Bleach for poison ivy?
Pat Bost
After a trip to the local crag, I am getting that 'ol familiar poison ivy rash. A
friend says to put bleach on it and it will dry up real quick. Anyone ever try
this? I would like a little advice before diving into the Chlorox. Also, what's
the best soap to wash off poison ivy oil?
Thanks! Pat Bost, Phila PA
Charles C. Berry
Pat Bost (pb...@enter.net) wrote:
: After a trip to the local crag, I am getting that 'ol familiar
It seems like everyone has a MAGIC cure for Poison Ivy/Oak.
Most of these supposed cures are utterly ineffective. Poison ivy/oak
causes itchy lesions which hang around for about two weeks and then
disappear quite rapidly. Most likely, your friend tried almost
everything to get rid of such lesions and then tried Chlorox at about
the time that they would have vanished anyway.
Some burn units used to use Chlorox in a 1:200 (I think) solution for
bathing patients. It probably would not hurt you to bath the affected
part in a dilute solution of Chlorox and it may make the lesions itch
a little less. My wife had a nasty case of poison oak once and she
bathed in a 1:200 solution of Chlorox to prevent infection; she said
it seemed to reduce the itching a bit. However, it is not a magic
bullet.
If you have a serious case of poison ivy.oak, see your Doc. She can
prescribe steroids and/or antihistamines that really will take the
edge off of your problem.
CCB
Andrew Dashiell
Pat Bost (pb...@enter.net) wrote:
>
> : After a trip to the local crag, I am getting that 'ol familiar
> : poison ivy rash. A friend says to put bleach on it and it will dry
> : up real quick. Anyone ever try this? I would like a little advice
> : before diving into the Chlorox. Also, what's the best soap to wash
> : off poison ivy oil?
Rubbing alcohol is an effective solvent for rinsing off the offending
oil. But if you're sensitive, as most folks are, by the time you realize
you've got it on you it's too late.
Everytime I've had the misfortune of picking up the rash, I've gotten a
prescription for prednisone. It stops the spread of the rash in its
tracks and gets rid of it *much* faster than good ol' calomine lotion
alone.
--
Andrew Dashiell
Wanderlust, Inc. Interactive Media Resources
10462 Independence Circle
Westminster, CO 80021
http://www.wndrlst.com
afd...@wndrlst.com
Will Abraham
-> From: cbe...@tajo.edu (Charles C. Berry)
-> Subject: Re: Bleach for poison ivy?
->
-> Pat Bost (pb...@enter.net) wrote:
->
->
-> : After a trip to the local crag, I am getting that 'ol familiar
-> : poison ivy rash. A friend says to put bleach on it and it will dry
-> : up real quick. Anyone ever try this? I would like a little advice
-> : before diving into the Chlorox. Also, what's the best soap to wash
-> : off poison ivy oil?
->
-> : Thanks! Pat Bost, Phila PA
->
->
-> It seems like everyone has a MAGIC cure for Poison Ivy/Oak.
->
-> Most of these supposed cures are utterly ineffective. Poison ivy/oak
-> causes itchy lesions which hang around for about two weeks and then
-> disappear quite rapidly. Most likely, your friend tried almost
-> everything to get rid of such lesions and then tried Chlorox at about
-> the time that they would have vanished anyway.
->
-> Some burn units used to use Chlorox in a 1:200 (I think) solution for
-> bathing patients. It probably would not hurt you to bath the affected
-> part in a dilute solution of Chlorox and it may make the lesions itch
-> a little less. My wife had a nasty case of poison oak once and she
-> bathed in a 1:200 solution of Chlorox to prevent infection; she said
-> it seemed to reduce the itching a bit. However, it is not a magic
-> bullet.
->
-> If you have a serious case of poison ivy.oak, see your Doc. She can
-> prescribe steroids and/or antihistamines that really will take the
-> edge off of your problem.
->
-> CCB
->
Just saw some new FDA approved ointment or something on the news last
night. I'm sure we'll be hearing more about this!
