Home and Natural Remedies for Poison Ivy

There are many home remedies and natural remedies that many people swear by to cure poison ivy. Out of the many home remedies for poison ivy out there you must find the one that will work best for your rash and your skin type. As a child I spent many hours in the woods , however I have been fortunate enough to have never been infected with poison ivy.Approximately 15-30% of the population do not get an allergic reaction but with increased exposure to poison ivy they say you can become susceptible to the urushiol in the plant . It is important if you are involved in outdoor activities that you can correctly identify a poison ivy plant.

Bleach or cleaning products that contain bleach is a method that many reserve as the gold standard of poison ivy home remedies. While the bleach method may work for some it is very dangerous because it can cause a chemical burn to the skin. Many people swear that the ten minutes of severe stinging and pain are well worth it since you bypass the next few weeks of itchy misery that poison ivy brings.

One of the most effective poison ivy remedies it to attack it before it attacks you. As soon as you are exposed to poison ivy , rinse off your affected area with cold water, this is spreading the oil around but the goal is to use enough water to spread the oil thin enough you are essentially cleansing it off. Hot water will open the pores and allow more of the oil to be taken into the skin which in turn in going to make you poison ivy rash much worse. After the initial day of infection , taking a hot shower will soothe the itch and make you more comfortable. Tea tree oil has anti itch relief properties and can be found at your local health food store. Topical application of aloe vera gel which also clear the rash left from the poison ivy quickly. Aloe vera can penetrate all of the layers of the skin and also absorb foreign material which makes it a wonderful poison ivy remedy.

Everyone's skin reacts differently to irritants so it is important that you know what your body will react too. The best remedy for poison ivy is prevention. When out in the woods or even backyard be aware of where the plants are located.

Sources:

http://www.poison-ivy.org/

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/796_ivy.html