*** As in any health matter, you should go to a qualified medical professional if you have a really bad case of poison ivy. Don’t read about it on the internet. ***
Poison ivy is no fun. If you’ve ever had it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. I’ve been getting it for over 35 years so I think I’m qualified to say that 🙂
I was pretty young the first time I ever got it. Probably 8 or 9, I don’t remember now. It can really itch like crazy and I remember people telling me not to itch it. Somehow I got the idea it was ok to itch it through my clothes. So I’d itch and itch through my shirt sleeve or pajamas or whatever I was wearing.
RULE #1 with poison ivy is – DO NOT ITCH IT!!!
If you itch poison ivy it spreads like wildfire.
I happen to have it on my arm right now, here’s what it looks like…
Those little bubbles or blisters you see are filled with some kind of poison ivy pus. When you scratch it, the bubbles break open and the puss leaks out. More pus bubbles form wherever the pus oozes onto your skin. That has certainly been my experience anyway. This is why it is so important not to scratch it.
So I guess the next question would be, how do you stop poison ivy from itching? Unfortunately there is no cure, but some of the best treatment I’ve found for this is baking soda. It really works for me.
Here is what I do.
First, you want to pour some baking soda into a bowl or some kind of container.
Next you want to add a little water.
Now just stir it up into a paste. You are going to want to spread it on your poison ivy, so don’t make it too watery or it will just run off. You might need to add more baking soda and water a few times before you think you have it right.
Once you think you have the right consistency, spread it all over the poison ivy.
All you have to do now is let it dry. For me, the poison ivy stops itching as soon as I cover it with the baking soda paste. It feels great. As it drys, it seems to suck the moisture out of the rash bubbles as well. I don’t think you could do this too many times.
It does tend to be a little messy so you might want to apply it outside or somewhere where you don’t care if it drips around a little. Clean up is easy enough though.
At this point, I just leave the paste on as long as it will stay on. After awhile, it really dries out and starts to flake off. At that point, I’ll rinse it off with hot water. Be careful not to burn yourself, but hot water seems to take the itch out as well.
If it is really bothering you just keep reapplying the paste. Like I said before, I don’t see how you could do this too much.
It seems to stop spreading and start going away for me in around 7-10 days. Once you make it that long you’ve got it beat.
Remember, if you can keep from scratching it, the battle is half won!
Good luck!
*** As in any health matter, you should go to a qualified medical professional if you have a really bad case of poison ivy. Don’t read about it on the internet. ***
This is good.
We want more healthy tips!
Thanks for reading!
I’ve been kind of busy lately, but I will definitely be putting more out there soon.
Thanks!
First of all, “Scratch” not “itch”. Secondly, scratching poison ivy does not spread poison ivy and neither does the pus. Poison ivy spreads from contact with the plant’s oil called urushiol. Places where the rash seems to be spreading are places that also came in contact with urushiol, whether directly or through other objects such as clothes. Rashes can appear at different intervals after exposure so that’s likely why it seems that it is spreading.
Hi! Yes, I’ve read that as well. Like I said before in the post, this is based on personal experience. One of my best memories of poison ivy spreading by the puss for me was around 20-25 years ago or so. I had a large poison ivy rash on my inner right forearm, and was working outside doing some kind of physical labor. I think I was digging a gas line with a pick and shovel or something similar. Anyway, I was trying to be careful not to bother with the rash but after a while I noticed I must have scraped it pretty good and the puss was running down my arm. I had already had the poison ivy for three or four days. Anyway, the puss was running down my arm in a stream more or less and it forked around where my elbow was. I clearly remember this because a friend of mine was working with me and he kept commenting on how disgusting all the poison ivy puss looked. Anyway, the next day, you could clearly see small poison ivy bubbles starting where the puss had been flowing in the so called stream. You could also clearly see where the puss bubbles had started in the ‘fork’ area as well. In a couple days they were a part of the original rash and grew to full size, but it was definitely where the puss had been leaking. There was none where the puss hadn’t been. I was still working with my friend and I remember all of this because we were talking about it. So it isn’t like I want to start arguing about it in a room full of botanists, but again, that has been my personal experience. Either way, I wouldn’t think there would be any positive outcome from scratching a poison ivy rash. I still say leave it alone. Thanks for reading!
