[PatBranch]

Poison oak sucks. THis time I have a little down thereand a few other places. I don't want it to spread. I ususally use technu and cala gel.

What do people use after coming back from a ride with poison oak? I heard dish soap works, is that true?

Also what do people do before going on a ride with poison oak?

 

[arboc!]

i got it all up the inside of my arm when i went fly fishing a few weeks ago... i found that just leaving it alone makes it go away

 

[Jayridesacove]

there's this thing called google. it's amazing.

http://www.health911.com/remedies/rem_pois.htm

 

[OGRipper]

It's nasty stuff, I get it three or four times a summer no matter what I do.

It's all about the oil. It's hard to get off but spreads easily once it's on you. The problem is that it takes 2 or 3 days to develop the rash. Unless you know you were exposed, by then most people have spread it way beyond the contact point.

If I even think I've been near it, I do a full body technu scrub as soon as I can. That really seems to help get it off or at least contain it to one area.

Once it develops into a rash there isn't a lot you can other than try to leave it alone and let it run it's course. Benadryl lotion will stop the itching. There is a product called Zanfel that works pretty well but it's way expensive and you need a bunch of those $30 little tubes. If it's really bad there are prescription steroids available but I've never been there...

 

[Edgy]

we ride in a pretty much a "Oak infested" region here in socal.
This method has worked about 98% of the time. I never put anyhting on before the ride. Simple Green-the spray degreaser is always in my bag. After the ride...spray down everything, let it set for a few mins, wipe it off, repeat if you think your in deep. At home use dish soap ie Dawn- it also cuts grease. In the shower just put it on all over/rub it in good and let it set for a few mins as well, repeat.

I'm always amazed where I get that $hit..like under my pads.

This method may seem like alot but once you get in the habit...its becomes routine.
Good luck!

 

[PatBranch]

that google thing says petroleum.

 

[sanjuro]

I saw some guy with a Poison Oak preventer spray, Seems like a good idea. I also avoid touching any part of my body if I come in contact, particularily my face. Finally, I always take a cool shower.

 

[Zark]

Douse yourself and gasoline. Google "immolation" its the only permanant cure to poison oak.

 

[PatBranch]

Do you spray shin guards and gloves with simple green?

I have some spray stuff called poison oak away in a blue bottle. you can spray it on clothes or yourself before or after or during. I sprayed it eveywhere on me after a quick few mile ride in san louis obispo. Now I have a few rashes.

 

[blt2ride]

Poison ivy/oak's leaves must be broken for it to cause a reaction. In addition, you must wash hands and other areas within 10 minutes of exposure, it takes longer than that for the allergin to penetrate the body. Lastly, you must wash with water alone, do not use soap; the soap removes protective oils from the skin.

 

[Macrider]

Poison oak sucks. THis time I have a little down thereand a few other places. I don't want it to spread. I ususally use technu and cala gel.

What do people use after coming back from a ride with poison oak? I heard dish soap works, is that true?

Also what do people do before going on a ride with poison oak?

For before: If I KNOW that a trail has quite a bit of poison oak, I usually will bring or wear (if it's cool - like my 6:30am morning rides) some leg-warmers and a long-sleeve shirt - if it's warm, I stuff them in the camelback and put them on before I drop into the Oak-y sections

for after: the oils soak into your skin pretty quickly - use Technu as soon as you get done with the ride (have some in the car) - be careful with your clothes & pads (and bike!) that may have touched - I've gotten re-infected from my car seat before (that sounds dirty huh?) - I use dishwashing soap (cuts oils) in the shower on any exposed skin
be sure and wash the exposed clothing, your bike (with Simple Green) and your body armor (again, simple green & scrub brush works well)

if you get it: my reaction is pretty light - so I mostly leave it alone, maybe dab a little rubbing alcohol to dry it up if it's "weepy" and then a little anti-itch gel if it's bugging me too much - but if I leave it completely alone, it seems to go away pretty fast - for worse reactions, try Zanfel - it's insanely expensive, but works very well - if it gets in a cut, it will go systemic (appear in places all over your body that weren't exposed) - see a doc and get a shot of steroids

 

[F.O.G]

