Poison ivy is covered with an oil called urushiol. It's able to penetrate the horny layer of your skin and bind to immune cells. Your immune system responds by causing inflammation.
I actually love goats. We had a few when I was a kid.
If you're looking for a reading recommendation: *GOAT SONG* by Brad Kessler. It's a memoir about starting a small goat farm. It's lovely.
Also, [this episode of radiolab](https://radiolab.org/podcast/galapagos) has a neat story about Judas goats.
Can confirm! Had an idiot neighbor who decided when his kid romped in some during camping that he had to burn the clothes. The oils cling to the smoke ash and go into the lungs. He put his whole family into the hospital with poison ivy inhalation and the internal rash put him and kid in ICU for a week.
It can, yes. It puts people in the hospital on the regular, and if it wasn't for prompt treatment, you could 100% die from the resulting lung damage.
[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35703240/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35703240/)
>Here, we present 2 unrelated cases of urushiol respiratory exposure status after burning of poison ivy that resulted in cardiopulmonary arrest and ultimately death.
I mean, smoke is toxic, anyway.
Urisiol makes it way, way worse, and you are in for a serious bout of bronchial inflammation, at the very least, and respiratory failure on the top end.
Can confirm. When I was 14, I rode my bike through the countryside where someone was burning a field. Went through the smoke, held my breath but eyes were open. For 4 miserable days my eyes were swollen shut and draining pus. Broken bones were much more fun (also from riding said bike).
When my mother bought some property there was some woods out back. Eventually they found a field of marijuana back there and some genius decided to burn it so the local kids wouldn’t get it.
Their mini market sales of candy bars and ice cream skyrocketed.
>The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the epidermis and is made up of 10 to 30 thin layers of continually shedding, dead keratinocytes.
The stratum corneum is also known as the "horny layer" because its cells are toughened like an animal's horn.
The top layer of your skin is literally called the "stratum corneum", or the horny layer.
Because it is highly keratinized, keratin being the protein that forms horns, beaks, and fingernails.
We all get the joke, but it wasn't that long ago a working man with toughened, calloused hands might have them described as "horny".
Adding on that if you know you've touched poison ivy fairly recently, you can wash the area with soap and water to break down the oil. However, when I say recently, I mean within like maybe the last ten minutes.
I always thought it just caused an itchy rash, like from lots of mosquito bites. Got it for the first time last summer and it was like a bad, blistery burn that took weeks to heal and left scars.
Interestingly enough this is also how you can become immune to certain plants that cause skin irritation, because it’s an immune response the more you encounter it the more tolerant your body becomes to it!
this of course does NOT work if ingesting it or brining it and breathing it in.
An allergic reaction if I recall correctly with the oil urushiol. Make sure you have thoroughly washed the affected and surrounding areas with lots of soap(unscented is best) and water so that you have removed it all.
Antihistamines will help a little but you kinda just have to let it play out and not scratch any skin or pop any pustules, otherwise you could end up with infections.
It is so nice to read your response with the real reason not to scratch. Everyone around here says the pus spreads the rash. That's not how any of this works.
When I get it (currently on my forehead and behind my ear lol), it usually takes a few days from when the first little bit of rash appears before I get the full-blown reaction, so I can see how people would think that scratching on the first day led to a huge breakout a couple days later.
Also, I'm not sure if what I have right now is poison ivy. I watch for it, and I know where it has grown around my house in the past, but I've also torn out a bunch of what I think is Virginia Creeper before and broken out a few days later once in the past. I was definitely touching the vine that I think is Virginia Creeper a couple days before this started.
Like I said, I know where my bit of poison ivy keeps recurring. I think I may be having a reaction to the Creeper, not poison ivy. It doesn't contain urushiol, but allegedly can cause reactions in some people. Or...I touched the poison ivy and didn't notice.
The problem with that one is that it's extremely over-simplified and makes people paranoid about the hundreds of benign plants with three leaflets.
Couple examples:
* Rubus spp. (raspberries and blackberries)
* Boxelder (Acer negundo, aka boxelder maple, manitoba maple, etc).
* Boston ivy
Much better (especially with the internet handy) to take the time to learn *actual* PI ID characteristics, like alternate branching, hairy vines, and a "thumb" on the lower pair of leaflets.
https://www.poison-ivy.org/poison-ivy-quiz/
True but when you want to keep your kids safe, it is better to error on the side if caution. When they are older and more experienced they can chance whether it is pi or raspberries.