I cannot say how true this is! I too have been suffering from these poisonous plants far longer that I care to think about and yes, the medical world all seems along the same lines that the puss is not contagious and outbreaks happen at intervals and so on & so on. However, for those of us that are plagued by this pesty plant family, experience proves over and over that a single blister once punctured turns into a patch. And god forbid, you’re like myself and have no self control from itching- you’re left with the horrible lesions you see online.
But again, it’s only self experience.
Agreed! That has certainly been my experience Lindsay. Thanks for posting!!!
My experience too. The open blisters does make it spread.
Glad I’m not the only one that thinks that 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!!!
Same experience. Got poison ivy on my forearm and two days later it showed up on my torso where my oozing arm rested while I slept. I think there is some oil oozing out with the pus
Yes I think it definitely spreads that way. That has been my experience anyway. Thanks for stopping by and Happy Holidays!!!
I totally agree. I’m on vacation and I’ve been reading and reading online where they say it doesn’t spread. however, everywhere the pus touches as well as when I place my hand on my face after touching it, bumps appear. When my arm touches my body where there were once no bumps, bumps now appear. It does spread.
That has been my experience also Jerrell. Thanks for stopping by!!!
I’m dying about the arguing with a botanist. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Glad it gave you a chuckle 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!!!
Scratching does spread it, I learned that first hand and it is not cool
Hey! My friend and I were stupid and
Walked through a field filled with poison
Ivy. I was wearing jeans and rain boots
And she was wearing capri’s and converse
And I got it worse! Could it be because
I scratched it? It was just at my ankles
But now it goes up my knee and to my
Thigh. Any suggestions? Is that dangerous?
Thanks Bye!
Hi Lauren! Sorry, I didn’t see this earlier. Honestly I can only speak from my own experience but I think some people are definitely more allergic to poison ivy than others. If two people get it in the same place it could be worse for one than for the other, just how it goes. Scratching it definitely aggravates the rash and makes it worse, in my opinion. I can’t imagine anything good coming from scratching a poison ivy rash. Really that is interesting what you are saying though. You had jeans and boots on. I take it your ankles were exposed? So you know it couldn’t have touched anywhere else. So like I said before I think scratching poison ivy results in it spreading further. Nothing is really going to change my mind on that. To answer your question on it being dangerous, I’m not sure what you are referring to being dangerous? The poison ivy spreading further? If you get it really bad you might want to go to a doctor to see how they can help. I’m not sure how bad you have it so it is hard for me to say anything, really. And I am definitely not a doctor : ) Looks like some time has passed now anyway, let us know how it turned out. Thanks for stopping by!!!
I have been cutting and clearing brush in an area I know has poison ivy. It is March in Northeast Pennsylvania so I was rushing to get this done prior to when plants start growing. I was wearing heavy leather gloves, boots as well as long johns because it was 12 degrees outside, and a pair of canvas duct pants. I thought I was well protected. To add to this I always scrub with bar soap afterwards that is specifically made for poisonous plants. Three days later I developed poison ivy rash along with blisters on my right wrist as well as on the medial side of both legs below the knees. I was so careful pulling any roots because I have had small pieces of soil fly off when pulling the small roots out of the ground and fall down the top of my shirt. I would wind up with a tiny streak of ivy down my stomach. Yes you can very easily contact poison in the dead of winter. I am over 60 and have had poison ivy since I was a little kid. My mother used to cover my blisters using Epsom salt mixed in water. I remember baking soda which also works well. For small blisters like I now have I leave the affected area in as hot a water I can stand then apply cold water. It tales the itching right away for quite a few hours. Once I make contact it appears in 3 days and last for 10 if I do not irritate it. Scratch it and you will have it for a longer period of time.
