Poison Oak Info!! for would be trackers

Poison Oak

If you've spent time in the back country, there's an excellent chance you've had a Poison Oak experience. If not, well, it's probably a matter of time. Nearly every Search and Rescue member is quite familiar with poison oak and has a favorite story to tell. Below are some of the remedies we have found that work well, as well as some links to other pages to help out those afflicted.
A Brief Summary

Poison Oak Sketch

Poison oak is a woody shrub that is related to poison ivy and poison sumac. It is plentiful below 4,000' and is generally identified by its oily leaves in groups of three. The leaves can be green, yellow, or red and fall off each year. The leaves and stems contain an oil (Urushiol) that causes an itchy rash in 85% of the population. It's powerful stuff - 1/4 ounce would give a rash to every person on earth and the oil can remain active for up to five years.
Search and Rescue Remedies

Since the oil is the nasty part of the plant, most of the remedies include some surfactant to break up the oil and wash it away. Everyone reacts differently, so try as many remedies as you need to until you find one that works. The important thing is that you wash your gear and clothes so you don't expose yourself again the next time you use them. The treatments described below are all over-the-counter, but for extreme cases, consider consulting a physician.

Adventure Race Team Remedies - C. Hare
Poison Oak Leaves "My adventure race team has a variety of remedies. I've found green soap works well for me. My teammates use a variety of remedies. One uses Oil of Oregano, found in health food stores. Just rub it on, it will sting/itch for less than an hour and then that's it. Applied 2-3 times and the itching is done. Another has had luck with 1% hydrocortisone creams, just be sure to follow the precautions."

Lots of Personal Experience - M. Winter
Poison Oak Patch "Unfortunately, I have had several opportunties to try treatments and have found the following the most effective for me. I remove my contaminated clothes as soon as I can since the oil works through fabric (especially behind your knees and inside your elbows). Then I take a cool shower with regular soap to remove any oil. Everything (clothes and gear) that might have oil on it is washed twice in a five-gallon bucket with regular laundry detergent. The itching starts 2-3 days after exposure, with blisters three days later. When the itching is bad, I use ice cubes or ice packs for a few hours of relief. Before sleeping, I run the affected areas under very hot water. It itches like mad for a few minutes, but goes away for several hours. A layer of 1% hydrocortisone cream (not ointment) generally gets me through the night itch free. If I do wake up, I use the ice treatment. If I follow this routine, the itching lasts a few days. I always crack after the blisters form and scratch them (but it feels SO GOOD!!), so I use ice to stop the itching and a hair dryer to stop the weeping.

Someone told me oatmeal works the best on poison Ivy, Some people aren't affected by it, but if you have a low tolerance, this article might help, at least with the photos so you know what to avoid. -Thunder