I am incredibly allergic to poison ivy. I can practically look at it and break out the next day. Does anyone have experience with trying to combat poison ivy problems when the too-good-to-miss trails are lined with it?

There's Ivy block, there's aluminum somethin' somethin' in deoterant, soap and water post trail...anyone with any experience or suggestions?

Luckily (keeping fingers crossed that it stays this way) I don't react to it. The only thing I can think of would be to wear longer sleeves/socks/etc. to keep more skin covered. But that doesn't sound fun either. Hmmm...

But I can relate. Two years ago, on a horrible death march type ride (the ones where you're lost, everything seems uphill both ways, it's approximately a million degrees outside... ) I went down the one section of trail that was a fun downhill, hit a rock at the bottom and endoed straight into a huge mess of stinging nettles. It was like my skin was on fire - it wasn't like I landed on one plant - I was a sweaty mess and literally fell through a whole patch of them. My face, arms, legs, back, neck... And we were still lost and had hours of wandering in the heat before we found the truck again. Absolutely the worst riding experience of my life.

Anyway, I feel for you and hope you find a way to avoid it! (Or trails that don't have any...)

I am incredibly allergic to poison ivy. I can practically look at it and break out the next day. Does anyone have experience with trying to combat poison ivy problems when the too-good-to-miss trails are lined with it?

There's Ivy block, there's aluminum somethin' somethin' in deoterant, soap and water post trail...anyone with any experience or suggestions?

I am incredibly allergic to poison ivy

Me too!

Use the ivy block prior to a ride to help minimize exposure. And pick up some Technu (sold at drug stores) for after the ride. Keep them both in your riding bag at all times so you don't get caught with your pants down (so to speak). You can use the Technu and whatever water is left in your camelbak to rinse down after the ride or if you can find a fast food/convenience store bathroom sink, that works too. If not, use it right when you get home prior to taking a shower.

Check out this web site:

http://poisonivy.aesir.com/

Tons of info.

Me too!

Use the ivy block prior to a ride to help minimize exposure. And pick up some Technu (sold at drug stores) for after the ride. Keep them both in your riding bag at all times so you don't get caught with your pants down (so to speak). You can use the Technu and whatever water is left in your camelbak to rinse down after the ride or if you can find a fast food/convenience store bathroom sink, that works too. If not, use it right when you get home prior to taking a shower.


Oh.. one more thing. Always keep your potentially contaminated clothing separate from the rest of your clothing at all times!

There's Ivy block, there's aluminum somethin' somethin' in deoterant, soap and water post trail...anyone with any experience or suggestions?

Technu lotion works for sure. Also, I used to orienteer a lot (run though the woods and right through the PI), and I always showered with Fels Naptha soap afterward, before I knew about Technu. It's a large bar of brown soap found in the laundry soap section of some grocery stores. It was my father's old-fashioned remedy. Ordinary soap may have worked, too, but I rarely got more than a small blister or two, even after running though patches of poison ivy up to my knees.

I found out about Technu after a road ride several years ago. Went down a strange downhill too fast, following a group and trying to keep up. Got surprised by a tight right/left combo and skidded off the road. I landed on my back in the middle of a really healthy patch of PI. Another guy ended up crashing almost on top of me, in the same PI patch. When I got back to the car, a friend handed me some Technu and told me to wash with it. I went home and did. My friend didn't. I got a few scattered blisters, and he looked like a nuclear burn victim for weeks.

Kathy :^)

We don't have poison ivy, but oak...same thing though...Tecnu works great...but the trick is to use cold water..Do not use hot water in the shower until you've rinsed with the tecnu and cold water...I learned the hard way and got it from my dogs before I realized it was in this area. I had it from head to toe and would wake up bleeding from scratching in my sleep. Worst torture I've ever been through...anyways, just wanted to note the COLD water thing...

And pick up some Technu (sold at drug stores) for after the ride. .

I can vouch for this. Last tuesday some of the trails were overgrown and I definitely went through some poison oak, but technu'd right after the ride and nary a blister.

Too bad technu doesn't work for the stinging nettles though. Those hurt for 2 days! I can't even imagine what you went through, connie, landing in a mess of it. I only had exposed shins and it kept me up!

I'd never heard of the Technu lotion. I also hadn't realized that hot water makes more of a mess of the Ivy oil than cold.

