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poison ivy, sumac, oak on the course

Never seen it around a golf course here in Colorado. It mostly only grows along the rivers in the mountains. We had to watch for it back when I was whitewater kayaking. When we would put into shore to walk ahead and scout an unfamiliar rapid, we often saw poison ivy.
 
Got a little bit today on my forearm. (Poison oak)

Lots of alcohol based hand sanitizer, light salt water rub with paper towel, more hand sanitizer, wash with toothpaste, and then regular soap.

Seems to limit spread, and gets all the oils off the skin.
 
fwiw there is also another plant besides the big 3 popular ones. I was doing some searching in general and turns out "Poisonwood" is another tree like plant with same oils and of course problems. Never heard of that one till now. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep220
 
We have all 3 all over the place down here and over the years have found an effective wash to minimize the effect. The oils in the plants are not water soluble so a simple wash will not clean the effected area. I have found that washing the area in Clorox will break down the oils and allow them to be washed off with a hot soapy rinse. I have come home from working in the woods clearing brush with it all over my hands and arms washed the areas with Clorox followed by washing them with hot soapy water to get the Clorox off and never had another itch with the rash gone by the next morning. I keep a small spray bottle of Clorox in the trunk now just in case I run into some on the course so I can just go in the clubhouse and take care of it.
 
rollin said:
fwiw there is also another plant besides the big 3 popular ones. I was doing some searching in general and turns out "Poisonwood" is another tree like plant with same oils and of course problems. Never heard of that one till now. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep220
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Poisonwood is common in the Bahamas. You have to use care when gathering wood for a beach cookout that you don't use any poisonwood for your cooking fire.
 
Fourputt said:
Poisonwood is common in the Bahamas. You have to use care when gathering wood for a beach cookout that you don't use any poisonwood for your cooking fire.
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I almost thought you were going to say its often dried,rolled, and then smoked....you know....... like the funny cigarettes :laugh:
But really its something I never heard of before.
 
Thought Id rsurface this since I seem to have gotten the rash again. Thankfully nothing real major but enough to be annoying as heck anyway. Im thinking the oil must be on some of my garden tool etc because every year I seem to get this now at start of summer. Hope it doesn't get too bad this time.
 
They say you are far more susceptible to poison ivy the more times you are exposed to it. So the rashes will get worse with each exposure with exponentially stronger immune responses... that said I've had it 3 or 4 times, so I'm not even looking for my ball if I spy any 3 pronged leaves... even if it is just Virginia creeper or some other look alike
 
Hate poison ivy and I am highly allergic. If a ball even goes close to the stuff I take a drop.
 
rallo said:
They say you are far more susceptible to poison ivy the more times you are exposed to it. So the rashes will get worse with each exposure with exponentially stronger immune responses... that said I've had it 3 or 4 times, so I'm not even looking for my ball if I spy any 3 pronged leaves... even if it is just Virginia creeper or some other look alike
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Ive read that too. Kind of worrisome if ya ask me.
 
I react pretty badly to it and keep it for weeks when I do get it. I'm fairly new to California and didn't think it was in this area---I was wrong. I was exposed last fall and it stayed with me for about 7 weeks. That was enough for me and I've decided (finally) that I can't hunt for balls in the woods anymore, it's not worth it. Hate that stuff!
 
Tee/Ski said:
I react pretty badly to it and keep it for weeks when I do get it. I'm fairly new to California and didn't think it was in this area---I was wrong. I was exposed last fall and it stayed with me for about 7 weeks. That was enough for me and I've decided (finally) that I can't hunt for balls in the woods anymore, it's not worth it. Hate that stuff!
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is it more sumac or oak vs ivy out there? In the northeast ivy is the more dominant plant. or vine I should say.
 
My dad once had to **** in the woods on hole 11 (it was an emergency, obviously). This was back when I was in high school.

Long story short, he picked the wrong leaves to wipe with...poison oak. I've still never let him live it down to this day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
InHartWeTrust said:
My dad once had to **** in the woods on hole 11 (it was an emergency, obviously). This was back when I was in high school.

Long story short, he picked the wrong leaves to wipe with...poison oak. I've still never let him live it down to this day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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now that is quite a story. Almost too crazy to be true. And can only imagine how uncomfortable this turned out to be. I would rather had used a cactus.
 
Two weeks ago today I went to the house of friend's mom to try to find their property pins. One corner was near a fence post and I immediately found some poison ivy. I cut it away and threw it to the side with a shovel. We didn't find the pin there but had some success at other corners. She really wanted to know where the fence was (on the line, on her property, on the neighbor's) so I went back to that first corner not sure that was my only exposure or if I got into some elsewhere on the property but by the next evening I had some rash breaking out on my forearm and shin. I used a tube of Zanfel which is advertised in commercials recently. It was a full sized tube that had been sent to me as a sample a few years ago. Not sure how I got the sample, I've had poison ivy more times than I can remember, first as a boy scout then as a land surveyor. Once I even started the series of annual shots that was to prevent or at least lessen the affects of plants. They stopped that before I finished the series.

