The Do's and Don'ts of Treating Poison Ivy

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, approximately 85 percent of the population is allergic to poison ivy. While there is no "miraculous cure" for the annoying and painful rashes and blisters the plant produces on your skin, there are some steps you can take to help ease your discomfort while the rash runs its course.

Upon first signs of a rash, immediately wash all clothes you were wearing, and anything else that may have come into contact with the plant. The oil on the plant is very toxic, and you run the risk of catching the infection over and over again if you touch items that came into contact with it. This includes any items you touched after coming into contact with the plant as well. It's not uncommon for people to keep picking up the infection because they forgot to wash doorknobs or steering wheels.

Avoid hot showers or baths. Hot water will simply irritate the rash.

Add baking soda to a cool bath and soak for twenty minutes. Approximately four cups should be significant.

Look for lotions that contain calamine. These will help to dry out the blisters that poison ivy causes, healing them faster. Be extremely careful when applying the lotions. If you break open a blister, it can become infected.

If a rash is in an embarrassing place, such as your face or hands, you may be tempted to cover it up with bandages. Don't! Leave the rashes in open air. Covering them will only slow down the healing process, and cause more discomfort.

Talk to your doctor about antihistamines. It's very important that you don't just take any over-the-counter antihistamine you come across. Certain brands have additives in them that can cause more allergic rashes.

Make an oatmeal paste and gently apply it to the infected areas. As the oatmeal dries, it brings out the toxins in your skin. Be careful not to let the oatmeal dry onto your skin too much. If it does, don't try to scrape or rip it off. This can cause blisters to open. Simply submerge the oatmeal in cool water until it breaks apart.

White distilled vinegar applied several times a day can be helpful in relieving inching. However, it will sting for a bit, so if you're sensitive to pain, this technique may not be for you.

Gently rubbing a slice of cucumber on the infected area can relieve itching. The inside of a banana peel will also work.

Certain shoe polishes that contain pipe clay can help. White shoe polish seems to be the kind that works best.

Believe it or not, window cleaners such as Windex relieve inching quite well.

Apply a small amount of tea tree oil to infected areas approximately every three hours. The first few treatments you may not notice a change, but by the fourth, you will.

Do not use bleach! An old home remedy for poison ivy claims that using bleach is an effective treatment. Applying bleach to blisters is very dangerous. It can enter your bloodstream and rapidly spread the infection.

Last, but certainly not least, see a doctor! While these tips may help ease your pain, always seek the advice of a professional before trying any sort of treatment.