Poison Ivy Rash Treatments
There are numerous poison ivy treatments out there. How can you tell which ones really work? Is it necessary to pay top dollar for topical creams? Are there at home remedies that will work just as well as the more expensive ones at the drug store? After wondering all of these things myself I set out in search of the truth.
One fact that I thought was interesting is that poison ivy will not cause an allergic reaction in everyone. Some people simply are not allergic to it. Most people will have an allergic reaction though. Don’t think just because you’ve been exposed and did not develop a rash that means you’re immune. For some people it takes several exposures to before your body will begin to develop this allergic reaction. If you do indeed have an allergic reaction what do you do?
The first step in poison ivy rash treatment is to clean the exposed area with alcohol. Try to do this within 10 minutes of the initial exposure. Next, wash the area with plain water. Although it is tempting to wash the infected area with soap as well it is not a good idea at this point. The soap can actual move the infectious oil around and make the rash worse. Once it has been rinsed with plain water, then it is time for the soap. It is best to take a shower to do this. Make sure the shower is long and you rinse the soap of very well to ensure you have rinsed off the harmful oils from the poison ivy plant.
The last step in this poison ivy treatment is to put gloves on and wipe down everything you were wearing with rubbing alcohol and water. This would include anything like the shoes you were wearing, any tools you may have been using and the clothes you were wearing. If you are unable to wash yourself sufficiently within 10 minutes you will likely not be able to avoid the rash. In this case you should still rinse everything down with rubbing alcohol and water so as to prevent spreading the infection to other parts of your body.
If the rash does develop there are several effective over the counter poison ivy treatments you can purchase from your local drugstore. As your pharmacist for a recommendation based on your skin type and the severity of your rash.
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