DrMaino
Stay away from bleach! Try cortaid type products which contain
topical steroids (don't worry... they're distinctly different from body
building / anabolic steroids and have little if any side effects).
Bleach could permanently damage your skin.
Tom Maino MD
David A. Nixon
On 29 Aug 1996 22:34:15 GMT, pb...@enter.net (Pat Bost) wrote:
>After a trip to the local crag, I am getting that 'ol familiar poison ivy rash. A
>friend says to put bleach on it and it will dry up real quick. Anyone ever try
>this? I would like a little advice before diving into the Chlorox. Also, what's
>the best soap to wash off poison ivy oil?
>
>Thanks! Pat Bost, Phila PA
>
I get really bad rashes from posion ivy, several bad enough that
school official told my parents to keep me home, (back in my younger
years), and most reciently to warent getting a perscription for
mind-altering steriods.
My cousins husband is in the Army, and when he went to Jungle Warfare
School, bleach was the common remodie for posion ivy. You would frist
get in the shower, (hot to open the pores), and scrub the rash and
break open the blisters, step out of the shower and put bleach on the
rash then after a few seconds step back into the shower and wash the
bleach of, and wash the area well with soap.
Several things to be aware of. First, bleach is a toxin when
introduced in to your blood stream. Second, this more of a proventive
treatment that a remody for a large rash, it will stop the itching and
remove the oils from the skin, but with a large rash you run the risk
of introducing a large ammount of bleach into your system. Third,
bleach will cause a chemical burn if left on your skin for more than
several minutes.
There are people that will tell you that this is not the best way of
curing posion ivy, and they may be right. I have heard of a product
named TECNU and the number for information on the product is
1-800-itching. It is supposed to be great, but I have yet this Summer
to get any posion ivy, (I most be getting smarter in my old age), and
try it out.
Fingerjam
I can't believe so few have heard of or used Technu. I believe it to
work really well, although I haven't done with and without testing! There
is also a product from the same company to be used as a prexposure shield.
Try REI or Thrifty's Drug.
Brutus of Wyde
> (Pat Bost) writes:
> After a trip to the local crag, I am getting that 'ol familiar poison ivy rash. A
> friend says to put bleach on it and it will dry up real quick. Anyone ever try
> this? I would like a little advice before diving into the Chlorox.
MAYDAY.... MAYDAY!!!!!
Get a new friend, or educate this one if she is a friend you want to keep.
Bleach on poison ivy rash is like holding a lighted
match to a mosquito bite. Sodium Hypochlorite solution is NOT A
TREATMENT FOR POISON OAK OR POISON IVY!!!! it is a hazardous chemical
that causes serious chemical burns to the tissues of the body.
Some medications have been suggested by physicians on this thread.
If the rash is bad enough warrant a visit to your doctor, see her
and ask for the latest and greatest of the stuff suggested.
And to these, I would add: Atarax. Atarax is a prescription drug
that does absolutely nothing to make the rash go away quicker.
All it does is treat one of the symptoms [typical of the western
approach to medicine]: It supresses the itching sensation, so you
do not sctatch yourself bloody. It does this so
well, you may be able to get some sleep each night.
> Also, what's
> the best soap to wash off poison ivy oil?
Poison ivy oil washes off easily with standard soaps. Washing it off the
skin is usually ineffective within an hour of exposure [as far as
PREVENTING the rash] because within this time some of the oils have bonded
with the skin. Washing off is, however, effective in that it prevents
re-exposure to the oils. Ditto washing all clothing. Consult rec.climbing
regarding getting poison ivy/oak off your rope and gear, or consult the
3,658-post thread from previous issues of rec.climbing on this subject. :-)
Brutus of Wyde
survivor of the approaches to Calaveras Dome and Castle Rock Spire
Poison Oakland, California
Brutus of Wyde
> astr...@vms1.gmu.edu (David A. Nixon) writes:
[snip]
> My cousins husband is in the Army, and when he went to Jungle Warfare
> School, bleach was the common remodie for posion ivy. You would frist
> get in the shower, (hot to open the pores), and scrub the rash and
> break open the blisters, step out of the shower and put bleach on the
> rash then after a few seconds step back into the shower and wash the
> bleach of, and wash the area well with soap.
