OT Alternative to Burts Bees Poison Ivy soap

[Kingfisher]

Looks like Burt has discontinued this product that I have used for years. I used it religiously in summer months after walking with dogs in woods.

Anyone have an alternative poison ivy soap that works?

[batman1425]

Zanfel is good stuff, but crazy expensive and doesn't go a long way. Best left for when you are certain you've had an exposure.

[William]

You don't need any of that, just scrub it off. (https://www.facebook.com/HWY49ADVENTURES/videos/1672820719638293/?pnref=story)

Interesting take on preventing Poison Ivy/Oak.








William

[jimdohertyjim]

I've never used it but hear it works great.

http://www.teclabsinc.com/products/poison-oak-ivy/tecnu-extreme/

[likebikes]

stiff brush and some strong soap will take it off.

[carpediemracing]

I'm horrible with poison ivy.

Technu, I'm convinced that it does help move the poison ivy off the skin. The problem is that, based on what seems to happen to me, is that it gets to other places before it's rinsed off. For example if I wash my hands/wrists it seems okay, it seems to go away. But if it's on my arms and I have to shower to scrub/rinse, I end up with pretty consistent spots everywhere downstream of my arms, so lower torso, legs. Just a theory but I now avoid using it in the shower.

I get transfer poison ivy pretty easily so I'm a bit more aware of discarding gloves and such.

Once the poison ivy is in place I use Ivarest. I've tried some other stuff but that's the best that I found, other than drugs.

Really, though, for me the spots don't go away unless I intentionally scab them or I take drugs. If I get a lot, or the spots last more than, say, 2 months (the longest I had a few spots was 6 months), I usually see the doctor. I've avoided doing any yard work for a couple years, due to poison ivy (condo association so any yard work is above and beyond regular stuff). When I went for my physical a few months ago the nurse expressed surprise. "No poison ivy!". Apparently I was a regular there for poison ivy.

[rwsaunders]

stiff brush and some strong soap will take it off.

Fell's Naptha soap, Clorox and a stiff brush....don't forget to rinse.

[Don49]

I've never used it but hear it works great.

http://www.teclabsinc.com/products/poison-oak-ivy/tecnu-extreme/ Yes, or just plain old Tecnu works fine and is readily available. I believe it was originally developed to cleanup after radiation fallout.

[CampyorBust]

http://hylands.com/products/hylands-poison-ivy-oak-tablets

[Dave B]

rub regular Listerine on poison ivy and it is gone in a day or two.

[fairwent]

We use "Poison Ivy Soap" - it is quite harsh but works like a champ. You should be able to find it at Walgreens and the like.

[verticaldoug]

As a kid, we used baking soda and vinegar in water to wash off after exposure.
Don't know if it worked, but provided mental relief.

D

[William]

Its not really about the soap, it's about making sure you get it all off. Any soap and a good scrubbing with a wash cloth will do it.






William

[goonster]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61IYFMmpgfL._SY355_.jpg

[madsciencenow]

The compound in the poison ivy plant that causes the allergic reaction is oily as i recall which means that soap or another substance that is also oily should help remove it. I think the trick is to get to it before it gets to far into the skin and cannot be scrubbed out. I get it pretty bad and typically require oral corticosteroids to clear up the symptoms of exposure.


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[ik2280]

Zanfel is good stuff, but crazy expensive and doesn't go a long way. Best left for when you are certain you've had an exposure.

Got poison ivy in Maine this past summer - spent $50 on Zanfel at a CVS in Greenwich Village. Felt insane paying that much, but when you need it...

[jimcav]

If u know you got into it and can wash relatively soon I have had good luck with full strength tide detergent ( liquid). I have not tried it more than 12 hrs out though

[John H.]

Ivy-X makes a good pre-posture product.
They also make pre and post exposure towelettes for when you are not at home.
The best post exposure product I have used is "Mean Green"- it is sold as an industrial hand cleaner. A trail runner turned me on to this- it really works.
You can get all this stuff on Amazon.

[Matt-H]

Dedicated Tecnu user here.

[pbarry]

Zanfel is good stuff, but crazy expensive and doesn't go a long way. Best left for when you are certain you've had an exposure.

Zanfel and its generics, (much less expensive), work well for people with extreme sensitivity.

For William and others: Always interesting to read posts from people who have no experiential evidence for their arguments.