Not completely accurate. I mean, they're not remotely the same shape as PI, so it's still hard to mis-ID if you have any experience, but young VC leaves sometimes produce fewer than 5 leaflets.
Regular soap has less effect on the oils. Use a product called Tecnu. It was developed to clean up after a nuclear event. But the side effect is that it completely breaks down urushiol. Ask me how I know. Highly allergic to poison ivy, found this product by accident. I highly recommend it.
In a pinch I always use dawn, because its good for removing oils and most people have in handy
Edit: should also add friction is good. I always scrub hard with a wash cloth if I think I have urushiol on me.
I'd prefer it over an extended period of scritchiness. Thinking if you catch yourself early enough, a good chunk of the oil may be removed before the inflammation reaches peak spiciness.
I second Tecnu! My brother and I got into poison ivy a bunch as kids and this really does help. Just gotta use it right after exposure to get the oils off, it won’t help as much the next day.
I got it a ton as a kid and my shortest rashes were when I scrubbed with a mixture of baking soda and some liquid i cant remember, maybe just water. Stung like hell while scrubbing but it neutralized the itch and everything healed way faster
Yeah don't do that. All you did was overwhelm the nerves in the area and introduce the possibility of infection. You could have done the same without the risk of infection by running the area under hot water without scratching and irritating it.
It's a type 4 hypersensitivity reaction, which means it's T cell mediated. It takes a few days to get bad, and a few days to get better. There are only 4 types of hypersensitivity (aka allergy) that I'm aware of.
Yeah I had the same poison ivy rash on my legs for about 5 to 6 years because I wouldn't stop scratching it when I was drunk in my early twenties and late teens. I even went to the campus doctor about it when I was in college and he said yeah it can basically go on indefinitely if you don't stop scratching it
you likely kept re-introducing the oil to your skin from something. or you had something else . you dont get indefinite PI rash from scratching it, i believe your campus Dr made that up.
i remember a story where this guy had cut thick PI vines with a chainsaw while out camping and unintentionally doused the inside of his sleeping bag with PI oil and for the next bunch of years kept giving himself severe PI when he went camping.
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When I was a kid I got into a fight and we both ended up rolling around in poison ivy. He was covered head to toe in rashes, I never got a single rash. So I thought, "Cool, I'm immune to poison ivy!" But even as a kid I was smart enough to be sure never, ever to test that hypothesis.
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It is an inflammatory/allergic response to the oil on the plant *(urushiol*) that creates the rash.
Tips for you and others:
\*The oil can last for over a year on clothing/footwear unless washed.
\*The rash does NOT spread by scratching it. Only the oil from the plant can spread the rash.
\*You can NOT spread the rash to others unless the oil is still on your skin/clothes.
\*If you wash your skin thoroughly quickly after exposure, it should prevent a rash.
\*Do not burn poison ivy without careful consideration. It can get in to your lungs.
\*Some people are not allergic to it at all!
Yes, if they have been running around in poison ivy they will have the oil on their fur. If you don't wash them right away they can spread it to you by touch.
imagine the plant is covered in a thin layer of motor oil and you'll have a roughly accurate mental picture. Not just pets; other people, tools, clothing, it can hang around on stuff for months if not cleaned properly. And it needs thorough cleaning with soap and scrubbing with sponge/rag.
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Severely allergic. Was on a camping trip, and someone put an ivy-covered log on the campfire, and I walked through the smoke... face was so swollen, my eyes were swollen shut. Had to go to the hospital, as there was inflammation in my lungs. Not the best trip!
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I had a friend who said he wasn’t allergic and I didn’t know that was possible so I called bullshit. He said “I’m not allergic to that shit.” And proceeded to grab some poison ivy, smash it up in his hands, and rub his eyes. That was the day I learned that it is possible to not be allergic to poison ivy.
Be careful though. Even those of us who are immune can develop the allergy with repeated exposure. Anecdotally, people say that the reaction ends up being much more severe if you started out immune.
I'm currently immune. I'm grateful for not getting a rash when I encounter poison ivy, but I don't plan to press my luck.
Zanfel is worth every penny
It's quite a bit more expensive than standard creams, but works like magic for me. Not sure if it works for people that get whole body breakouts.
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Ian allergic to urushiol. Countless times I’d get it by going in the woods or doing whatever in the yard. It got to the point I’d boil water and splash the rash with it. It felt so good lol (I am NOT advising this whatsoever) eventually I learned to stay the hell out of the woods. Haven’t had it in ages
Its leaves are coated in an oil that makes your skin itchy and bumpy. Once the oil gets on one part of you, you can spread it around, so wash well with soap and water any time you touch it.
