Folk Remedies for Poison Ivy

Poison ivy sucks! Although I don’t usually get a rash from the irritating plant, both of my girls do. My youngest is very allergic to the plant, while my eldest gets a “normal” rash after contact. Either way, it is a miserable thing to go through for both of them.

Poison ivy produces urushiol to protect the plant from herbivores. In humans this chemical produces an allergic skin rash, known as urushiol-induced contact dermatitis. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

After my older daughter got poison ivy recently, I searched til I was blue in the face looking for cures and remedies. I stumbled across this site and thought it was worth a share. 🙂 Check it out:

Poison Ivy & Poison Oak- Health911.com – Poison Ivy Treatment, Poison Ivy Remedies, Poison Ivy Rash, Natural Remedies for Poison Ivy, Treatment of Poison Oak.

It lists tons of natural, folk remedies used to alleviate the itch and help it heal. There are too many for me to list here, but some of my favorites to try are:

• Aloe to stop itching and speed healing–apply up to every 2 hours
• Apple cider vinegar & water–make an equal mix and dab onto rash, let dry, and repeat often
• Baking soda poultice–make a paste and apply to the affected area, rinse when the poultice no longer feels “cool”
• Catnip! Use freshly squeezed leaves to make a small amount of juice–helps reduce itching and inflammation
• Impatiens (aka Jewelweed) leaves can be rubbed over the rash, but don’t rub too much! You can also boil the leaves, stems, & flowers to a deep orange color and make a compress.
• Plantain leaves (we have these ALL over our yard) can be crushed and applied to the rash to control itch and inflammation
• Salt water solution applied to the area can help drying and healing of the rash and lesions
• Tea tree oil promotes healing and relieves itching
• Fresh watermelon flesh and rind rubbed on the area is supposed to provide relief as well–wonder if this actually works?!

What do you think? Would you try any of these folk remedies?

Related articles

• When exposed to poison ivy, act fast (readingeagle.com)
• An itchy situation: treating poison ivy (newsobserver.com)
• Poison ivy, and why it makes you itch (readingeagle.com)