[William]

Zanfel and its generics, (much less expensive), work well for people with extreme sensitivity.

For William and others: Always interesting to read posts from people who have no experiential evidence for their arguments.


From someone who gets it bad when they do...just personal experience and what works well for me...and others I know who spend a lot of time outdoors in their professions. YMMV.






William

[malcolm]

The key is to get at it before the oil is absorbed. Dawn or any other soap will work there are compounds that do work/break down the oil/allergen better and will require less scrubbing. Nothing works if you are allergic and wait too long.

Also remember the plant oils/allergens cast persist on clothing and pet hair for a long time. If you are very sensitive make sure these have been cleaned as well.

[scharny]

Growing up in the 70s hunting with my dad in southeastern PA, we always used Fels Naptha (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fels-Naptha). Pretty abrasive, though.

[bshell]

There is nothing abrasive about Fels Naptha. It is quite drying to the skin though.

Fels is what I wash with as soon as I can if I when I've been exposed and it has been very effective. @ $2 for a bar.

Zanfel is a bit of a godsend but super expensive as you all know. Turns out it was made by a former Mean Green employee that saw how effective MG was against poison oak. He just concentrated on the most effective cleanser out of the several used in MG. I simply use 'more' MG for the same effect at a fraction of the Zanfel price.

[William]

When I was younger I never had any issues with PI/PO. As much as I was always outside I never contracted it. Then one day I was clearing thorny brush from a lot using a gas powered brush cutter with a circular saw blade on the end of it, wearing shorts, and of course had numerous little cuts on my legs. I ended up hitting a patch of poison Ivy and got sprayed by the oil which got into all the cuts on my legs. I had it so bad I almost ended up in the hospital. Ever since then I seem to get it very easily. I've tried a lot of the different soaps but found that it really just boils down to a good scrubbing with soap and a washcloth as quickly as possible after exposure.

Again, YMMV.







William

[arcadian]

Its not really about the soap, it's about making sure you get it all off. Any soap and a good scrubbing with a wash cloth will do it.






William



This

[batman1425]

When I was younger I never had any issues with PI/PO. As much as I was always outside I never contracted it. Then one day I was clearing thorny brush from a lot using a gas powered brush cutter with a circular saw blade on the end of it, wearing shorts, and of course had numerous little cuts on my legs. I ended up hitting a patch of poison Ivy and got sprayed by the oil which got into all the cuts on my legs. I had it so bad I almost ended up in the hospital. Ever since then I seem to get it very easily. I've tried a lot of the different soaps but found that it really just boils down to a good scrubbing with soap and a washcloth as quickly as possible after exposure.

Again, YMMV.
William

Sadly - not everyone is allergic to PI/PO. It is a cell mediated response, meaning that your immune cells are recognizing the oil as a foreign and dangerous molecule, and the subsequent release of inflammatory compounds to deal with that foreign molecule is what causes the local damage that presents as the rash/sores. Immune function is highly variable, and some folks either don't recognize the oil as robustly, or in some cases not at all. The oil is very pervasive. From a molecular perspective it is crazy sticky, which makes it hard to remove, and keeps in direct contact with you for longer - which can make the reaction worse. Alcohol based solvents (surfaces) or heavy duty soaps (skin, clothing) and scrubbing are best for breaking down those molecular bonds and washing it off skin and surfaces.

Fortunately however, Type IV hypersensitivity (the mechanism behind PI) is a Delayed Type Hypersensitivity - meaning the reaction typically takes a few days to develop. Again this is because it is cell based. What that means is that you typically have some time (on the order of hours) to get it off you before it will become problematic.

Your bodies ability to recognize antigens can change over time - which is called sensitization. The development of contact allergies later in life, like latex and nickel, are great examples - which are also the same kind of allergic reaction as PI. Age in general also affects allergic status. Many folks don't develop seasonal allergies until they are in their 30's, and they frequently subside later on.

The important thing - which you have done, is to identify what the severity YOUR reaction is, and take the appropriate measures to limit and subsequent deal with acute exposure. Other peoples experience may vary.

Disclaimer - I did my doctorate in Medical Microbiology and Immunology.

[xjoex]

Fels Naptha works like a champ
https://9f713baab175865ec8fd-a244153ed31b2286a7b17497bbc33e0e.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.c om/products/PurexFelsNaptha.png

-Joe