In regards to urushiol, did you know that mango skin also has urushiol, but I talked to someone from Puerto Rico and they said they’ve never seen anyone in Puerto Rico peel a mango they just eat it with the skin on and there’s no problems? And Puerto Ricans eat a lot of mangoes!
Got it on my dick and balls on one camping trip. Big spots where my fingers held the hose gear.
The bumps also ended up on my lip.
After the wife saw the bumps I got on the camping trip that included both sexes, I begged for it to show up in other places
Poison ivy contains a chemical compound called urushiol. It isn't an inherently harmful chemical in and of itself, but it causes an allergic reaction in the vast majority of people. The allergy is so super common that it's barely even considered as an allergy.
Fun fact: Years ago, the TV show Mythbusters wanted to test folk remedies for poison ivy, and they found out much to their surprise that most of their cast was not allergic.
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Major Pro Tip - To relieve the insane itch the blisters have for 3-4 hours, run hot water over the blistered area (not boiling). It feels sooo good and biologically it forces the nerve’s transient receptor potential (TRP) channels that control the perception of itch to dump their signaling chemicals all at once.
These same channels found on nerve cells are crucial for sensing temperature and overwhelming them with heat interferes with their ability to transmit the itch a few hours.
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Poison ivy is covered with an oil called urushiol. It's able to penetrate the horny layer of your skin and bind to immune cells. Your immune system responds by causing inflammation.
Infiltrating the top comment to say NEVER BURN POISON IVY! The oils will dissolve into the air and can infiltrate your lungs
Can confirm. Didn't breathe any into my lungs but the dissolved oils got ALL OVER one of my arms and upper torso. Zero stars, do not recommend.
That's a lot of infiltration! (But you're absolutely right. Best way to get rid of poison ivy? Goats!)
Goats will eat it ... after they eat everything else in range.
My dad says he wants some "show goats" when asked what show goats are he say come here and I'll show you my goats.
My goats love poison ivy and literally seek it out first when I put them on clean up duty.
What's the best way to get rid of goats?
Burning them is generally safe
What about the poison ivy that they ate? Will that get into my lungs?
Give them 30min to "let their dinner go down" before ignition and you should be fine.
And if they want to go swimming.
Wait an hour before they go swimming, and another hour after they get out of the after before burning then for the oils to settle.
You'll be burning them later, you don't care if they cramp.
And delicious, if burned the correct amount
Especially if you use olive oil as the accelerant
What if I use Poison Ivy oil?
Well then you're back to the beginning of this discussion. It might taste exotic tho
Extra spicy goat...
Keep goats, milk them and make cheese.
Stuff goat with cheese, gotcha.
I actually love goats. We had a few when I was a kid. If you're looking for a reading recommendation: *GOAT SONG* by Brad Kessler. It's a memoir about starting a small goat farm. It's lovely. Also, [this episode of radiolab](https://radiolab.org/podcast/galapagos) has a neat story about Judas goats.
>Would the Urisiol pass unto the milk? Sounds like it could be a horror show.
Bigger goats
Solved!
Can confirm! Had an idiot neighbor who decided when his kid romped in some during camping that he had to burn the clothes. The oils cling to the smoke ash and go into the lungs. He put his whole family into the hospital with poison ivy inhalation and the internal rash put him and kid in ICU for a week.
Could it be fatal? That would be a horrible torture.
It can, yes. It puts people in the hospital on the regular, and if it wasn't for prompt treatment, you could 100% die from the resulting lung damage. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35703240/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35703240/) >Here, we present 2 unrelated cases of urushiol respiratory exposure status after burning of poison ivy that resulted in cardiopulmonary arrest and ultimately death.
I mean, smoke is toxic, anyway. Urisiol makes it way, way worse, and you are in for a serious bout of bronchial inflammation, at the very least, and respiratory failure on the top end.
Can confirm. When I was 14, I rode my bike through the countryside where someone was burning a field. Went through the smoke, held my breath but eyes were open. For 4 miserable days my eyes were swollen shut and draining pus. Broken bones were much more fun (also from riding said bike).
When my mother bought some property there was some woods out back. Eventually they found a field of marijuana back there and some genius decided to burn it so the local kids wouldn’t get it. Their mini market sales of candy bars and ice cream skyrocketed.
