Many species of birds that love to feast on the white, smooth, round and clustered berries of the poison ivy plant. Unfortunately for many humans, any contact with the plant brings painful and extremely itchy blisters and rashes that will spread when scratched.
My first encounter with poison ivy didn’t occur until after we moved onto our farm. I thought that I was one of the lucky ones that didn’t have a reaction to this bothersome plant. I wasn’t the least bit concerned about any encounters with it and wouldn’t have recognized the plant if I saw it. Probably still wouldn’t.
Leaves of three let them be. Poison ivy has three leaves that come in multiple textures and shapes. Maybe that is why I have so much trouble recognizing it. The plant can grow erect or be a trailing vine down the side of a tree or other object. It flowers from May through July; the flowers are small and yellow. The fruit appears from August through November.
Anyways, I do have a reaction to it. The first time I broke out in a rash, I didn’t realize what it was, I just knew it itched. So I scratched. And it spread. The commercially advertised cures didn’t work well for me. Caladryl turned me pink. Cortisone cream only stopped the itch for a few minutes. Turning the air conditioner on high and staying cool seemed to bring more relief than anything else. Covering the rash with bandages was about the only way I could keep from scratching.
Then I read in a farm magazine about how one lady stopped the itch and spread of her poison ivy by using a deodorant stone. Whenever the poison ivy begins to itch, just grab a deodorant stone and rub across it. This begins to dry the rash up and it simply disappears one day. Hallelujah! That sounded simple enough.
The next time I got poison ivy, I tried it out the deodorant stone method and it worked! Salt from the stone would build up on my skin and flake off, but that was better then the itching I had endured before and it didn’t turn me pink. It was rather inconvenient having to wet the stone each time it was needed, though.
Now the deodorant stone can be obtained as a roll on or spray. I am sure to keep plenty of it around in case of bothersome encounters with the poison. Then I found out something else that helped even more.
Anytime you know or think that you have been exposed to poison ivy, wash the affected area with Fels Naptha soap. This soap will wash away the oils left on your skin off and will possibly even stop the rash.
Poison ivy no longer afflicts me. By using the deodorant stone and Fels Naptha soap, I have managed to keep from breaking out in a rash or stop the spread of an already existing rash. Hopefully, this method will work for you as well.
Crystal Body 30063 Crystal Body Deodorant, 2.25-Ounce Roll-Ons in 3 Bottles Packages (Pack of 2)
Crystal Body 30063 Crystal Body Deodorant, 2.25-Ounce Roll-Ons in 3 Bottles Packages (Pack of 2)
