Poison Ivy Wash & Dry Works!
I must deviate from my book because I have suffered from all kinds of poisons as long as I can remember! As living proof, what I’m about to tell you is not pleasant. So, if you have a queasy stomach, read no further. Being highly allergic to all strains of leaves of three and sumac, which has 5 to 13 leaflets on a shrub/tree that can grow 9 feet tall, I have contracted the hellacious rash at least 60 times in my lifetime. One Thanksgiving when I was around 9 years old I had the worst case ever in my life.
Being one of seven children, Thanksgiving plans were not cancelled because of one child’s illness. Number one, because at least one child was sick with something or another at all times, and, number two, that would mean my mother would have to cook dinner. My mother went to great lengths and accepted many things to get a relief from cooking a meal for a crowd of nine!
Getting It!
I don’t remember how I got it. Back then, we may not have known that it could be contracted through unwashed clothing, tools, and skin that made contact with any part of the plant. My father or brothers may have been in the woods and I may have brushed against them before they were able to get washed. The rash can also be contracted by breathing the smoke of burning ivy, oak, or sumac plants. And, as there was extensive brush burning one fall, that could have been the catalyst for my worst nightmare.
The rash spread and then spread some more. It covered my face, legs, hands, arms, and neck. Thankfully, I don’t remember it hampering my toilet skills. The rash oozed, crusted over, then repeated, sort of like a volcano creating layers of lava. I’ll call this oozo. The oozo welded my mouth shut so that I could only drink my foods through a straw. My fingers were welded shut so I could not grasp anything. It hurt to walk and wear clothes. I was carried around in a sheet. That was probably the worst I have ever felt in my life, list including childbirth and breaking a tail bone.
Getting Rid of It!
I have used bleach, alcohol, vinegar, oatmeal baths, calamine, a scrub brush, and dishwashing detergent to try to stop the spreading and hasten the drying. None of them worked. A product called, Zanfel, came on the market and, though it did work, given enough time, it was VERY expensive! In 2015, it was about $32 for a very small tube, which was about half the cost of a doctor visit! I continued trying different things and combinations of things, ending with the resulting combination, Ivy Wash & Dry! It works!
This year I have contracted poison ivy or oak twice already and within two to three days, had no more oozing from the rash, which signified the drying stage had begun. My previous time span for ivy/oak/sumac rashes to run their course was usually six weeks, or most of the summer. With Ivy Wash & Dry, my rash is almost healed within one week. Friends who tried Ivy Wash & Dry had similar healing success with their rashes.
Prevention
Ivy Wash & Dry will not prevent you from getting poison ivy/oak/sumac. I have found that if you apply body lotion, face lotion, or other products containing oil, to your skin, the likelihood of contracting the rash, if coming in light contact with it, diminishes greatly. My scientifically curious mind tells me that the oil could dilute the oil from the ivy plant, called urushiol, and allows it to be washed away in the shower, OR that the oil in the face/body lotion acts as a barrier against the urushiol. In any case, showering with extremely warm water and grease-cutting soap is beneficial in removing some of the urushiol from your skin. Rinsing after suspending the urushiol in the soap product is as important as washing. However, plain soap will not cleanse all the urushiol from your skin. You will need a special oil soap like Ivy Wash & Dry to complete the task.
Ivy Wash & Dry Precautions
There are no harsh chemicals in this product. However, like peanuts, some people have allergies to certain substances. Do not use this product if you have a contact allergy with wax polish or turpentine as you may have a reaction to the limonene found in this oil soap. Limonene is a naturally occurring chemical found in trees, plants, and citrus fruits. Do not use this product if you have a contact allergy to tree nuts as it contains ground walnut shells. Because of the walnut shells (grit), pumice (grit), and other substances in Ivy Wash & Dry, keep out of the eyes! If there is enough call for it, I will develop a product without the walnut shells.
When using Ivy Wash & Dry, you must follow directions carefully as I know it successfully dries the rash by following only those steps. Although the discovery of this wonderful combination of things was when I had a large 8-inch diameter blistered area on my thigh, I do not recommend you use this product in those instances. Instead, contact a physician. Ivy Wash & Dry works well when the rash first appears and/or when the rash does not affect large areas.
Find Ivy Wash & Dry in the Farm Shop here. I truly hope you find this product helps you as it has helped me.