HERB - Poison Ivy help

[Roberta R Comstock]

On Thu, 20 May 1999 16:57:13 -0500 Christina <magdlena at texas.net> writes:
>> >Well for the first time in my looong life I have it. Yes the 
>dreaded
>> >poison ivy. At least it is not bad yet, but is spreading without 
>help.
>> >Does anyone have any suggestions as to what will help. I know there 
>are
>> >over the counter stuff and prescriptions but I would like to 
>stay/try
>> >natural first.
>
>****Don't do this if you have sensitive skin****  Pouring bleach over 
>the rash and leaving it for until it burns will dry out poison ivy fast.
 After 
>it starts burning, rinse off and apply baking soda to counteract the
bleach.
>

Bleach and baking soda are both alkaline, bleach being the stronger of
the two.  Soda cannot make it less so.  It would take an acid, such as
vinegar diluted with water, to actually neutralize the alkalinity of the
bleach.  I would not do this to my skin.  Bleach fumes are bad for anyone
with respiratory problems.  

If you are continuing to break out on various parts of your body,  you
are either being recontaminated by contact with the oil from the plant 
or you are having a systemic reaction.  Deal with the former by washing
anything and everything that may have been in contact with poison ivy. 
Use strong soap, plenty of it, and warm water.  Deal with the latter by
seeing your physician, who will probably prescribe cortisone treatments
of some sort.

If you are interested in my poison ivy rant (recently posted on another
list), let me know and I'll send you a copy or post it here.

Hertha

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
============================================================================
Go to http://lists.ansteorra.org/lists.html to perform mailing list tasks.