Let's figure out how to take care of this poison ivy rash.
The goal with over the counter treatment of poison ivy is to:
Remove the oil as much as you can to curtail spreading.
Relieve the itching.
Dry the rash using an astringent.
Reduce the skin inflammation.
Protect the skin from further damage.
Take a look at over the counter medications that will accomplish this below. Then answer a few questions to see how to apply these to your case of poison ivy rash.
Anti itch
Calamine lotion
Diphenhydramine oral tablets for night time itch.
Anti-inflammatory
Hydrocortisone 1% for inflammation. Apply to spots only. Do not apply to a large area.
Oil removal
Goal is to remove urushiol, the toxin responsible for the reaction, from the skin after bonding, enabling the affected area to immediately begin healing.
Zanfel® is good for this but expensive.
Drying agent
Aluminum acetate astringent action.
You will dissolve 1 to 3 pkts in a pint of warm water, stir until dissolved. soak a clean cloth in the solution and apply to the affected area for 15 to 30 mins at a time.
A good example is Domeboro®
Prevention
You will apply these prior to contact to serve as a barrier that blocks the urushiol from reaching your skin and starting the development of the rash.
Should be applied at least 15 mins before skin exposure and repeated every 4 hours.
An example is Bentoquatam (Ivy Block (Hard to find. Check Amazon))
Last updated by pharmacist on :
03/06/2018 at 04:53:pm
Now, use this information to choose a good over the counter remedy for your poison ivy rash relief.
Which of the symptoms listed below are you experiencing right now?
Choose your symptoms from the list below and see what is recommended.
Selection require an anti itch cream or lotion
Selection require an anti inflammatory cream or lotion.
Selection require a drying agent.
Selection require an oil removal scrub or wash.
Selection require you to see a doctor.
Symptoms require an anti itch and anti inflammatory cream or lotion
Symptoms require an anti itch cream and a drying agent
Symptoms require an anti itch cream and an oil removal scrub or wash
Symptoms require an anti itch cream and you have to see a doctor.
Symptoms require a anti inflammatory cream and a drying agent.
Symptoms require a anti inflammatory and oil removal scrub or wash
Symptoms require a anti inflammatory cream and for you to see a doctor.
Symptoms require a drying agent and oil removal scrub or wash
Symptoms require a drying agent and for you to see a doctor.
Symptoms require a oil removal wash and for you to see a doctor.
Symptoms require an anti itch, anti inflammatory cream or lotion and a drying agent.
Symptoms require anti itch, anti inflammatory cream or lotion and oil removal wash.
Symptoms require anti itch, anti inflammatory and you will have to see a doctor
Symptoms require anti itch, drying agent and an oil removal wash.
Symptoms require anti itch cream, drying agent and you must seek urgent care
Symptoms require anti itch cream, oil removal wash and seek urgent care
Symptoms require anti inflammatory, drying agent and an oil removal wash
Symptoms require anti inflammatory, drying agent and seek urgent care
Symptoms require anti inflammatory, oil removal wash and seek urgent care
Symptoms require a drying agent, oil removal wash and you should seek urgent care
Symptoms require anti itch cream, anti inflammatory, drying agent and an oil removal wash
Symptoms require anti itch cream, anti inflammatory, drying agent and seek urgent care
Symptoms require anti itch cream, anti inflammatory, oil removal wash and you should seek urgent care
Symptoms require anti itch cream, drying agent, oil removal wash and for you to seek urgent care
Symptoms require anti inflammatory, drying agent, oil removal wash and for you to seek urgent care
Symptoms require anti itch cream, anti inflammatory, drying agent, oil removal wash and please seek urgent care
Something to prevent?
Preventive measures
Apply these prior to contact to serve as a barrier that blocks the urushiol from reaching your skin and starting the development of the rash.
Should be applied at least 15 mins before skin exposure and repeated every 4 hours.
An example is Bentoquatam (Ivy Block (Hard to find. Check Amazon))
All of these?
You must have this poisonivy really bad.
You must have this poison ivy very bad. Please seek a nearby urgent care clinic as soon as possible.
None of these?
We must have left something out.
Sorry, we must have left something out. Please choose what closely resembles what you are experiencing and see what a pharmacist recommends to use over-the-counter.
Anti-Itch Cream/Lotion
Calamine lotion
Diphenhydramine oral tablets for night time itch.
Anti inflammatory cream/lotion
Hydrocortisone 1% for inflammation. Apply to spots only. Do not apply to a large area.
Drying Agent
Aluminum acetate astringent action.
Dissolve 1 to 3 packets in a pint of warm water, stir until dissolved. soak a clean cloth in the solution and apply to the affected area for 15 to 30 mins at a time.
A good example is Domeboro®
Oil removal
Goal is to remove urushiol, the toxin responsible for the reaction, from the skin after bonding, enabling the affected area to immediately begin healing.
Zanfel® is good for this but expensive.
Seek Urgent Care
You will have to go to a nearby urgent care clinic for this. Probably need oral steroidal medication like prednisone. These are prescription medicines.
Worth doing
Wash, wash, wash! It is the oil (urushiol) that causes the reaction. The more you get rid of the oil from the skin, clothes, gardening tools, and even shoes, the better.
Know this about the safe and effective use of this recommendation.
Our disclaimer
Recommendation is the opinion of a registered US Pharmacist currently practicing as a community pharmacist.
Recommendation is not an attempt to discuss all possible self care or treatment approach to this health challenge.
The responsibility of the recommending pharmacist is limited to this question: "If a patient presents with these symptoms, what will you recommend and why?"
It is not an attempt to publish an article on the treatment of any condition. Just what would you tell a patient who present with so and so in the usual course of your practice.
The pharmacist image presented in this article may or may not be the actual image of the authoring pharmacist. Because we insist on using articles written by currently practicing community pharmacists, these pharmacists may choose to remain anonymous especially if they are employed by an employer to avoid being pressured to recommend a particular product to drive sales.
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