Deborah’s husband Mike has recently gotten in contact with some poison ivy, which most of us can sympathize with. While this is an awful predicament, there are numerous home remedies for making the healing process faster and less painful. So, we would like to share with you some of the natural relief and healing methods for the unfortunate event of you ever running into on of these three leafed menaces.
Why Does Posion Ivy Itch?
Poison Ivy is a plantain the genus Rhus that is accompanied in this genus by plants like poison oak and poison sumac. These kinds of plants contain an oil called urushiol. This oil sinks into your skin and causes your body to respond to the toxic invasion, which results in a rash, blisters, or even an allergic reaction. So, attempts to remove this oil may prove to be worthwhile. Attempts at curing this irritation and of course some methods to speed up healing and reduce itching can be useful as well.
List of 30 different Poison Ivy Treatments
- Baking Soda: Using this in a bath or paste is a great way to dry up a rash and reduce the healing time. We suggest 1/2 a cup of baking soda for a bath full of warm water or three teaspoons of baking soda with one teaspoon of water to form a paste to apply directly to the rash.
- Banana peals: This cools the rash and reduces itchy skin caused by different varieties, such as poison ivy or bug bites.
- Oatmeal paste: If you cook a small amount of thick oatmeal and apply to skin, then it will dry and relieve the skin once it cools.
- Organic Apple Cider Vinegar: This remedy sucks the toxin out of the skin and reduces the irritation. We suggest you to use one teaspoon for your afflicted area or to soak a small rag to apply to the area.
- Rubbing Alcohol: Applying this to the rash will break up the oils that are secreted from the ivy.
- Aloe Vera Gel: This supports a normal immune response, soothes redness, reduces swelling, cools the area, and immediately heals the afflicted area.
- Witch Hazel: You can dab this on the infected area to clean the rash, relieve itch, and promote healing.
- Powdered Goldenseal Root: Combine this with hot water to create a paste to rub on the skin. This will reduce infection. Also, you can make goldenseal tea or goldenseal supplement for quicker results.
- Himalayan Crystal Salt: Using Himalayan salt and water paste or taking a warm salt water bath will dry out skin and pull the poison from the skin.
- Watermelon Rind: Applying this to the rash will lead to itch relief.
- Manzanita Leaf Tea: A handful of the herb boiled into thick tea can be applied to skin a few times per day to reduce itching
- Jewelweed: Rub a crushed stem into skin to reduce effects from the urushiol oil.
- Mugwort: This will prevent rash, heal, and neutralize urushiol. Just grind fresh leaves and apply to the affected area.
- Honeysuckle juice: This relieve itch. Use 3 cups of honeysuckle leaves and 1 cup of water. Strain and use juice on the rash.
- Rhubarb: This relieves itch. Simply break open the stem and rub as often as needed.
- Milkweed: This will reduce itch, will dry the rash, and cause faster healing. Just pull leaves, dab milk sap over rash/blisters and let dry
- Blow Dyer: This will pull histamines out of the rash. Although they will build up again over time, the time between itching will increase as the rash dries out. Simply turn it on hot and run over rash, make sure not to leave on one area to long to avoid burning.
- Hot Shower: This will provide a similar effect as the blow dyer by pulling out histamines.
- Oatmeal Bath: Grind up about a cup, create a bath tea, and let it soak for about 30 minutes or apply directly to skin to reduce the itch.
- Cold Coffee: The chlorogenic acid in coffee is an anti-inflammatory that can keep swelling down.
- Tea Tree Oil: Applying Tea Tree Essential Oil can help help after rash stopped oozing. It may sting but it will fade. You only need a few drops.
- Lavender Oil: Using Lavender Essential Oil will help you to heal after the oozing has stopped.
- Ocean Water: Similarly to the previous salt method, ocean water will dry out the rash and help with healing.
- Mouthwash: This will help healing. Mint helps cool the rash, alcohol dries the rash out, and the antibacterial will reduce infection.
- Pine Tar Soap: Using this will help the rash to heal.
- Creating a Tolerance: You can try eating safe foods that contain urushiol to help build your tolerance to poison ivy. These include tomatoes, mangoes, pistachios, and cashews.
- Aspirin: The Salicylic acid in these pills speeds healing. Make paste with bit of water, put on skin, and let dry.
- Dish Soap: Using this will break down the urushiol oils and reduce irritation.
- Calamine Lotion– This will reduce the itch caused by poison ivy.
- Cucumbers: Just make a paste and apply to area to soothe rash.
We provide this data for educational purposes only. Nothing in this article is to be construed as medical advice. Please consult your doctor before using these products or any of this information for treatment purposes.