Natural Remedies For Poison Ivy
Poison ivy is vine or shrub which contains carbolic acid like oil which is poisonous. You can get infection by simply walking over it. Oil of this plant causes reddish inflamed skin with red pimples or blister like bumps, burning and itching on that portion and fever. The rashes that are runny and get dried up. The most likely portion of poison ivy may be on hands, arms, legs, feet, on the back or stomach, on the face and may affect the genital portion also.The doctor must be consulted immediately in the extreme conditions.
Some herbal and home remedies are also effective. Rub alcohol to the affected area, then rinse it with water and later wash with soap and water. Wet the infected area and rub plain table salt on it, this will not only relieve the victim but also stop further spread. Rub the inner side of a banana peel on the rash. This will help you to relieve itching. Place the infected area under running water. This will wash away histamines which cause itching of skin.
Pour 3 cups of oats into warm water and soak the infected area into it. Simultaneously rub the affected area. Doing this will relieve you of itching. Mix 1/4 cup of bleach with 3/4 cup of warm water and apply to the affected area using a washcloth. This will kill the poison within 2 to 3 days. Apply aloe vera juice over the affected area, this will cool and provide instant relief. Warm rays of sun are helpful in spreading this so, avid to going out in sun. Summer is the season of poison ivy.
If you have been in contact with poison ivy and know it, never wash yourself down in warm to hot water. The plant gives off an oil and in warm water this oil disperses itself and spreads. If you wash in cold to cool water, it will not disperse. Never get in a bathtub after known contact as you can spread the oil to areas you don’t want to get poison ivy rash.
Knowing that poison ivy disperses an oil it is interesting to know that kitchen products known to dissolve grease will generally help dissolve this oil as well. Just rub some grease attacking dishwashing detergent on the area and rinse with cool water. This will probably sting a bit, but you will be happy you did it in a few hours. Aloe gel is very soothing to a poison ivy rash.
Combine equal parts buttermilk, vinegar, and salt. Rub this into the rash. It will be painful at first but then all of a sudden you will feel relief. Make a paste of baking soda and water and spread it on the rash. This works just as well as Calamine Lotion. White or Apple cider vinegar is great to get the pain to stop for awhile, but remember this will hurt when you put it on. Honey is a great healer. It too will stop the burning and itching of the rash.
Interestingly enough, a natural remedy for poison ivy usually grows very near to it. It is called Jewelweed. You can just break a branch and apply the sap to the skin or you can make an infusion by placing a handful of the plant material in 2 pints of water. Bring to a boil and simmer to 15 minutes. Cool, then strain and apply the liquid to the affected area.