Enter "poison oak or poison ivy treatment" on Google, and you have a choice. Which product works best? When you scratch your skin to the bone and lose sleep, people will achieve anything. The sensation of itching is called “itching” in medical terms. People say that it is often worse than physical pain. It is more difficult for the mind to block the sensation of itching than painful stimuli. Since these rashes of plants appear differently across the spectrum of people, there is no “one size fits all.” The Internet is full of strong proposals for pouring diesel on it to clean the clean bleach. I warn against this advice because I see permanent scars and unacceptable pigment changes long before the rash has disappeared. Since poison-oak and ivy break out on their own within a few days to a few weeks without treatment, it is difficult to make any concrete causal relationships regarding which remedies work best. The following list is my professional opinion as a dermatologist. This list may be biased due to the fact that I see the most complex cases; in that I see people who most over-the-counter (OTC) did not work.
1. “Sasquatch Itch Cream”: Ideally, you do not need this treatment, but the world is not perfect. If you need to achieve this, it probably means that an itchy rash forms on your skin. I call it the “poison ivy fire extinguisher” because it is formulated to calm down on contact and wipe off the smoldering rash. As the resin binds to your skin cells, the outer membrane of the cell is constantly changing. The immune system no longer recognizes a skin cell as belonging to you and unleashes an attack against it. Sasquatch Itch Cream works here; he stomps this attack. However, this product is not for the pure naturalist, because it contains powerful synthetic anti-pruritic compounds and some cortisones. Sasquatch Itch Cream was designed for the military, in particular, to ensure that soldiers could carry out their missions and not linger in a medical tent. Now it is used primarily by surviving and hiking enthusiasts to make their adventures less annoying. Landscape specialists and linear climbers also suffer from this product. In short, this product is designed to meet your suffering. It is working. It works well. It works fast. You also need to love a product that Sasquatch approves (for the site). Retail: $ 24.99 Not available in store, but a quick Google search will find it.
2. Wiping Alcohol (Isopropyl Alcohol): As boring as this product sounds, nothing compares to the price. Alcohol stocks can be bought for a penny per dollar compared to other detergents and solvents. While the resin of poison oak and poison ivy does not dissolve in water, a few alcoholic wipes will do the trick. They travel well in almost any circumstances and in the environment. Most pharmacies carry them along with their diabetic accessories, so don’t be afraid to ask if you can find them in the aisles. Mineral spirits, available at all hardware and art supply stores, are another alternative. Retail: $ 3- $ 7 per 100 products.
3. Benadryl (diphenhydramine). One of the substances that your skin causes that itch is histamine. Diphenhydramine has existed since World War II and is a powerful blocker of the histamine receptor on skin cells. The misty cell lingers inside your skin, just loaded with histamine granules. Under a microscope, it resembles a balloon filled with small balls, just waiting for pop music. The release of these pomegranate granules is the main focus of both the rash and itching. Oral drug can cause sedation and is an active ingredient in many nightly sleep. Therefore, caution should be exercised if you are not sure how sensitive you are to it. This virtually ubiquitous cream is available at any grocery store, gas station or pharmacy. Retail: US $ 2-5 for 1-2 oz. Non-sedating oral histamine include claritin, zyrtec and aleurra, to name a few. Currently, none of them is available in current language.
4. Calamine Lotion: This old standby will not disappear - and not without reason. It is cheap and it offers a small degree of immediate relief. Zinc oxide and iron are two main components, but its anti-itching properties are related to phenol inside. It is sold in many different recipes, but my favorite is Caladryl (which also contains generic benadril). Everyone probably has a childhood memory of gum bubbles, pink limbs, grandmother's compliments for this sunburn or poisonous oak rash. However, only a few years ago, the US Food and Drug Administration came to a formal recommendation on the use of poisonous oak and poison ivy. Calamine works best if I am cooled in my experience. Retail $ 5-10
5. Technu: Short for New Technology, this product is mainly used for washing poisonous oak resin. This product is extremely popular, and its parent company is a marketing genius in its promotion. The main ingredient is deodorized mineral spirits and some alcohol compounds (see No. 2). While this works for many people, a study in the International Journal of Dermatology showed that it does not do any good compared to washing with soap “Cycle”. Whichever way the resin is washed out is not chosen, it must be done within 15 minutes after exposure. As soon as the resin has merged with your skin cells, the immune system will go ballistic and cause this nasty rash. Interestingly, Technu was first developed to flush radioactive dust in the 1960s. Retail: Technu $ 15-39.99.
6. Ivy Block: This is my favorite preventative product for poison oak and poison ivy. The idea of cracking impure clay on your skin to absorb vegetable gum sounds reasonable to any Neanderthal man. But thanks to the kind people at Ivy Block for creating an elegant and secure language acceptable to the modern person. The use of medicinal clay is well documented in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, and probably dates back much longer. The patented form of bentonite clay blocks the resin from colliding with your skin’s immune system. It should be applied 15-20 minutes before you expect exposure. I like this product because it is safe for children, effective and with little imagination connects us with our ancient medicinal roots. It is such a good oil absorber that bentonite can be used to treat acne and excessive oily skin (Clearasil is such a product). Retailing $ 8.99-25.99.
7. Golden itch cream: A gold bond originally made by Tennesseans, and then sold to the French, combines topical zinc with the soothing calmness of menthol and pramoxin. All major pharmacy chains carry their total version for a few dollars less. Retail: $ 4-5 per serving.
8. Hydrocortisone: Perhaps nothing causes as much fear in my patients as hydrocortisone. People automatically recall images of a bloated relative who has been taking “cortisone pills” for many years. It is difficult to get into problems with an over-the-counter strong local hydrocortisone if used for a week or two. Like Sasquatch Itch Cream, it covers inflammation at the cellular level. However, it does not provide immediate or intermediate relief. Good absorption of hydrocortisone can take up to 48 hours to take effect. Technically, he can acquire OTC at 2.5%, but it is difficult to find, since 1% seems to be the producers' preference. Retail: $ 3-7 1-2 oz (usually more if mixed with aloe).
9. Ivarest: presented as a “double embossed cream”, Ivarest Poison Ivy Itch Cream is a reasonable enough product at a good price. It contains total benadryl (see 3) and calamine (see 4). There is also benzyl alcohol, which calms down on contact. What I like about Ivarest is the neutral calamine tone it contains. Apart from the smell and the soft residue that it leaves, you cannot say that you have it. It is an elegant composition at the right price for soft poisonous oak and ivy discomfort. Retail: a bottle of 4-8 dollars. Ivarest is also sold in the form of washing in the technology “liquid-foaming”. I do not know any reliable research on this wash compared to Technu or just with soap. I have a feeling that this is not more advantageous with soap or rubbing alcohol than, nevertheless, Technu.
10. Triamcinolone injection: Yes, it is not available without a prescription and may not be included in this list. But this is my workhorse in the office. If the above procedures do not help you, good intramuscular mucus of triamcinolone will take you back to your old self. It is easily available in almost every department of the ER and the doctor. Cost: 30-100 USD (plus office visit)
Of course, the best treatment is prevention. Find out what the harmful plants look like in your area and how to identify them. To learn more about poisonous oak and ivy, you can read the article "Dermatologist washes poisonous oak."