Anyways, the Zanfel didn't really do anything for me, by Saturday evening I had it up and down both legs, and the other arm a bit. Wasn't a "Top Ten" case for me, but still sucks.

My warning is to avoid it at all costs. Get a steroid shot as soon as you sense the rash coming on. Cool showers help, calamine, cortisone creams. Take some ibuprofen for the swelling. Just a little bit of the oil will spread a long way. If you get it from the plant leaves it will leave residue on surfaces in your car or furniture. Of course the clothes & shoes you wore when exposed. I washed everything in warm/hot water for the last two weeks. Nasty stuff...

If you've been exposed, I've had the most success cleaning up with rubbing alcohol. Seems to limit it to a basic rash, not the swelling & seeping blisters that are a problem. I don't get poison oak so bad. Family property in Kentucky is covered in it but I rarely get a rash after being in the woods. Three leaves, but darker green, almost shiny leaves.

I'm sure I've been exposed to poison sumac, I know what it looks like, but the ingrained fear of 3 plants isn't as strong since there are other non-toxic look-alikes to sumac. Who knows, maybe that's what I came across this most recent time.
 
DaBuckBoys said:
Two weeks ago today I went to the house of friend's mom to try to find their property pins. One corner was near a fence post and I immediately found some poison ivy. I cut it away and threw it to the side with a shovel. We didn't find the pin there but had some success at other corners. She really wanted to know where the fence was (on the line, on her property, on the neighbor's) so I went back to that first corner not sure that was my only exposure or if I got into some elsewhere on the property but by the next evening I had some rash breaking out on my forearm and shin. I used a tube of Zanfel which is advertised in commercials recently. It was a full sized tube that had been sent to me as a sample a few years ago. Not sure how I got the sample, I've had poison ivy more times than I can remember, first as a boy scout then as a land surveyor. Once I even started the series of annual shots that was to prevent or at least lessen the affects of plants. They stopped that before I finished the series.

Anyways, the Zanfel didn't really do anything for me, by Saturday evening I had it up and down both legs, and the other arm a bit. Wasn't a "Top Ten" case for me, but still sucks.

My warning is to avoid it at all costs. Get a steroid shot as soon as you sense the rash coming on. Cool showers help, calamine, cortisone creams. Take some ibuprofen for the swelling. Just a little bit of the oil will spread a long way. If you get it from the plant leaves it will leave residue on surfaces in your car or furniture. Of course the clothes & shoes you wore when exposed. I washed everything in warm/hot water for the last two weeks. Nasty stuff...

If you've been exposed, I've had the most success cleaning up with rubbing alcohol. Seems to limit it to a basic rash, not the swelling & seeping blisters that are a problem. I don't get poison oak so bad. Family property in Kentucky is covered in it but I rarely get a rash after being in the woods. Three leaves, but darker green, almost shiny leaves.

I'm sure I've been exposed to poison sumac, I know what it looks like, but the ingrained fear of 3 plants isn't as strong since there are other non-toxic look-alikes to sumac. Who knows, maybe that's what I came across this most recent time.
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yea the oil is the issue which does get on anything and can even last for many years on things like garden tools or whatever.
But what interesting is the rash. Most people don't realize the rash is not the poison but is our reaction to the poison oil somehow getting absorbed through our skin. You cannot catch poison ivy from someone's rash but only if they have the oil on their skin and pass it to you. The rash itself is only reaction and not the poison. This is why the rash can pop up anywhere and not just in the place where the oil was absorbed. And it doesnt even have to pop up where we absorbed the oil either.

Trouble is its not easy to rid the oil because its not noticeable and washing can actually work to spread it to other places rather than remove it. basically everything we wear, touch, and brush up against can get the oil transferred. Trying to figure out just what and where the oil is and got transferred to can be a needle in a haystack especially if the rash arrives on someone only the next day or two before they even realize the even got it. This whole thing can be quite a process. And may never figure out just what things they own may have some oil on it. I mean change the bed sheets but then unknowingly touch something with the oil and the point is moot and back on the sheets again. What can one do? but do the best we can and hope the rash runs its course without major issues. Unfortunately this doesn't always go so well.
 
If exposed to it wash with a cloth or loofah within 2-8 hours after exposure. If you don't use those you will not get the oil cleaned off and then end up with the effects
 
DaBuckBoys said:
Two weeks ago today I went to the house of friend's mom to try to find their property pins. One corner was near a fence post and I immediately found some poison ivy. I cut it away and threw it to the side with a shovel. We didn't find the pin there but had some success at other corners. She really wanted to know where the fence was (on the line, on her property, on the neighbor's) so I went back to that first corner not sure that was my only exposure or if I got into some elsewhere on the property but by the next evening I had some rash breaking out on my forearm and shin. I used a tube of Zanfel which is advertised in commercials recently. It was a full sized tube that had been sent to me as a sample a few years ago. Not sure how I got the sample, I've had poison ivy more times than I can remember, first as a boy scout then as a land surveyor. Once I even started the series of annual shots that was to prevent or at least lessen the affects of plants. They stopped that before I finished the series.