Heheheheheheheheheehe!!!!!
Nothing against our brave folks in uniform, who "stand watch" at the
walls of our freedom. I have the highest respect for them, and the
incredibly complex and dangerous job they perform.
[But this sounds SOOOO typical of the army!!!]
Still guffawing, rolling around on the floor...
*ahem*
[straightening clothing.]
[chuckle]
Brutus
Rexmba
Yes, Tecnu works awesome ! I did a route two weeks ago that had a roof
on it and a belay ledge above it and after I pulled the roof , the ledge
was literally covered in poison ivy. I was totally immersed in the stuff
and was hating it. (It was either that or take a 20footer) As soon as
I got down, I took all of my clothes off and covered my body with Tecnu
and then washed off with my partners shirt and water. I DID NOT get a
single blister ! I couldn't believe it, as I usually get the stuff just
from looking at it. Anyhow, I carrry the stuff with me all the time now.
Hunter Allen
Will Strickland
Pat Bost (pb...@enter.net) wrote:
: After a trip to the local crag, I am getting that 'ol familiar poison ivy rash. A
Go to the doc and get jacked up with a shot, it'll cut the recovery from
two weeks to about three days
--
Will Strickland
"May the four winds blow you safely home..."
-- Grateful Dead--
Internet: gt0...@prism.gatech.edu
Joe Owens
One thing i do is to bring some GOOP to the climbing site. Yes this is
the stuff that you can get in home depot or any hardware store. it is
used for cleaning paint, oil, grease off hands. anyway rub this on the
area that you suspect the rash to appear. it helps prevent it from
developing. great thing about this cure is that GOOP is cheap compared
to all the expensive bio stuff
joe
Joe Owens
Joe Owens
Edmundo Castro
Use a heavy duty detergent....not regular hand soap but something like dishwashing
liquid. Scrub the area and wash off with copious amounts of water.
Worked for me.
Valerie Robertson
Pat, I'm not a doctor, but I don't feel, in the pit of my stomach, that
bleach directly on your skin sounds like a good idea for your skin....no
matter what extreme your rash has reached....try the lotions and creams
available at your local drugstore....organic lotions are available as
well. Good luck! Any oil can be taken off with a dishwashing detergent
because it breaks down oils....val & michael
> pb...@enter.net (Pat Bost) wrote in article
<5055t7$d...@news.enter.net>...
> After a trip to the local crag, I am getting that 'ol familiar poison
ivy rash. A
> friend says to put bleach on it and it will dry up real quick. Anyone
ever try
> this? I would like a little advice before diving into the Chlorox.
Also, what's
> the best soap to wash off poison ivy oil?
>
Dave Spencer
>
> Nothing against our brave folks in uniform, who "stand watch" at the
> walls of our freedom. I have the highest respect for them, and the
> incredibly complex and dangerous job they perform.
>
> [But this sounds SOOOO typical of the army!!!]
>
> Brutus
I was in the army as well, (Canadian) I have used bleach before and it
does help. The reason folks in the army use such chemicals as bleach, as
opposed to prescription drugs or other remedies is availability. Bleach
is very common for cleaning floors or dishes. If you are on an exercise
and come down with P.I., you want a fast way to get rid of it. It is
TYPICAL of the army to find ways to use what they have.
By the way, I find that this method leaves a bit of scarring.
DAVE!
Brutus of Wyde
> Dave Spencer <dspe...@mb.sympatico.ca> writes:
[snip of good points about why the military does things the way
they do]
> By the way, I find that this method leaves a bit of scarring.
'Nuff said.
:)
Brutus