Cure For Poison Ivy

You need to find a cure for poison ivy fast as it is very uncomfortable. If you have been walking along a roadside or in the woods and have gotten a nasty poison ivy rash on your body, you want to be rid of it as soon as possible.

The persistent burning and itching that goes along with coming into contact with this plant can worsen by scratching the affected area.

The most likely places to contract a poison ivy rash is on your legs as most of us wear shorts during the summer months when the plant is thriving. Many of us do not know how to recognize the poison ivy plant and come into contact with it unknowingly.

 Many people use the poison ivy cure of an oatmeal bath to calm the irritation. All you need to do is grind up some regular, unflavored oatmeal in a food processor. You need about 1/3 of a cup of oatmeal powder. Mix this with ½ cup of baking soda. The baking soda helps to soothe the skin and can remove some of the oils that are associated with poison ivy. Draw a warm bath and slowly add the mixture to the bath water. You should soak in this bath water for 30 minutes and remember not to rub yourself dry as you can spread the rash by spreading any oil remaining on the skin. You should pat dry the affected skin.

Another poison ivy cure is to apply a liberal coating of  Calamine or Caladryl lotion to the rash. We all remember being painted in the pink stuff when we were kids. Calamine is good for the children but most adults appreciate the clear Caladryl lotion.
 
The oil irritant in the poison ivy plant is urushiol and this is actually a chemical in the phenol family. Phenols are acids so washing the affected area with a diluted solution of alcohol helps in calming the rash. A baking soda and water paste can also be mixed and applied to the skin. Rinse both of these treatments off after a few minutes using lukewarm water.

The best cure for poison ivy is not coming into contact with it. A poison ivy rash is itchy, painful and very difficult to deal with. Many people who have had one poison ivy rash swear that they will never allow it to happen to them again and they educate themselves to learn to identify to plant.