At Home Treatment Remedies for Poison Ivy

Most of us have picked up a poison ivy rash somewhere down the line, what a horrible rash to have. Poison ivy usually comes about in the spring and summer, it can also be out in the fall. If you live in a climate where it stays consistently warm all the time then you can contract poison ivy year round. With warm weather now here it's wise to know some remedies for poison ivy. There are tons of treatment options and all natural ways to cure the poison ivy rash, you just have to find the one that's right for you.

One of the best over-the-counter home remedies that I've found for poison ivy is the Hydrocortisone 1% ointment. This cream is an anti-inflammatory medication. It works by taking away the immune response that the poison ivy oil has on your skin, the oil and reaction against your skin is what causes the rash to occur.

Benadryl or diphenhydramine lotion is another great treatment for poison ivy. The ointment is perhaps better because it really gets on the skin and acts as an occlusive dressing. You can apply Benadryl ointment or cream up to three times a day. It acts against histamine, which is one of the chemical triggers to itching.
Vicks VapoRub is said to be another treatment for poison ivy that you can be purchased over-the-counter.
You can also find poison ivy treatment supplies lying around the house. Just make a baking soda paste using baking soda an water, rub it on the lesions after washing the area clean with soap and water. Allow the paste to dry and it will eventually flake off. The baking soda neutralizes the acidic nature of the poison ivy toxin and will prevent further spread of the disease. It also cuts down on the itching, similar to calamine lotion.

Remember always to wash the area carefully and get rid of the clothes you were wearing when you got poison ivy on you. You must first wash the clothes before you can wear them again. Then you must use a degreasing soap or any good soap, whatever you have, to suds up the area and get rid of the poison ivy toxin. The poison ivy toxin is oil based in nature so that soap, especially degreasing soap, will remove the toxin from your skin.


If you have tried all of the remedies for poison ivy and nothing seems to work, consider seeing a physician for further advice and medical consideration.