Poison Ivy

"My girlfriend and I went on a picnic. I don't know how she did it, but she got poison oak on the brain. When it itched, the only way she could scratch it was to think about sandpaper." --Stephen Wright

Every year about this time I break out with poison ivy on my arms. It comes from our cats who wander about outdoors by day and then sleep with us at night. Each year we spray our backyard but the poison ivy keeps coming back. In our family I’m the most sensitive. For me the rash spreads into large patches covered with tiny blisters. My wife is more resistant but when she does catch it, she gets a few large blisters at the points of contact.

A poison ivy rash is the result of the plant oil reacting to surface skin. The skin becomes irritated, blisters up, and creates an intense itching and burning sensation. The top layers of skin will die off and peel away, and it takes time for healthy skin to replace the damaged layers of skin. The rash may remain for up to three weeks without treatment. Blister fluid from scratching doesn't spread the rash, but germs from your fingernails may cause a secondary infection.

There are many recommended treatments but few seem to work on me. Beware of Internet cures! For example, some sites recommend bleach but you should never use this product on your skin under any circumstances.

The ideal treatment for poison ivy is within the first 15 minutes of contact – before the skin is damaged. Wash with water, rubbing alcohol or some OTC medications. Do not use soap at first – soap will spread the oil.

Sadly most of us miss the 15-minute window and have to deal with the rash. Typical treatments for poison ivy rash are directed at controlling the itch, and can include non-steroidal creams, topical (skin) steroids, oral antihistamines (Benadryl), oral steroids (prednisone), or a steroid shot.

The traditional low-cost anti-itch medication is Calamine lotion. Wet dressings, compresses, or soaks with Domeboro Astringent solution (mixed with water) is said to be especially soothing for itchy rashes.

Other examples from About.com include:

•Atarax (hydroxyzine, a prescription oral antihistamine)
•Aveeno Anti-Itch Cream with Natural Colloidal Oatmeal
•Aveeno 1% Hydrocortizone Anti-Itch Cream (OTC topical steroid)
•Band-Aid Anti-Itch Gel
•Caladryl Clear Topical Analgesic Skin Lotion
•Cortizone 10 (OTC topical steroid)
•Cutivate cream 0.05% (prescription topical steroid)
•Domeboro Astringent Solution Powder Packets
•Gold Bond Maximum Strength Medicated Anti-Itch Cream
•Itch-X Anti-Itch Gel with Soothing Aloe Vera
•Locoid cream 0.1% (prescription topical steroid)
•Triamcinolone acetonide 0.1% (prescription topical steroid)

Newer medications that are supposed to target poison ivy symptoms include:

•Burts's Bees Poison Ivy Soap
•Cortaid Poison Ivy Care Treatment Kit
•Ivarest Medicated Cream
•IvyStat
•Tecnu Extreme Poison Ivy Scrub
•Zanfel Wash For Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac

Bottom Line

Test your knowledge with the Poison Ivy quiz. My score was 16/20.

When killing poison ivy, be aware that the Urushiol oil can penetrate latex gloves. Use rubber gloves instead. Remember that the oil can remain on gloves, weeders, mowers, clippers, and other tools for a year (longer in dry climates). Wash equipment and shoes with soap and water while wearing protective gloves. Then wash the gloves and toss your clothes in a washing machine.

Never burn any poisonous plant. You might inhale the oils and irritate your lungs and throat.

See a doctor "if the rash is on the face, genitals, or covers more than 30 percent of the body.”

Sunburn

“Even if you've been fishing for 3 hours and haven't gotten anything except poison ivy and sunburn, you're still better off than the worm”

I’m not a summer person or a beach person because I do not tan easily. I burn.

Sunburn is caused by UV-radiation emitted by the sun. Since UV rays damage the DNA in skin cells, the body tries to defend itself by making the skin darker (i.e. tanning) to block or absorb the rays safely. UV related skin damage has been linked to skin cancer and doctors are seeing a cancer spike in tan-seeking youth.

Snow and light-colored sand reflect UV light and increase sunburn risk. In these situations, UV rays may reach exposed skin from both above and below. Even on cloudy days, UV radiation reaches the earth. [CDC] Injury can start within 30 minutes of exposure so always use an effective sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15. And don’t skimp on applying the sunscreen. Dermatologists prescribe the equivalent of a shot-glassful every single time you slather up-and a reslathering every two hours. Wear dark color clothes with a tight weave (ugh, heat!). Wear a hat and sunglasses to protect the eyes.

In an ironic twist, some recent research blames sunscreen for a rise in skin cancer. The argument goes like this: Sunscreen (SPF factor) blocks UV-B rays which cause sunburn and generate vitamin D in the body. Most sunscreens do not block UV-A rays which penetrate further and cause tanning and skin cancer and wrinkles. Hence many individuals, protected by sunscreen from burning, are staying out longer and overdosing on UV-A rays.

