Home Remedies For Poison Oak
If you’re like most people allergic to poison ivy and poison oak (it’s the most common allergy in the country, claiming at least half the population), you may not even know you’ve picked it up until the next day, when you are scratching like a hound at a rash of exquisite itchability.
Some people are allergic and others are not allergic to the thick, oily substance, called urushiol, in the resin emitted by poison ivy or poison oak, says Susan C. Taylor, M.D., assistant clinical professor of medicine in the Department of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in
Poison oak rash is caused when you come in contact with the oil called urushiol. Urushiol is a colorless or pale yellow oil found in the sap of poison oak. When exposed to air, it changes color to brownish-black. Avoid directly touching the sap of poison oak, it will cause problem to you. Indirect contact to the sap, by touching something on which the urushiol was present will also cause the rash, because urushiol can stick to fur, garden tools or any object that comes in its contact.
From Back Fence Wisdom: An old Indian remedy for the itchy rash caused by poisonous plants such as poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak requires a paste made of the crushed leaves and stems of the Jewelweed plant. Also known as “touch-me-not,” you might find this relative of the impatiens growing near the offending poison ivy plant. Wash the infected area as quickly as you can with cool, clean water.
Cortisone-type preparations taken by mouth
Manganese sulfate solution
One of the best treatments I have found for treating poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac is to use natural straight from the source aloe. Cut the top of an aloe leaf from the plant and squeeze a generous amount of the naturalaloe plant liquid onto the poison oak, poison ivy, and poison sumac and rub it thoroughly into the skin. Don’t worry about ruining the plant by taking off part of the leaf. Aloe plants have a tendency to bounce back quickly and regenerate leaves.
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