Poison Ivy

[Fusaki]

http://tips.tipking.com/health/tip_107.shtml

Make a paste of 3 parts Baking Soda, 1 Part water. Apply it to affected skin and let it dry. I've had this method suggested to me by a few different people, and I'm giving it a try now. I'll report back with the results!!

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

Calimin (sp) lotion.  Pink in colour.

 

[Fusaki]

Here's my report:

The baking soda works quite well. No itch and no rash whatsoever. It is pretty messy though, because the paste doesn't stick to the skin. My nuts are currently covered in P.I., and the baking soda just isn't going to work. I was NOT pepper potting naked through the training area, I got P.I. on my hands then scratched my balls. Do me a favour and keep the smartass comments to a minimum!!

 

[Inch]

They don't issue you guys sticks? Man, life in the army must suck.   ;D

I've never had PI before, when I did my QL2 8 years ago we pepper potted through a huge patch of it, I was the only one in my section not to get it. I'm not sure if it's possible to be immune to it, but I certainly didn't have a reaction to it.

I don't want to hijack your thread, but this is a story I've got to tell.   My Stepbrother was driving to work one day and he was having a smoke. He went to flick the butt out the window but the heater fell off and landed on his crotch.   By the time he realized it was there it had burned through his jeans and left a nice 2nd degree burn on the top of his johnson. He went home and put some Polysporin on the burn and unfortunately he didn't know that Polysporin has an expiry date.   Well the burn got infected, big time. His line of thinking is, "Something is wrong with my Johnson, I go to the health clinic".   As soon as he showed them his infected johnson, they think what? That's right, STD. He got the swab which he thought was bad enough, then they took blood from his johnson too. Well he stands up and the doc says "here, hold this" and proceeds to give my brother the vial of "penis blood" (as he put it).   The best part is he gets kinda woozy at the sight of blood let alone his own blood and especially where they got the blood from, and he faints. On the way down he hit his head on the examination table and gave himself a concussion. I tried not to laugh at him while he was telling me this, but honestly, how can you keep a straight face hearing this story.   ;D

Cheers

 

[jfladeroute]

Calimin (sp) lotion.  Pink in colour.

I'm not crazy about plain calamine lotion - I find that it dries out the skin, and produces a secondary (mechanical) itch that just encourages people to scratch and spread the discomfort.

Look around for Caladryl or Benadryl 2% ointment; it contains calamine and diphenhydramine HCl (a topical antihistamine) in an ointment base that is a lot less drying. (Make sure you talk to your pharmacist - there is a version of Caladryl that doesn't contain the antihistamine; it simply doesn't work as well.)

Another alternative to the horrors of pure calamine is Aveeno Anti-Itch Concentrated Lotion. This contains colloidal oatmeal with Calamine (3.0%), Pramoxine HCl (1.0%), and Camphor (0.47%). (Pramoxine is a topical anesthetic which reduces itching).

Talking about Aveeno, if you are in a situation where you can bathe (i.e. in a tub), their Colloidal Oatmeal bath offers significant relief from itching and inflammation. I would recommend it for those prone to pepper potting naked.  >

 

[MedCorps]

Ghostwalk,

If it is really bad and you are having problems talking it anymore spin by the UMS and get some prescription strength topical (cream) or oral (pills) medication for it.

If the skin is broken also watch for infection.  If you think it is infected come on in to the UMS. 

Cheers,

MC

 

[Fusaki]

Medcorps, thanks for the advice but its really not that bad. Its just the location.

I got some Tecnu Cleanser that I'm going to try. Its a specially designed cream for poison ivy. The ingredients are as follows:

Deoderized Mineral Spirits, Water, Propylene Glycol, Octylphenoxy-Polyethoxyethanol, Mixed Fatty Acid Soap and Frangrance

 

[sgt_mandal]

but I certainly didn't have a reaction to it

It knew you were a pilot lol.

 

[Inch]

Of course it did, I told it.