The compound urushiol is found in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac, which causes a contact allergic dermatitis in the majority of the population. We’ve both suffered from some pretty gnarly poison ivy this summer, so we are here to provide our favorite tips and tricks to surviving poison ivy when working outside! First thing’s first, get confident in identifying these plants! If you know it’s around, then try to avoid it. It’s as simple as that. However, if you’re anything like us and can’t avoid it because you’re tracking a turtle, read our tips below!
TIP 1: Pre-exposure wipes
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If you know you’re going to be around poison ivy, get yourself some pre-exposure wipes. The ones we use are the CoreTex Ivy X Pre-Contact Barrier towelettes. These quick-drying wipes leave an invisible residue that helps provide a barrier for your skin against urushiol. They are easy to use and don’t make you feel gross, so we highly recommend them!
TIP 2: Post-exposure wipes
Post-exposure wipes are great to have on hand, too. We use the same brand as our pre-exposure wipes, the CoreTex Ivy X Post-Contact Barrier towelettes. These are amazing to use after being in contact with poison ivy, as it helps to remove the urushiol from the skin as quickly as possible after contact. The less contact time, the less chance for a reaction to develop. These towelettes are a little more soapy-feeling, but they dry quickly. Definitely worth it to avoid a rash.
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TIP 3: Zanfel soap 
Like the post-exposure wipes, Zanfel soap can be used to wash away any remaining urushiol. The soap binds with the oil to create a precipitate that can be washed away with water. We recommend using this in the shower after a long day of working in the field, even if you don’t think you had contact with the plant. Better safe than sorry!
TIP 4: Ivarest cream
If, unfortunately, you come down with poison ivy and have some rashes, well good luck to you! We’ve found that Ivarest Poison Ivy Itch Cream is the best to soothe the itch. Ivarest contains antihistamine to reduce the allergic reaction, analgesic to soothe the itch, benzyl alcohol to provide another local analgesic, and calamine to absorb fluid. This stuff is a pretty pink, metallic color so it looks gorgeous on your skin, but it does take a little bit to dry. Make sure you let it dry before you go about your day because this stuff will get on everything. Still, you won’t even care that you have spots of pink everywhere when all you can think about is itching your skin off.
TIP 5: Know when to see a doctor
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Speaking from personal experience, make sure that you see a doctor if the rash seems to spread for a week or later or if giant blisters appear. Though new rashes can show up at later times from different points of urushiol contact, your body might also just be overreacting and in hyperdrive. In that case, steroids may be the only way to start getting any better, whether that be oral or topical. Maddie definitely suffered for longer than she should have before going to the doctor, so we recommend to keep an eye on your spots and the amount of discomfort you are in. Always remember that you know your body best!
TIP 6: Wash everything
As soon as possible, try to wash any clothes and equipment that may have been in contact with the oil, since it can stick around for quite a while, years even. If you re-wear the unwashed clothes or touch equipment that has the oil on it, you can still be affected.
Things to avoid:
- This should go without saying, but try to avoid touching any part of the plant!
- DO NOT ITCH! As much as it itches like crazy, try to distract yourself! It only makes it worse and can cause an infection.
- Don’t pop your blisters! That can also cause infection and leave behind scars.
- Don’t try to just take it. Use a topical cream even if it’s uncomfortable at first.
- We have found that hydrocortisone cream does not work well to soothe the itch. Take with that what you will.
Hope this can be helpful to someone, good luck out there!
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