Seeking Poison Oak Relief

[texasbb]

I've heard you need to wash it off ASAP, remembering that it's an oil, so plain water doesn't do the trick. Supposedly, if you get it off soon enough, there will be little or no reaction. I don't speak from experience because I've never broken out with it--may be immune.

[adamschneider]

Whenever I feel a plant brush up against me*, in spite of all my caution, I look to see what it was, and if I think it may have been PO then I clean up as well as I can with plain water immediately. Does that do any good?

It can't possibly hurt. I'm guessing that carrying some sort of wipes wouldn't be a bad idea either.

[Guy]

Tecnu definitely works works even if not used until several hours later in the shower when you get back from the hike.

In my off trail exploits this winter & spring I've found myself surrounded by Poison Oak numerous times but the only time I broke out this Spring was when I forgot to use the tecnu in the shower that evening.

That being said I've become much more sensitive to it since that darn eye incident! Before that I could brush against the foliage in shorts with no ill effects, now adays I'll break out even from dormant twigs when wearing long pants. But it's normally because I'm somewhere I don't have to be

[Webfoot]

Whenever I feel a plant brush up against me*, in spite of all my caution, I look to see what it was, and if I think it may have been PO then I clean up as well as I can with plain water immediately. Does that do any good?

Since the idea is to remove an oil I don't see how plain water will help much; it may even spread it around. I carry a small tube of orange pumice hand cleanser for this purpose though I haven't had to use it yet. It certainly works well to remove oil and grease at home however.

[Koda]

I thought I read somewhere that cold water would be better than nothing.... such as a stream which unlike degreaser is a possibility on the hike out.
?

[Webfoot]

Experiment yourself with a harmless vegetable oil and see what you think. In my opinion trying to wash with water alone will just spread it around. (But the wet washcloth thing I saw in a video linked here might work pretty well.) Do you consider the orange pumice wash "not a possibility" for environmental reasons?

[Koda]

Do you consider the orange pumice wash "not a possibility" for environmental reasons?

Im fine with that, its just not something anyone takes with them on a hike.

[kepPNW]

Seems like this might be a decent place to drop this...

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oyoDRHpQK0

According to this, a damp washcloth alone is more effective than any cleaner without a washcloth.

[retired jerry]

"That being said I've become much more sensitive to it since that darn eye incident! "

I've heard that before

Breathing in smoke from burning poison oak will do it

I've never noticed any effect from Poison Oak but I've been around it a lot so I assume I've been exposed

Maybe the lesson is to avoid the stuff even if you don't get any rash or anything

[Rancid9999]

Only had it once in 68 years of wallowing thru the stuff without paying any attention, I have even built fireline thru burning thickets with a chain saw.
However, my wife is VERY sensitive, she can get it thru the car window driving by. So I always strip in the garage and immediately launder my clothes. Technu works best, Dawn dishsoap a close second choice.

But after four weeks? you need a dermatologist or allergist.