I get PI from either riding or gardening (usually because my garden gloves have it on it from another day's project). Sounds like I need to try this stuff out. I usually work up to getting it so bad during the season that I go on prednisone for a week and it tapers off the rest of the year. Prednisone is a steroid, and quite dandy the week you're on it, but it causes me to sleep and feel beaten for 3 days afterwards...I'd rather try this Technu solution.

Thanks for everyone's input. I was starting to dread that I'd be smearing Sure roll-on over my legs in the parking lot. Technu sounds more sensible.

I'd never heard of the Technu lotion. I also hadn't realized that hot water makes more of a mess of the Ivy oil than cold.

Warm water opens your pores and lets the oil in. *shudder*

Yes...Lucky is totally right...warm water lets the oils right in...sucks taking cold showers in the winter..but it's the only way...I also wanted to add that if you already have rashes from oak/ivy that you should keep your skin as dry as possible....Don't put lotion on it...the fastest way to get rid of it without killing your body with steroids is just to keep taking showers and using a soap that dries the skin and to also put calamine lotion on the rashes...it helps dry it out faster...I know you look funny walking around with pink spots all over...but it's the best way to get rid of the torture rashes ASAP...I've spent years trying to figure out the best solution to deal with poison oak cuz the dogs are always covered in it from hiking/biking...and this is the best thing I've come up with...Good Luck!!!

Oh, and if you have furry friends that have it on their coats as well...Tecnu also helps when giving them a bath...so they can get some love from you again too...

Well I got into my first poison ivy of the year this past Sunday. I was out riding with my husband and said 'Oh let us take a break by this nice lake.' (I have only been on maybe seven rides, so I really like breaks) While I was at work I started rubbing my legs thinking mosquitos had attacked me, but I wish ~ I found some kinda poisonous plant.

This is also my first post by the way!
I am Sharon, from South Carolina. I just bought my first bike about two weeks ago. I hadn't been on a bike much since I was a kid and I am having fun!

This is also my first post by the way!
I am Sharon, from South Carolina. I just bought my first bike about two weeks ago. I hadn't been on a bike much since I was a kid and I am having fun!

Welcome Sharon...

I'm pretty new to the sport myself. Trying hard not to get into the poison ivy while crashing - but think I brushed some with my leg today...I'm praying I caught it in time and it didn't start to spread.

Good look on the bike and on keeping yourself away from the nasty poisonous plants.

i used to have a huge bottle of it but in my most recent move the bottle seems to have disappeared, so it's off to the drug store for me!!

i got my first PI 3 weeks ago after a race in Columbia, TN. fortunately it was only 2 little spots. however, i'm pretty sure i stood right in a patch of the stuff this past Sat during my pre-ride at the Clemson, SC course. i didn't have any technu with me but as soon as i got back to my car i wiped my legs down with baby wipes and then used the only soap i had, Clearasil anti-bacterial, rubbed it on my legs and then wiped again with a clean baby wipe. it will be another day or 2 before i know whether this strategy worked. (keeping my fingers crossed!!)

but get a nice big bottle of technu and you'll be good to go!

rt

Technu works great and is fairly easy to use, not too messy. But if you run out, any soap designed to cut grease---like dishwashing liquid to simple green---rinsed with cold water also seems to help prevent an allergic reaction.

I am incredibly allergic to poison ivy. I can practically look at it and break out the next day. Does anyone have experience with trying to combat poison ivy problems when the too-good-to-miss trails are lined with it?

There's Ivy block, there's aluminum somethin' somethin' in deoterant, soap and water post trail...anyone with any experience or suggestions?
And more......may be found at http://www.aad.org/pamphlets/PoisonIvy.html or http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/welcome.html. The cause of this allergic contact dermatitis is a water-soluble oil, urushiol, which is in the crushed leaves, stem, or root of the offending plant(s), It may dry to a brown-black color on your skin when immediately exposed to air, which may help you identify it after you've fallen into it. We have some sucess with immediately washing the skin with water or rubbing alcohol or in a pinch, aluminum chlorhydrate antiperspirant or ?energy drink. Ivy Block, or bentoquuatum, from Cutter's and others, helps preventively pre-ride rubbed on all exposed skin. Technu and topical prescriptions with cortisone or newer non-cortisone agents (Protopic; Elidel) can help. Severe reactions around the face, or large body areas should ideally be seen promptly by a physcian...most expertise probably from a dermatologist if available. :)