The following poison ivy remedies can relieve symptoms, Rubbing alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol can remove urushiol oil from skin and other surfaces. Apply cold compresses to itchy skin. You can make a cold compress by moistening a clean washcloth with cold water and wringing it out so it doesn't leak.
Then apply the cool cloth to the itchy skin. You can also see characteristic blackheads on the plant, which is oxidized urushiol (the oil that causes poison ivy plants to react). While working in the backyard, you pulled out some unwanted weeds before realizing that one of them was poison ivy. The most effective way to prevent poison ivy dermatitis is to avoid the plant and learn to identify it by its appearance.
More severe cases of poison ivy rash can be treated with corticosteroids or immunosuppressants as prescribed by a doctor. If you are exposed to poison ivy or oil, wash thoroughly with soap and water as soon as possible to remove oils quickly. Antihistamines are generally not used because they don't relieve itching caused by poison ivy dermatitis; however, antihistamines that cause sleep, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), can help you sleep during the itch. After gently washing away poison ivy rash, there are some common treatments that are almost universally recommended.
There are many other simple, inexpensive, and medically sound treatments for itching caused by poison ivy rash, such as calamine lotion, oatmeal baths, and antihistamines such as Benadryl. Naturally, you won't find these items the moment you need them in the mountains or in the woods, so if you're prone to poison ivy reactions or are visiting an area where you know you're likely to have an encounter, take note to buy and pack these products before your next outdoor adventure. Poison ivy produces an oil called urushiol that causes a rash in approximately 85 percent of people who come into contact with it, the American Academy of Dermatology notes. Louis, one of the most effective treatments for poison ivy is corticosteroids, usually oral rather than topical.
Apple cider vinegar is often touted as a natural home remedy to reduce symptoms of poison ivy rash. If you touch a poison ivy plant with your hands, for example, and then touch your face or body, you'll see a rash both at the original point of contact and in the places you touched. Finding poison ivy is easy in the United States, where it grows virtually everywhere except Alaska, Hawaii, and some desert areas of the Southwest. The cream should be applied thickly to the entire skin less than an hour before exposure to a poison ivy plant.
You probably don't need medical treatment for a poison ivy rash, unless it spreads widely, persists for more than a few weeks, or becomes infected.