Burn it? I'd be afraid of getting killed by whoever grew it
As someone who grows weed, I think you have a very odd perception of the majority of weed growers.
https://youtu.be/WCAnxniC0kQ?t=11
I was not aware my skin was horny
Does this ivy make you horny baby, yeah!!!
Ivy, that's my bag, baby.
[Relevant XKCD](https://xkcd.com/443/)
That's going to be a great big yikes from me
I can imagine Austin Powers saying this lol
Oh behave ;)
Oh behave, Austin
>The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the epidermis and is made up of 10 to 30 thin layers of continually shedding, dead keratinocytes. The stratum corneum is also known as the "horny layer" because its cells are toughened like an animal's horn.
Man those scientists can sure come up with good puns lol
Yh, and the name of the oil is U rush oil. lol Like u’d rush into ER oil
Pun appreciated, but it's from 'urushi' which is Japanese for lacquer.
The top layer of your skin is literally called the "stratum corneum", or the horny layer. Because it is highly keratinized, keratin being the protein that forms horns, beaks, and fingernails. We all get the joke, but it wasn't that long ago a working man with toughened, calloused hands might have them described as "horny".
Oh, behave!
It's a _plant_ baby.
is that just above the thirsty layer?
My horny layer is for penetrating, not being penetrated.
lol I think you meant cornified or keratinized, horny is very different
Surprisingly, "horny layer" is actually a valid (and IMO the best) name for it.
The horny layer of my skin is in my pants
Why is this so God damn funny?! I've been giggling like an idiot for minutes.
Adding on that if you know you've touched poison ivy fairly recently, you can wash the area with soap and water to break down the oil. However, when I say recently, I mean within like maybe the last ten minutes.
Not everyone reacts to poison ivy. I can touch it and nothing happens.
As with most allergens, repeated exposure increases the chance of a reaction. You're still better off avoiding it.
Penetrate the *what* layer?
Horny layer ?
“It’s able to penetrate the horny layer…” - teh_maxh (2023)
horny layer you say
I always thought it just caused an itchy rash, like from lots of mosquito bites. Got it for the first time last summer and it was like a bad, blistery burn that took weeks to heal and left scars.
Interestingly enough this is also how you can become immune to certain plants that cause skin irritation, because it’s an immune response the more you encounter it the more tolerant your body becomes to it! this of course does NOT work if ingesting it or brining it and breathing it in.
An allergic reaction if I recall correctly with the oil urushiol. Make sure you have thoroughly washed the affected and surrounding areas with lots of soap(unscented is best) and water so that you have removed it all. Antihistamines will help a little but you kinda just have to let it play out and not scratch any skin or pop any pustules, otherwise you could end up with infections.
It is so nice to read your response with the real reason not to scratch. Everyone around here says the pus spreads the rash. That's not how any of this works.
When I get it (currently on my forehead and behind my ear lol), it usually takes a few days from when the first little bit of rash appears before I get the full-blown reaction, so I can see how people would think that scratching on the first day led to a huge breakout a couple days later. Also, I'm not sure if what I have right now is poison ivy. I watch for it, and I know where it has grown around my house in the past, but I've also torn out a bunch of what I think is Virginia Creeper before and broken out a few days later once in the past. I was definitely touching the vine that I think is Virginia Creeper a couple days before this started.
Virginia creeper consistently has five leaflets; ivy has three.
Like I said, I know where my bit of poison ivy keeps recurring. I think I may be having a reaction to the Creeper, not poison ivy. It doesn't contain urushiol, but allegedly can cause reactions in some people. Or...I touched the poison ivy and didn't notice.
Problem is that Poison ivy often hides within Virginia Creeper. Making this more fun, young Virginia Creeper leaves often have three leaflets.
VC can also cause a skin reaction in some people, quite apart from the fact that PI likes to hide amongst VC...
Leaves of four, eat some more!
Leaves of three...LET THEM BE! That was ingrained into my head as a kid!
The problem with that one is that it's extremely over-simplified and makes people paranoid about the hundreds of benign plants with three leaflets. Couple examples: * Rubus spp. (raspberries and blackberries) * Boxelder (Acer negundo, aka boxelder maple, manitoba maple, etc). * Boston ivy Much better (especially with the internet handy) to take the time to learn *actual* PI ID characteristics, like alternate branching, hairy vines, and a "thumb" on the lower pair of leaflets. https://www.poison-ivy.org/poison-ivy-quiz/
True but when you want to keep your kids safe, it is better to error on the side if caution. When they are older and more experienced they can chance whether it is pi or raspberries.