(Bro) states it does not spread by scratching…
I am with you I just got it over the weekend and I did scratch and now it’s all over.
I am going to try your paste it looks soothing plus I don’t want it to play downstairs if you no what I mean
Hey Brian, sorry to hear you have poison ivy. Yes, I think the baking soda paste really relieves the itch and also seems to dry the puss bubbles out for me. Also, you absolutely want to wash your hands well before going to the bathroom. You don’t want to have it downstairs. Only happened to me once that I remember and once was definitely enough…:)
Hello tmanwarrior, I came in contact with poison ivy over the weekend. I used the paste, it seemed to work. But can I go in a swimming pool? Will the chlorine help dry it out or will everybody in the pool get it as well?
Hello Jason. Sorry I wasn’t able to respond sooner. From personal experience I can’t think of any reason why you couldn’t go in a swimming pool. Yes, the chlorine does seem to help dry it out in my opinion. I’ve never heard of one person giving poison ivy to another person so I wouldn’t worry about that whether you are in a pool or not. Hope it clears up for you soon!!!
Hi, I have poison ivy for the second time in the last month and a half. I was looking for remedies and found this. I am for sure going to try it, but also shout out to you for still replying to commenets and helping people a few years after your initial post. Kudos
Hello Donovan. Thank you for the kind words and sorry I wasn’t able to respond sooner. Definitely give the baking soda paste a try, it always helps me. Good luck and thanks again!!!
i think there is a plant that grows in the woods that counter effects it, tea tree oil?cocunut ?
Hi! Sorry, I have no personal experience with that. I am not sure. Maybe someone else will chime in with the answer? Thanks for stopping by!!!
Dear Anonymous,
I believe Jewelweed is what you are thinking of. It blooms May through October and grows in the eastern part of North America. We have it here in Pennsylvania. It usually grows near poison ivy or stinging nettle and has been used in the treatment of many plant poisons for centuries. I have never used it, but if you do please let me know how it works. I hope it works for you because no matter what poison ivy is not fun to have. I have it as I print this and it is still winter here in Pennsylvania.
Hey poison ivy sufferers I too had an EXTREMLY bad case of poison ivy that I’m still recovering from.I found that white toothpaste mixed with a ton of salt then apply the mixture to the poison ivy.It will burn yet feel AMAZING.Then rinse with cold water and dry then aply caladryl.ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!
Next time I get poison ivy I’m definitely going to have to give this a try! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I was working in a field to hp clear it out and it was covered in poison ivy. I bathed in the bath lotion right after. I’ve been home for a week and a half and have niw started to break out on my arms and legs. Ot looks just lime the pics above. Have you ever gotten it days later?
No I have never got it that much later. Usually it is within a couple days after contact. What might have happened is you put on clothing or something you had on that day later and picked it up from there??? Not sure, hope you are ok now. Thanks for stopping bye 🙂
Could be that there was some of the urishol under your nails and that’s why it spread.
Hi, I just got a case of poison ivy rash for the first time in my life. But I think/hope I got a handle on it. It’s only on my right fore arm and wrist, but it feels like I spread it to my nostrils! Took a very soapy shower and put all my clothes in the laundry. I’ll see how bad the nose gets.
Anyway, i enjoyed all the info, thanks!
Glad to help Gabriela!!! Good luck and thanks for stopping by!!!
It’s not pus. It’s from the inflammatory response your body gives out. It’s serious fluid. If it’s clear–it’s serous. If it’s opaque/milky then it’s pus. I get poison ivy BAD. Like big blisters, tons of oozing and scaring. Good times. Had it all over my inner arms a week before my wedding. Only a script helped heal it in time for the ceremony.
Glad you got it cleared up in time. There is definitely nothing fun about poison ivy 🙁