for ZANFEL about $30.00 per oz. but works. as long as it is not systemic. we use it at work for people who are susceptableto fairly severe reactions .Be sure to follow directions.

Pharmacy for anti-itch cream.  

+1 on the ZANFEL if applied as soon as you get in the stuff. Do in the shower or you'll just spread it around.

Also look for some stuff called Tecnu oak and ivy. I use this stuff if I know I have to get in the ivy before hand and it works well. Just wash up good afterwards and you wash the oils off before they can react with your skin.

For anyone taking notes...

Bleach might have the added benefit of drying up the affected area,
but the primary reason to use it is it's oxidizing properties.

The oils in poison ivy are easily oxidized.
Using bleach actually destroys the part of the oil that causes the reaction with your skin.

So if you ever suspect you touched poison ivy, rinse the area with dilute bleach to
limit the exposure as much as possible.  It works better than soap to neutralize the situation.

steroids

steroids

steroids

Don't jack off

Quoted: steroids steroids steroids

+1

Prednisone

and Hydrocortizone anti-itch cream.

I had no issues with poison oak until suddenly, at age 22, I got pretty well hit.  

Got put on Prednisone, then had a hyper-reaction, turns out I am quite allergic and the first dose wasn't enough, I got put on a double dose. Actually had to stop work for six days, I knew I could not control my mood on that much steroid!

Both aspirin and oatmeal Aveno baths help with the itching.

You may not just have a rash at the contact site; you may have a systemic reaction (your body's immune system all over).  If it persists, see a dermatologist quick!

Pfftt......sandpaper was obviously the correct answer.

I'm amazed at how many people fire up the chainsaw and cut trees when they break out with systemic herpes.

+1 on the Tecnu.  Use it right away and you'll never even get itchy. It's good to use on tool handles and such also.

BTW:  I gotta ask.  How did you get poison ivy in the middle of winter?

Quoted: Quoted: +1 on the Tecnu.  Use it right away and you'll never even get itchy. It's good to use on tool handles and such also. BTW:  I gotta ask.  How did you get poison ivy in the middle of winter? Poison ivy vines grow up trees--and the oil remains an irritant even when dry.  Also, the low-growing "bushes" are walked through, broken, and the oil gets on your boots.  Removing the boots puts the oil on your hands--and it spreads from there.  You can even get it from the coats of dogs after they are in it.  It's easy to get.   Best course of action is to shower immediately afterward and wash your clothes.  Boots are a problem always for those highly sensitive to it.   I'm surprised no one has talked of spreading it via the blisters.

I always get sudden urges to smack the shit out of people when they say that.