recurring poison oak/sumac, anyone else?

[jshouse]

i get poison ivy several times a year, its usually not a big deal and i deal with it for a few days. a few years ago i got into something else, something nasty, oak or sumac maybe? i had it on both forearms and it was way worse than any poison ivy i have ever had, it was rashed and blistered up and lasted for a couple weeks and even left some cut-like scars on my arms. i cant remember if i went to the doctor but i tend not to very much so doubt i did.

well it tends to come back a few times a year randomly and unprovoked. it doesnt rash up or even get red, my skin just starts itching like crazy, mainly on my left forearm right where the rash was a few years ago. its been doing it now for a couple weeks and i will wake up at night scratching my arm so much it bleeds.

calamine lotion and benadryl gel seem to work fairly well till it wears off.

just curious if any of you are dealing with anything similar?

[Twist]

I got into something similar years ago and honestly have no idea what it was.

I had a spot about half-dollar or so sized on my left arm a few inches above my elbow. It came back sporadically for several year, though as a much smaller spot.

It eventually stopped. That's been probably 5 or so years ago but yeah, it was annoying. All I did is what you mentioned with benadryl gel.

[Cox1]

There is a product called ivy wash that helps a lot if used reasonably soon after exposure that should work on ivy and sumac. Might help to keep some on hand for future exposure.

[68rustbucket]

You need to learn what these plants look like and avoid them. When you get it again go see a dermatologist. They have a steroid cream that can knock it out fast.

[mikem]

Zanfel

It is also a wash, It knocks it out generally in two applications.

It's about $25 for a little tube, but it works really well for me.

[cehorn]

I am no doctor but I have had an issue similar in the past. What I finally figured out was the clothes I was wearing when I first got into it held the poison. So anytime I would wear that shirt it would act up again. It took a long time to figure out and I had washed that shirt tons of times. Once I threw the shirt away I no longer got the random case. It may be something to look into or track since it is random and unprovoked. It may not be as random as you think and could just be how random you wear that shirt.

[jshouse]

It is also a wash, It knocks it out generally in two applications.

It's about $25 for a little tube, but it works really well for me.

thanks bud i will look into it

I am no doctor but I have had an issue similar in the past. What I finally figured out was the clothes I was wearing when I first got into it held the poison. So anytime I would wear that shirt it would act up again. It took a long time to figure out and I had washed that shirt tons of times. Once I threw the shirt away I no longer got the random case. It may be something to look into or track since it is random and unprovoked. It may not be as random as you think and could just be how random you wear that shirt.

right, its probably not random if i paid attention to when it was happening.

[CrownKiller14]

Sounds like an allergy to something. Could be something you touched & absorbed through your hands but your for arm is where your reaction is felt. Chemicals, soaps..

I take 2 Zyrtec any time any thing start itching or think I got into poison Ivy. For me it helps fight any reaction and help stop spreading if it is poison ivy.

Another vote for Zanfel if it is a poison ivy reaction. (Follow directions as instructed)

[chopsknives]

You know I was never allergic to any of these....that is until a couple of years ago! I had a student in my knifemaking class tell me that in the military they were purposely exposed to a new strain to start their immune system - developed for jungle warfare and it effects everyone whether allergic or not! Kinda makes me wonder! I'm ate up with it right now and the Ivy wash isn't helping much. Had a customer tell me Oatmeal cures it and it did get rid of the new spots but the big ones kept right on driving me crazy!! A famous knifemaker that passed away always claimed that if you put the leaves in a capsule and ingest it that you will quit being allergic afterward?!?! Said that stomach gases prevent your insides from having a reaction to it at all. He lived in the deep woods and he always swore by this! Was talking to Brad Vice yesterday (owner of Alabama Damascus) and he reminded me of this - but I told him IDK sounds a lil scary to me?!?!

[rtp]

Funny story, I was working around the lease years ago and apparently got some poison ivy on my hands. Well as the beverages are being consumed through the day a guy has to relieve himself from time to time. I work up the next morning with a swollen Johnson and not the good kind. It’s the weekend so I head to the pharmacist. I ask what the best treatment for poison ivy is and he asks if money is an issue. I said hell no it’s all over my ******! He died laughing and walked me down an aisle and handed me Zanfel. That is some good stuff. You have to scrub really well with it. I had to convince my wife I was doing the rubbing for medicinal purposes. [emoji3]

Seriously, Zanfel is some great stuff. I’ve used it several times since in all the normal places and it works great.


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[chopsknives]

Ha! Ha! Not good!! Zanfel is what I'm using and after 2 treatments I'm still having heck with it!!

[Strummer]

Sounds like monkey pox [emoji16]

[npe001]

I just take a bleach bath.. lol it helps, probably not the ideal method though

[Uncle_Milty]

I was never bothered by it until about 5-6 years ago, now I get it a few times a year. I got a BAD case of it during summer 2020 when Covid was the hot topic. I had some hand sanitizer that was 75% Ethanol content that our company gave us and realized that after 2-3 days of using it the rashes on my hands were completely dried up. Been using it ever since with the same success.

[Strummer]

I am no doctor but I have had an issue similar in the past. What I finally figured out was the clothes I was wearing when I first got into it held the poison. So anytime I would wear that shirt it would act up again. It took a long time to figure out and I had washed that shirt tons of times. Once I threw the shirt away I no longer got the random case. It may be something to look into or track since it is random and unprovoked. It may not be as random as you think and could just be how random you wear that shirt.

I had this issue with a watch band .