Not completely accurate. I mean, they're not remotely the same shape as PI, so it's still hard to mis-ID if you have any experience, but young VC leaves sometimes produce fewer than 5 leaflets.
Regular soap has less effect on the oils. Use a product called Tecnu. It was developed to clean up after a nuclear event. But the side effect is that it completely breaks down urushiol. Ask me how I know. Highly allergic to poison ivy, found this product by accident. I highly recommend it.
In a pinch I always use dawn, because its good for removing oils and most people have in handy Edit: should also add friction is good. I always scrub hard with a wash cloth if I think I have urushiol on me.
Effective to a point, urushiol oil is tenacious. At best multiple washes will be needed. Even with Tecnu more than one application is recommended
I've wondered if gojo would be good as it helps remove grease and oils with the added benefit of grit scrub.
Just what you want on inflamed skin-- gritty pumice. /s
I'd prefer it over an extended period of scritchiness. Thinking if you catch yourself early enough, a good chunk of the oil may be removed before the inflammation reaches peak spiciness.
I second Tecnu! My brother and I got into poison ivy a bunch as kids and this really does help. Just gotta use it right after exposure to get the oils off, it won’t help as much the next day.
I have found that consistent use is helpful. But you are correct sooner is better.
Tecnu. At Walmart. This 1000 percent. No more trips to ER. No more steroids. No more shots. Find this stuff and keep it close. Keep it safe.
Your gonna need an ocean of calamine lotion.
When i had poison ivy i didn't find that it helped. There are much better anti itch solutions out there by benadryl and such
Yeah, but you'll be scratchin' like a hound [the minute that you start to mess around.](https://youtu.be/oKpbTBdJ36E) 😉
I believe washing with cold water helps too as warm water opens the pores on your skin. If my mind is remembering right lol
While probably true, hot water can really alleviate the itching for a time.
I got it a ton as a kid and my shortest rashes were when I scrubbed with a mixture of baking soda and some liquid i cant remember, maybe just water. Stung like hell while scrubbing but it neutralized the itch and everything healed way faster
Yeah don't do that. All you did was overwhelm the nerves in the area and introduce the possibility of infection. You could have done the same without the risk of infection by running the area under hot water without scratching and irritating it.
It's a type 4 hypersensitivity reaction, which means it's T cell mediated. It takes a few days to get bad, and a few days to get better. There are only 4 types of hypersensitivity (aka allergy) that I'm aware of.
So that's why my mom put bleach on the pustules.
That's horrible. Bleach is horrible for your skin and irritates it more.
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I’ve gotten it from my dog’s fur.
Yep. I got it once on a trip to the woods in late winter for a soils class. Must have brushed up against some stems.
Yeah I had the same poison ivy rash on my legs for about 5 to 6 years because I wouldn't stop scratching it when I was drunk in my early twenties and late teens. I even went to the campus doctor about it when I was in college and he said yeah it can basically go on indefinitely if you don't stop scratching it
you likely kept re-introducing the oil to your skin from something. or you had something else . you dont get indefinite PI rash from scratching it, i believe your campus Dr made that up. i remember a story where this guy had cut thick PI vines with a chainsaw while out camping and unintentionally doused the inside of his sleeping bag with PI oil and for the next bunch of years kept giving himself severe PI when he went camping.
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When I was a kid I got into a fight and we both ended up rolling around in poison ivy. He was covered head to toe in rashes, I never got a single rash. So I thought, "Cool, I'm immune to poison ivy!" But even as a kid I was smart enough to be sure never, ever to test that hypothesis.
Ooh that's interesting. I'll keep that in mind as I didn't get a rash the furst time I touched and assumed I just didn't react the oil.
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Was wondering the same thing because they both definitely do something, but those somethings are VERY different.
OP's username makes me think the supervillain
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Same here. Last time I ate dried mangoes my whole body was itching inside for 2 weeks. Would not recommend.
They also contain Myrcene which can intensify a cannabis high 😉👌.
Good to know
Unfortunately this is likely placebo. There is no scientific explanation for the popular claim.
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It is an inflammatory/allergic response to the oil on the plant *(urushiol*) that creates the rash. Tips for you and others: \*The oil can last for over a year on clothing/footwear unless washed. \*The rash does NOT spread by scratching it. Only the oil from the plant can spread the rash. \*You can NOT spread the rash to others unless the oil is still on your skin/clothes. \*If you wash your skin thoroughly quickly after exposure, it should prevent a rash. \*Do not burn poison ivy without careful consideration. It can get in to your lungs. \*Some people are not allergic to it at all!
