Spring’s Poison Ivy Warning

Updated 3/2017-- photos and all links removed as many no longer active. 

This past weekend I helped my husband and his mother clean up some debris from the storms which had come through Thursday night/Friday morning.  Here are before and after photos.

Around the periphery of her yard and growing up her trees is poison ivy.

If you have read my blog over the past few years, you may recall that poison ivy and I don’t mix well.  I seem to have managed to not accidently grab any of it when picking up limbs and debris.   I am very thankful.

Still, it’s time to remind myself and you to watch out for poison ivy as you get outside to walk and play.

……

Here is a “updated” version of my post from May 23, 2008

I love to walk in the woods with my dog. I am lucky to have a neighbor who has a trail through her woods around her pond that she encourages us to use. This time of year I have to watch out for poison ivy. In the picture here you can see the poison ivy (leaves of three) intermingled with some Virginia Creeper (five leaves). I find both very pretty.

However, to the poison ivy I tend to react like this (photo credit):

Dr. Paul Auerbach wrote a review of the product Zanfel in 2008.  In the comment section White Coat left this helpful suggestion

One of the other things that helps to some degree is "Ivy Block" - it allegedly keeps the urushiol from binding to the skin.  http://www.ivyblock.com/ivyblock.php
Also, TechNu is reported to work as well as Zanfel, but is significantly less expensive.  http://www.teclabsinc.com/products.cfm?id=1F5604C8-9D05-4675-56129F6D83DF2417§ion=1

Also, check out the post he did “Poison Ivy – Son of an Itch”

REFERENCE
Leaves of Three, Let Them Be: If Only It Were That Easy; Medscape Article, May 28, 2004; Patricia L Jackson Allen, MS, RN, PNP, FAAN