Poison Ivy Treatments, Anyone?

May 15

Posted by

Spring is here! With the warmer weather and sunshine, we’re finding lots of poison ivy around the woodline. One of my girls is extremely allergic to oily leaves, so we try to avoid it at all costs. My older daughter recently got poison ivy on one of her hands…needless to say, it spread quickly and she ended up with poison ivy on both hands, her forehead, and one elbow.

In a feeble attempt to find a way to make it just go away, I found this informative website:

Poison ivy: Tips for treating and preventing.

Unfortunately, I know poison ivy doesn’t just “go away.” It has to run its course. That means up to 3 weeks of itching and red splotchy spots. 😦 Poor baby!

Poison Ivy, Toxicodendron radicans....Ivy có đ...

Poison Ivy, Toxicodendron radicans….Ivy có độc….#8 (Photo credit: Vietnam Plants & The USA. plants)

I learned to interesting ways to treat the rash. We usually use the old standby, calamine lotion. She also tried applying hydrogen peroxide to the affected areas to help dry the lesions out. It sucks, but nothing is doing much to really relieve the itch for her.

Here are some other suggestions we’ve tried for ditching the poison ivy itch:

  • Oatmeal baths (buy the kit/mix at the pharmacy)
  • Baking soda bath (add 1 cup to a warm bath)
  • Calamine lotion applied to itchy areas
  • Cool compresses to soothe the burning itch
  • Antihistamines could help, but only in oral form–do not apply an antihistamine cream directly to the rash!

I’m interested in trying out some natural or homeopathic remedies to help her get over the itch. Do you know of any natural treatments that have worked for you?

Related articles

About Genevieve

Genevieve is a southern gal who loves to write. She is a graduate of Everest College with an AAS in Criminal Investigations. Currently, she works as a freelance writer and volunteers for Central Virginia Horse Rescue by writing their monthly newsletter. If she's not writing, you can bet she's either spending time with friends and family, playing with the horses, crafting, or reading. Interested in having a guest blog appearance? Email sunshineleo05@gmail.com to get in touch! P.S. Subscribe by RSS feed if you are interested in following her creative insanity... ;)

Posted on May 15, 2013, in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.

  1. Gardengirl | May 16, 2013 at 2:47 pm

    My daughter is horribly allergic to poison ivy and got a bad case last February. By the time we figured out what it was it pretty much covered her, including her whole face. We have found that the best thing to use when first exposed or after is called Tecnu-outdoor skin cleanser. It actually removes the oils and prevents it from spreading. If you think you’ve been exposed or already have the rash just rub it in, wait a few minutes, and rinse. It’s available at any local drug store. Good Luck!

    Reply
    • Genevieve | May 16, 2013 at 7:43 pm

      Thanks! I’ve heard of some stuff like that before…but what do you do to relieve a rash that’s already there? Poor Evie is itching like crazy! We’ve been having her put calamine on it. That seems to help a little. 🙂

      Reply

Leave a comment