08-18-2013, 12:37 AM
Good article on poison ivy: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/artic...aiting-you
An excerpt:
An excerpt:
If you think you’ve been exposed to the plant, says Mycka, wash the area vigorously as quickly as possible with a lot of soap and water and clean it liberally with rubbing alcohol.
It’s best to get to the washing-off stage within 10 minutes.
Do your best to avoid it and make the sink the first stop after gardening or working out of doors where you’ve spotted the plant. A more sophisticated cleansing agent, used by staff at the zoo, is Tecnu, a liquid that comes in a pump bottle.
“It’s really just a strong soap. Alcohol is a much better bargain. Tecnu is expensive but it’s a lot less expensive than three weeks of suffering,” he said.
If you missed the diligence step and the rash develops, Mycka suggests using a product called Zanfel, which promises almost instant relief from itching and can be used in a shower.