I get Poison Oak really bad, usually bad enough to see the Doc. My doctor worked with a Doctor/Reasearcher in SF (Stanford) who worked extensively with Poison Oak and Ivy, and he said almost every remedy is a crock. Your best bet is Rubbing Alchohol, the Doc said it breaks down the oil and keeps it from developing into the rash. He said you have about two hours to get the oil off, if you don't you are screwed. On longer rides I keep Alchohol rubbing pads in the Camel back and clean up during the ride. On shorter rides I fill a spray bottle with 98% Rubbing Alchohl and keep it in the truck and spray my whole body down and rub it in really good and the towel off. When I get home I take a hot shower and scrub down really well, and all has been good ever since. I also spray my pads and gear down really well and hose them down. This has been really effective, when I do get it it is usually just a spot or two. Just my 2 cents. Good luck.

 

[OGRipper]

Poison ivy/oak's leaves must be broken for it to cause a reaction.

Well, you can get it from the oak plants alone after the leaves die. Yep, just some random sticks can still get me. It's easier to get from broken leaves, and what you're saying makes sense in theory, but for me it's just an evil weed that will find a way. I feel like I can get the rash just from LOOKING at the plant.

 

[Instigator]

Poison ivy/oak's leaves must be broken for it to cause a reaction.

The oils that cause the rash are on every part of the plant you don't have to break it open.

How you can get it:

From touching it, or touching something that has touched it, like your clothes or your dog. You normally get it from touching the leaves, but yanking the vine out by the roots - even in winter - will give you a wicked rash.
Using a weedeater to remove poison ivy will result in spraying your legs with poison ivy. If you are bare-legged and get scratches while splattered with sap from poison ivy, you may be headed to the emergency room.

And there are more unusual ways to get it, like breathing smoke from firewood burning with poison ivy on it. Which can also put people into the hospital



what to do if you know you touched it:

Within a hour or so you should rinse with lots of cold water - like a garden hose. Hot water will open your pores and let the oil in.

For up to about 6 hours washing with alcohol may still help remove the oil, but many say that after 1/2 hour the oil has soaked in and you can't remove it.


once you have it will it spread:

Once you have the rash the oil has been absorbed and you probably can't spread it to others or elsewhere on yourself. If you get big blisters filled with liquid it is mostly water and will not spread the rash even if they break.


What causes the rash:


There is an oil, called urushiol, that causes an allergic reaction after the first sensitizing exposure. The oil is in the leaves, vines, and roots. That's why tearing out the vine is so dangerous - it releases lot of urushiol.



There you go. Lots of info on poison ivy but also very similar to poison oak.

 

[Jm_]

Poison oak sucks. THis time I have a little down thereand a few other places. I don't want it to spread. I ususally use technu and cala gel.

What do people use after coming back from a ride with poison oak? I heard dish soap works, is that true?

Also what do people do before going on a ride with poison oak?

Ive never found anything that really helps. Imagine an oil stain in your favorite shirt. Is it going to come out with a whole bunch of washes? No, it's going to probably stay there for a long time. The irritant in poison oak is an oil as well, and it absorbs into your skin. It's not "on" your skin, it's IN your skin. This means that even with an agressive cleaner, you aren't going to be able to make it "go away". I've used the various "poison oak remedies" and I've never found any of them to be effective enough to warrent their use. I think that right after exposure, like less than an hour, you *might* be able to minimize the effects with some of these products, but even that tends to be somewhat idealistic in my experience.

The only thing I've found that works is time.

 

[blt2ride]

Well, you can get it from the oak plants alone after the leaves die. Yep, just some random sticks can still get me. It's easier to get from broken leaves, and what you're saying makes sense in theory, but for me it's just an evil weed that will find a way. I feel like I can get the rash just from LOOKING at the plant.

To be honest, I'm not allergic to it. I have cut lines right through it, crashed in it, brushed up against it, and never had a reaction.

 

[mxer338]

luckily im not that allergic to it, when i was younger i cut through about an 1" thick poison ivy vine and got the sap all over my hands and body whil doing trailwork i got it pretty bad but didnt need steroids,
.

whatever you do dont burn it, some people were burning it and my friends dad simply drove by in a car and he inhaled the oil, causing his lungs to swell and he had to go to the emergency room, pretty nasty stuff

 

[OGRipper]

To be honest, I'm not allergic to it. I have cut lines right through it, crashed in it, brushed up against it, and never had a reaction.

