I consider myself lucky to have never experienced (knock on wood) the agony that is a poison ivy rash. I have, however, seen enough family and friends suffering from poison ivy to know that it is imperative to prevent and/or treat a poison ivy rash as quickly as possible in order to minimize the irritation and pain.
Of course, the best way to avoid suffering from poison ivy is to prevent it, and I've included a list of suggestions for how to prevent a poison ivy rash in the information to the left. Once you've contracted a poison ivy rash, effective treatment is all about acting quickly and thoroughly treating the infected area, which can include areas where the rash hasn't broken out yet. Althought you may not be able to get rid of the rash immediately or completely, easing the symptoms of irritation will help you to itch and scratch at the rash less, which will help you to heal faster. The following suggestions should help you get rid of your poison rash quickly with as little pain a possible.
Treating a Poison Ivy Rash
As soon as you think you may have been exposed to poison ivy, wash anything and everything that may have touched the plant. This includes your hair, your body, your clothing, your pets, and any equipment that touched or could have touched the plant. Wash your clothing separately from other clothing or materials not exposed to the plant. If you think the poison ivy may have touched your hands, or if you've been handling exposed materials with your bare hands, be sure to scrub thoroughly between your fingers and beneath your fingernails. If you're camping, or spending a long period of time outdoors, clean all of your equipment with fresh water and soap. In addition to soapy water, use a solvent like rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alchohol) to help separate the urushiol oil from your skin and equipment. Washing thoroughly will remove some of the urushiol before it can further contaminate you or your things, and may help to reduce your oncoming poison ivy rash.
Use a cool, wet compress to soothe the poison ivy rash. Soak a towel or a washcloth in cold water, or wrap the cloth around ice cubes. Cool milk may be more soothing than water; the fat in whole milk (don't use skim milk) relieves the itching and burning in the rash. An OTC preparation such as Burow's solution (a pharmacological preparation made of aluminium acetate dissolved in water) has antibacterial and astringent properties that can also relieve the symptoms of your poison ivy rash. Applying a cool compress or ice cube to your rash works to cool the skin, reducing the heat of the rash, and compressing the blood vessels, which diminishes itching and the production of more blisters and oil. The sooner you stop itching, the sooner your rash goes away.
Apply soothing lotions such as calamine directly to the poison ivy rash. After applying the cool compress to your poison ivy rash, spread calamine or a similar lotion over the affected area. These lotions work to relieve your itching and dry up the blisters and oily bumps of your rash. Be sure to check the use by date on your lotion bottle; calamine lotion does expire, and won't be able to soothe your rash after its expiration. Aveeno Anti-Itch Cream with Natural Colloidal Oatmeal, Band-Aid Anti-Itch Gel, and Aloe Vera Gel are other viable options for gentle topical creams to relieve your itching.
OTC oral antihistamines will relieve some of the symptoms of your poison ivy rash. Benadryl is a well-known and effective oral antihistamine that soothes allergic symptoms such as the itching, burning, and swelling associated with poison ivy rashes. If you aren't familiar with oral antihistamines, start with a small dosage and work your way up until you feel relief; if you feel unsure about the dosage ask your doctor or a pharmacist before taking the medication. Oral antihistamines can cause severe drowsiness and other symptoms that can impair your ability to work, drive, or complete other daily tasks. Topical antihistamines may cause further allergic reactions in sensitive skin, so avoid using these products on when a poison ivy rash unless you are familiar with them.
Be gentle on your poison ivy rash as you're waiting for it to heal. Once you've developed a rash from poison ivy, you can treat the symptoms, but nothing will really heal it but time. The gentler you are on your irritated skin, the faster it will heal. Try not to scratch your rash, don't break new blisters open, and keep your rash open to the air. This will allow the infected oils in your skin to dry out, reducing the inflammation and irriation as quickly as possible.
Medical Treatment for Poison Ivy Rash
If the symptoms of your poison ivy rash are particularly torturous or nonresponsive to the above treatments, you may want to ask your doctor for a prescription-strength treatment. Your options include topical and oral steroids and allergy shots designed to prevent further outbreaks of poison ivy or orther poison plant reactions. A doctor can also drain large blisters for a decreased risk of infection.
You should also consult a doctor if you experience any of the following serious symptoms: severe swelling, difficulty breathing, rash covering more than one fourth of your body or any part of your face or genitals, an infected rash with increased sensitivity, colored pus, or an odor.