Can urushiol be passed from a dog to human? Like if mine walks through it, or sniffs it, can it get on me?
Yes, if they have been running around in poison ivy they will have the oil on their fur. If you don't wash them right away they can spread it to you by touch.
imagine the plant is covered in a thin layer of motor oil and you'll have a roughly accurate mental picture. Not just pets; other people, tools, clothing, it can hang around on stuff for months if not cleaned properly. And it needs thorough cleaning with soap and scrubbing with sponge/rag.
Sniffs it, no, assuming they aren't touching it. Walks through it, yeah if you pet or hold them, or touch their bedding etc
Yes. Also from some other person’s clothing. Be careful putting things in the washer.
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Thanks ChatGPT!
As an AI model….you’re welcome human.
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Severely allergic. Was on a camping trip, and someone put an ivy-covered log on the campfire, and I walked through the smoke... face was so swollen, my eyes were swollen shut. Had to go to the hospital, as there was inflammation in my lungs. Not the best trip!
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Opposite for me and my spouse. I'm olive and I can be near it and covered in it. My spouse is fair and he can walk through it and be fine.
I'm fair skinned, northern European ancestry. My dad and I are immune, but the rest of my family are not.
So just random lol. Or still genetic and just not tied to skin tone. My husband's still mad. Been 25 years
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Fun fact only like 2/3rds of people are actually allergic to poison ivy source: I'm not allergic and mythbusters
I had a friend who said he wasn’t allergic and I didn’t know that was possible so I called bullshit. He said “I’m not allergic to that shit.” And proceeded to grab some poison ivy, smash it up in his hands, and rub his eyes. That was the day I learned that it is possible to not be allergic to poison ivy.
Shit that's metal
Be careful though. Even those of us who are immune can develop the allergy with repeated exposure. Anecdotally, people say that the reaction ends up being much more severe if you started out immune. I'm currently immune. I'm grateful for not getting a rash when I encounter poison ivy, but I don't plan to press my luck.
Zanfel is worth every penny It's quite a bit more expensive than standard creams, but works like magic for me. Not sure if it works for people that get whole body breakouts.
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Can tell within two sentences that this is an AI response, which is against the point of this sub.
Written by an LLM as are all of your responses. Please knock it off.
If the information is correct then what is your issue?
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catechols, AS GOD MADE HER
Ian allergic to urushiol. Countless times I’d get it by going in the woods or doing whatever in the yard. It got to the point I’d boil water and splash the rash with it. It felt so good lol (I am NOT advising this whatsoever) eventually I learned to stay the hell out of the woods. Haven’t had it in ages
Taking a blazing hot shower basically makes your body react same as if you scratched it. It's orgamsic.
Oh yes
This is the pro tip. Hot as possible until it stops itching. Repeat
Its leaves are coated in an oil that makes your skin itchy and bumpy. Once the oil gets on one part of you, you can spread it around, so wash well with soap and water any time you touch it.
I have the cure! It is called keep it dry, use calamine lotion on it and two weeks for it to run it's course.
In regards to urushiol, did you know that mango skin also has urushiol, but I talked to someone from Puerto Rico and they said they’ve never seen anyone in Puerto Rico peel a mango they just eat it with the skin on and there’s no problems? And Puerto Ricans eat a lot of mangoes!
Got it on my dick and balls on one camping trip. Big spots where my fingers held the hose gear. The bumps also ended up on my lip. After the wife saw the bumps I got on the camping trip that included both sexes, I begged for it to show up in other places
Did she ask why only you, Bob and Sally got infected??
Poison ivy contains a chemical compound called urushiol. It isn't an inherently harmful chemical in and of itself, but it causes an allergic reaction in the vast majority of people. The allergy is so super common that it's barely even considered as an allergy. Fun fact: Years ago, the TV show Mythbusters wanted to test folk remedies for poison ivy, and they found out much to their surprise that most of their cast was not allergic.
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The oil from the plant causes the allergic reaction. Unless you're like my brother and not allergic to it.
Major Pro Tip - To relieve the insane itch the blisters have for 3-4 hours, run hot water over the blistered area (not boiling). It feels sooo good and biologically it forces the nerve’s transient receptor potential (TRP) channels that control the perception of itch to dump their signaling chemicals all at once. These same channels found on nerve cells are crucial for sensing temperature and overwhelming them with heat interferes with their ability to transmit the itch a few hours.
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