Yeah well screw you and your superior genetics. :eviltongu :eviltongu

 

[Duzitall]

superior genetics

That's what I thought about myself until the PO got me. Got me good too. Now I just look at it and it magically gets under my gear. A good soaping up right after a ride is my only hope if I think I might have been exposed.

 

[Zack]

After experiencing this I now do a total body Tecnu scrub down, followed by an extremely cold shower. It's worked for me lately. My biggest piece of advice is once you feel it on your face, immediately make the doctor give you the steroid shot, or you might end up looking like I did.

(There are even more pictures in that thread I linked above - it was terrible)

 

[deweydude]

Poison oak sucks. THis time I have a little down thereand a few other places. I don't want it to spread. I ususally use technu and cala gel.

What do people use after coming back from a ride with poison oak? I heard dish soap works, is that true?

Also what do people do before going on a ride with poison oak?

Give yourself a full body massage then masterbate alot :devil:

 

[PatBranch]

I used technu and calaghel this morning. I think it already getting better.

"Give yourself a full body massage then masterbate alot-deweydude"
I will have to try that.

 

[jet]

I crawl around in this stuff all the time doing trail maint.

I find sweat to be the best defense. If you sweat more, the toxins can't sink in.

I do however, get itonce in a while. I just use some calamine lotion. When I scratch, I try to wipe my hands off

 

[Zack]

I find sweat to be the best defense. If you sweat more, the toxins can't sink in.

Umm...I think sweating combined with exposure to the poison oak oils is one of the worst things that can happen. I think you've just been lucky man.

 

[PatBranch]

Yeah I think sweating is the worst thing you can do because it helps the poison oils spread easily.

 

[goodtobeIrie]

washing with cold water and Lava soap is the cheapest and most effective way I've found...I am pretty much in poison oak everyday...and have tried all sorts of remedies...tecnu works, but is expensive...especially when you wash your dogs for PO all the time...as far as alcohol, yeah it cuts any sort of oil/grease/gummy material (good for getting off tree sap)...but if you've already got it and itched it...it burns like hell...and it's kinda hard to "soap" up with a liquid...

one thing that I've seen online, but haven't found it in stores yet is that Tecnu makes disposable wipes...they run like $1.75 each...but if you wreck in a patch of it and are really allergic...might be smart for you to get it off as quickly as possible...there's another company that makes the wipes as well, can't remember the name and never used the soap...so I can't really recommend it...but if I remember correctly, it was about half the price as Tecnu..

and another thing about it...you can get PO through the air...the oil can travel from the plant, through the air/wind up to about 2 miles...and stay viable for years...which means if you don't clean it...you're gonna keep getting it...Good Luck! and for those of you with it on your man part...I've been told by the hubby it feels better when you're "having relations"...but this could just be a ploy for gettin' a little extra...that bastard!!!! :love: :love:

 

[goodtobeIrie]

Yeah I think sweating is the worst thing you can do because it helps the poison oils spread easily.

yeah...it opens up your pores and says come on in PO...that's why you use cold water to wash it off with as well...

 

[PatBranch]

THose wipes might be good to take riding.

 

[1000-Oaks]

Ortho Brush-B-Gone, mixed at 4X strength (one $20 quart of concentrate goes a loooong way) and sprayed wherever PO comes too close to the trail. Carry a spray bottle or two (garden section at OSH) in your Camel-Back every ride and within a few weeks you'll have made a serious dent in clearing back the PO on your trail. Once all the leaves are gone it's a lot easier to use pruning tools (I have one that is for PO-only, never pick it up without gloves) to trim back the branches. Don't bother with the pre-mixed Round-Up stuff, Brush-B-Gone is the only one that really works. A backpack Hudson sprayer would really get the job done, but I haven't had the balls to carry one down the trail, some enviro-nut hiker would probably freak out. The stuff isn't poisonous to anything but plants (it's some kind of disolved bio-degradable salt), and it's not like you need to use much - a light misting is all it takes.

All the other trail users will thank you.

 

[Duzitall]

That's a really great idea I'm gonna going to try it on tumble weeds also. I only need a 12" path