If, like me, you forget the sunscreen and get sunburned, here are some suggestions:

• take a cool (not cold) shower or bath immediately
• apply cool towels to the burn area for several hours to take away the heat
• symptoms usually start about 4 hours after sun exposure, worsen in 24-36 hours, and resolve in 3-5 days
• consume extra fluids for the next 2 or 3 days
• take ibuprofen, acetaminophen or (adults only) aspirin, if needed, to relieve the pain
• re-moisturize your skin with moisturizing cream, aloe, or 1% hydrocortisone cream (see Dr before using cream on children under age two).
• There is little you can do to stop skin from peeling after a sunburn-it is part of the healing process. Lotion may help relieve the itching.
• When you go out, cover the burned area with clothing so you don’t make it worse

When to visit a doctor for a sunburn:

• the skin blisters
• the pain is extreme or lasts more than two days
• your face swells
• the burn covers a large portion of the body (15%)
• you get a fever or chills
• you have a headache or feel faint
• you become dehydrated (dry eyes and mouth)
• your skin become infected

Bottom Line

Sunscreen is only a temporary protection from UVB rays. Most need to be reapplied every few hours and don’t skimp on the amount you use. Check the instructions.
Look for sunscreens with protection from UVA rays.

Mosquitoes!

“The mosquito is the state bird of New Jersey” - Andy Warhol

Mosquitoes can ruin an outdoor adventure. Many years ago I drove across country (via Canada) to my summer internship in New York with IBM. I had time to kill (the job start was delayed by one week due to paperwork) and so I had fun sightseeing. While in Edmonton, Alberta, I learned about Tar Sands and drove further north to see them. Then it dawned on me that it was June 20th, the longest day of the year and I was further north than I had ever been in my life. So I resolved to drive as near to the Arctic Circle as possible, find a campground and watch the sun not set. It was fun watching the sun move sideways near the horizon after midnight. What was not fun were the large mosquitoes! I figure the mosquitoes up north don’t have a long “warm” season to live so they are very aggressive and very hungry in the little time they have! I quickly abandoned the notion of pitching a tent and slept in my car after rolling up the windows and killing the several dozen mosquitoes that had followed me back inside!

Mosquitoes are everywhere and the traditional way to repel them is with a DEET based lotion or spray. So far as I can tell, fear over DEET is overblown. The Business Management site BNet.com, in “Is DEET safe for children”, does a nice job listing the studies that show DEET is safe. The website for Colorado Mosquito Prevention looks a lot like an advertisement promoting DEET but claims to be the product of an official state Tri-County Health Department.

However if you are DEET adverse or during an emergency, don’t have any bug spray on hand, it is possible to make your own Natural Insect Repellent Recipe as described on About.com. Many “natural” ingredients can repel bugs: citronella oil, rosemary oil, lemongrass oil, cedar oil, peppermint oil, clove oil, geranium oil, and possibly oils from verbena, pennyroyal, lavender, pine, cinnamon, basil, thyme, allspice, soybean, and garlic. But be careful – in high doses even natural oils can cause rashes or burns.

The About.com science writer, Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D, recommends combining different oils to create an all-purpose bug repellent. “A good rule of thumb is to mix the repellent so it's 5-10% essential oil, so mix 1 part essential oil with 10-20 parts carrier oil or alcohol. “ For small batches mix:

• 10-25 drops (total) of essential (herbal) oils
• 2 tablespoons of a carrier oil or alcohol

Here are some essential oils to try:

• cinnamon oil (mosquitoes)
• lemon eucalyptus or regular eucalyptus oil (mosquitoes, ticks, and lice)
• citronella oil (mosquitoes and biting flies)
• castor oil (mosquitoes)
• orange oil (fleas)
• rose geranium (ticks and lice)

Mix these with one of the following base oils (for a lotion) or alcohol (for a spray):

• olive oil
• sunflower oil
• any other cooking oil
• witch hazel
• vodka

Bottom Line
“Rub or spray the natural insect repellent onto skin or clothing, using care to avoid the sensitive eye area. You'll need to re-apply the natural product after about an hour or after swimming or exercise. Unused natural insect repellent may be stored in a dark bottle, away from heat or sunlight. If you wish, you may combine the oil with aloe vera gel to change the consistency of the product.” [About.com]

Medicinal Aloe Vera

The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now.”
- proverb

We do not have much luck with gardening at my house. The soil is rocky and acidic. Even when we do prepare the soil and try to grow something then either:

1. Not much grows (we planted squash and got two tiny vegetables for our efforts)


2. What does grow gets eaten by deer

Fortunately we have better luck with potted plants. It is not hard raising herbs both indoors and out in pots. We grow basil, parsely, chives, etc. We also grow aloe. The aloe cactus does not need much attention. In fact most of my cactuses have died by overwatering them - the roots rot. The site TheGardenHelper.com advises that the soil must be completely dry between waterings. The aloe grows in the summer and sleeps (needing only a cup or two of water) during the winter. During the summer months, the soil should be completely soaked, but then be allowed to dry again before re-watering.

The medicinal properties of Aloe vera have been known, and recorded since biblical times. It has been used for a variety of ailments, and as an ointment for burns, cuts, and rashes, as well as an ingredient in various beauty preparations.The sap of the Aloe is a thick, mucilaginous gel. It is this gel which is used medicinally. The outer skin has essentially no value, but because it is commercially easier and less expensive to sell the entire leaf. - TheGardenHelper.com

More information on aloe and its uses can be found at NewEmergencyPreparedness.com.

Bottom Line

Aloe is easy to grow and can live for many many years. In our house we find it very helpful when we have a bug bite, minor burn, sun burn or anything itchy. We break off a small leaf and spread the sap on our skin.

Disclaimer - Aloe is not a miracle cure. Never put aloe or any substance on a 3rd degree burn (i.e burnt skin) . I'd also seek medical advice before putting it on a 2nd degree burn (blisters).