There are a couple of Tecnu products, one to apply before you are possibly exposed to poison ivy/oak (its mineral oil/baby oil) the oil coats the skin and helps keep the oil from the poisonous plant from getting on the skin. The other product is to help remove the plant oil from the skin after exposure (its mineral spirits) it strips all oils off the skin.
The oils from poison ivy/oak are what causes the rash, contact with the plant gets the oil on whatever touches it (clothing, shoes, gloves, pets, tools, hoses, ANYTHING). My aunt was highly allergic and she was very careful to avoid it, but my uncle was immune to it, he would get it on his clothes and my aunt would get it on her when she picked up his clothes to wash them.
A old doctor told me if you get a contact dermatitis (rash from contact with a poisonous plant) first you wash the area with soap and water, then scrub the area til you break the blisters then put chlorine bleach on the area (burns like hell on broken skin) then you are no longer treating a contact dermatitis you are now treating a chemical burn. Hydrocortisone cream will help reduce the redness and itching.

A few years back I used a product called IvyBlock (generic name: bentoquatam topical) that helped prevent these kind of things when/where you knew you might be susceptible.

I got contact dermatitis so bad, I had to take a course of Prednisone to be rid of it. Happened two freakin years in a row.

Prednisone gives me terrible insomnia so that was awesome.



Their website says it's 'not currently being produced'. I never personally grew an arm outta my back or anything like that, so I'm not sure what that's really all about. I never had any adverse reactions to it.

Surely there is something else like it available.

I believe I have used all of the current poison ivy/poison oak (same thing) treatments.

1st) Hot bath when you come out of the woods is a big no-no. Take a shower the first time or 2 after exposure - never a bath, you don't want to float the oils all over your body. Cool water, as cool as you can go. Next, do a good job washing as noted upthread, pay attention to under your fingernails too. Since you're in the shower and not the bathtub, have a fingernail scrubber in there just for this kind of thing.

There is only one treatment that works like it should. Zanfel. Walgreens has an equivalent that is acceptable as well they call Poison Ivy wash. Technu Extreme would be the 2nd best. You'll shit when you see the price of Zanfel though. $35-$40 for a single ounce. I gladly pay it, over and over. Follow the instructions, don't cheap out on the amount you use, use it as soon as the itching starts, and rub long and hard and it makes the itching go away totally -for me. Don't use Mean Green as a substitute, it's a short term fix and if it gets in your blood stream you're screwed. I have tubes of Walgreens Poison Ivy wash/Zanfel both at home and in my drawer right here at work right now. If I feel and itch anytime during the work day after a weekend sojourn, I get up and address it immediately. I may be in the bathroom at work middle of the day washing my manhood with the door locked, but it beats the alternative.


Days after exposure if you are getting crazy itchy if you are trying to sleep or waking up scratching and don't have any of zanfel on hand you can get a quick relief shot from a super hot bath with baking soda in it.

I use to carry the cheap regular Technu in my car and work my hands over before I'd even touched the steering wheel in the car after coming out of the woods. It's paint thinner based and I always hated putting it on as I often didn't have enough water to get it off before the drive home.

Also, none of our other dogs caused an issue, but the new one loves to rub her belly on your feet and it's an issue. So the dog gets washed with dawn and I try and avoid her for a while. If you have pets and you get them out in the woods, keep it in mind.

I've had to learn a lot of this the hard way and this is what works for me. Just pay attention to what works for you, keep trying if this doesn't work cause there is a solution. Good luck!

Oh, I use to eat a small leaf or 2 of it preseason as the leafs emerged and that was of some assistance as well, you can google that some folks say they have become immune from it but I never was totally safe, would still get it, but start small and be cautious if you try this.

I used to have really bad reactions to poison ivy. At the time, treatment consisted of 50 units benadryl into muscle(butt), prednisone tablets orally and Kenalog spray topically. Worked quite well and quickly.