Anyways, the Zanfel didn't really do anything for me, by Saturday evening I had it up and down both legs, and the other arm a bit. Wasn't a "Top Ten" case for me, but still sucks.

My warning is to avoid it at all costs. Get a steroid shot as soon as you sense the rash coming on. Cool showers help, calamine, cortisone creams. Take some ibuprofen for the swelling. Just a little bit of the oil will spread a long way. If you get it from the plant leaves it will leave residue on surfaces in your car or furniture. Of course the clothes & shoes you wore when exposed. I washed everything in warm/hot water for the last two weeks. Nasty stuff...

If you've been exposed, I've had the most success cleaning up with rubbing alcohol. Seems to limit it to a basic rash, not the swelling & seeping blisters that are a problem. I don't get poison oak so bad. Family property in Kentucky is covered in it but I rarely get a rash after being in the woods. Three leaves, but darker green, almost shiny leaves.

I'm sure I've been exposed to poison sumac, I know what it looks like, but the ingrained fear of 3 plants isn't as strong since there are other non-toxic look-alikes to sumac. Who knows, maybe that's what I came across this most recent time.
Click to expand...

Hot showers are even better. Specifically on wherever the rash is. Apple Cider vinegar is great too. https://www.thehackersparadise.com/...n-the-course&p=4566946&viewfull=1#post4566946
 
I am highly allergic to poison ivy. I used to get into all the time as a kid going out it in the woods near my house. I know exactly what it looks like and stay far away from it. The worst case I ever got was when I was around 12. I got it on my junk. One of the worst experiences of my life. My guess is I touched a plant then went to the bathroom and bam! Scratching it felt sooo good but afterwards it burned like fire.
 
To be honest, with all the advice and such......most people don't know they got the poison till the next day or so as the rash pops up and begins to spread. And sometimes it starts so small most just ignore it as an itch not even relating to poison oil plants. By the time the person realizes what they actually have going on its far too late and tracking just where the oil is on not only the body but anything we touched and possibly transferred it to is an impossible task. Plus if it was enough oil we most probably spread it to other parts of our body far long before we ever new we were even going to develop a rash and contracted the crap. By the time we break out in any full blown rash we tend to think we need to wash the rash but as said earlier the rash is not the oil but is only our reaction.

The whole thing is usually simply too late by then imo as far as pinpointing any oil on us or anything we touched or brushed up against etc. The only real reason to keep a rash clean and also treat it is to prevent itching as much as possible. Itching too much leads to opening and creating wounds which can then get infected. The whole freaking process (if one ends up with major rashes) is really just terrible.
 
Smallville said:
Hot showers are even better. Specifically on wherever the rash is. Apple Cider vinegar is great too. https://www.thehackersparadise.com/...n-the-course&p=4566946&viewfull=1#post4566946
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Good for cleaning up the first time, brutal for the ensuing week or so. The best I felt in the middle of the last mess I got into was after taking a cool shower, wearing some lightweight clothing and hanging out on the patio when it got down to upper 50's one evening. Also some ibuprofen. I sat there nearly shivering but at least the heat was out of the rash...
 
DaBuckBoys said:
Good for cleaning up the first time, brutal for the ensuing week or so. The best I felt in the middle of the last mess I got into was after taking a cool shower, wearing some lightweight clothing and hanging out on the patio when it got down to upper 50's one evening. Also some ibuprofen. I sat there nearly shivering but at least the heat was out of the rash...
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Different methods for different people. The hot water was a godsend for me, especially in order to sleep at night with no itching.
 
when I had the rash very bad there was something I read but I cannot find it at all anywhere in order to show anyone. But what it said was this.

It said if you scratch long enough there gets to a point where the itch goes away. Of course this does not mean scratch hard and till you bleed and open wounds. But what it nwntioned something about a process that takes place where as an itch will simply stop itching. Well, what I did was this.....when in the shower I took a wash cloth and went back and forth across the rash area over and over and over for the longest time and wouldn't you know after so much of it the itching stopped. No open wounds or bleeding but simply after so many minutes over and over it eventually just stopped itching. Of course was temporary but laste a couple hours or more and the relief was a god send. And so I would repeat this process when I could and I must say for whatever the reason (IDK) but it worked for a good amount of time in relief. Just too bad it wasn't a permanent thing.
 
Bumped this old thread as the other day after things in the northeast have finally greened up tree and woods wise.
I found myself much too close to some poison ivy and thinking or worrying I wasn't in any prior to noticing it. Now Im concerned again. Just wasn't thinking and I do now have a smallish irritation on my forearm. Praying and crossing fingers it wont escalate to much at all I hope. After winter and no golf and generally no greenery you just kind of forget. At least until you remember after it may be too late. lol but its not so funny when you suffer from it badly. Just thinking to bring this up again as a reminder. Or whatever stories or info anyone wants to share as well again.
 
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