The "Combined" Poison Oak Thread :-)

UPSed said:
Okay. Hopefully you've already had your dinner. Apparently I picked up something over the last week or two and don't know what. I did see a lot of poodle dog on the Ojai ride last Saturday. Anyways what to do now since it's obviously too late to scrub. Any recommendations?
View attachment 51404
Click to expand...
What, I was wondering why I didn’t see a Wednesday workout on strava. Your right there was lots of poodle dog. We didn’t trudge through it and it didn’t look like it’s normal pretty flowery self so I never thought twice about it. I’m pretty sure I’m immune to it and PO and could probably eat the stuff for lunch after some of the riding we’ve done where there was absolutely no way to avoid it. I agree with RWS though, BEER is always the answer. Hope it clears up soon.
 
In just the matter of a couple of hours the back of my leg looks like it is wrapped in bubble wrap. I don't think it's poodle dog. I didn't make contact with it. I think it's something local from a ride I did the Monday before last. Anyways I put some Ivarest on it and I am two beers in.
20190404_173127(1).jpg
 
Voodoo Tom said:
What, I was wondering why I didn’t see a Wednesday workout on strava. Your right there was lots of poodle dog. We didn’t trudge through it and it didn’t look like it’s normal pretty flowery self so I never thought twice about it. I’m pretty sure I’m immune to it and PO and could probably eat the stuff for lunch after some of the riding we’ve done where there was absolutely no way to avoid it. I agree with RWS though, BEER is always the answer. Hope it clears up soon.
Click to expand...
The problem with poisonous plants is that unknowing victims rub through the plant and then transfer the oils onto other plants where they can be transfered on to you. Call it second hamd contamination. So, you think you are being safe by not rubbing on the bad plants but you end up getting contaminated by other plants that the oils have been transfered to.

And yes, some are not as reactive, if at all, to these plants as others.

So far this year I seem to be less reactive but I think that the fact that I take a daily antihistimine plays a role in that.
 
Faust29 said:
I let mine (poison oak) go too long two summers ago and ended up on steroids for a month to clear it from my system.

If it gets any worse, I’d go see a dermatologist. Mine gave me a boatload of steroid cream for future issues... i now use it after any prolonged mustard encounter.
Click to expand...

Because remember....you said you were immune to it. Which is good, until you are not.
 
UPSed said:
Anyways what to do now since it's obviously too late to scrub. Any recommendations?
Click to expand...

It is NOT too late to scrub. You can even scrub several days after contact. If you don't get the oil off, it will continue to get worse and may even spread.

Best thing I have found is to wash the area very thoroughly a couple of times with a degreaser like Fast Orange or GoJo, then take a hot shower.

fast-orange.jpg
 
SnakeCharmer said:
You are allergic to mustard?! Perhaps you ought to up out door sports?

@UPSed, I highly doubt your rash was caused by mustard plants.
Click to expand...

No... His wasn’t caused by mustard most likely, but the cause is largely irrelevant for treatment. The dermatologist spent all of 3 seconds wondering what caused mine, but he cured it with the same methods that cover all allergic reactions.

If it gets worse, get off the forum and see a dermatologist...
 
Another common tree (invasive noxious weed) that people don't know causes similar skin reactions:

Brazilian Pepper Tree (which is closely related to poison oak and poison ivy, even though people have it growing all over their yards)
https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/schinus-terebinthifolia/

sciter3.jpg


If you are doing yard work and have any of this in your yard and several days later you come down with a rash on your legs or arms, the odds are good that this is what caused it - not poison oak on a bike trail that you don't remember brushing up against. I have removed it from our yard, and kill it whenever it pops up from adventitious seeding, but my neighbor has removed ALL other trees in their backyard EXCEPT Brazilian peppers(!)
 
Last edited:
SnakeCharmer said:
And in our wilds, some are allergic to Sumac.
Click to expand...

California sumac is not only non-toxic, but edible.

https://www.kcet.org/home-garden/8-ways-to-use-california-sumac-for-the-holidays

Don't get me wrong - there is a plant called poison sumac that is every bit as bad as poison oak. However poison sumac doesn't grow in California (additionally, it isn't even a true sumac). I have seen California sumac on the trail margin on Harding Truck Trail at about mile 8.5.
 
SnakeCharmer said:
You are allergic to mustard?! Perhaps you ought to give up outdoor sports? :rolleyes:

@UPSed, I highly doubt your rash was caused by mustard plants.
Click to expand...
I'm not allergic to anything except maybe poison oak. :eek: It's definitely poison oak I just wish I knew where I got it. I'll pay more attention in the future.

@BonsaiNut I scrubbed last night before I applied the Ivarest. I'm hoping I'm on the backside of this crap.
 
UPSed said:
I'm hoping I'm on the backside of this crap.
Click to expand...

Yeah, people should understand that most treatments treat the symptoms and not the cause. The cause is the plant oils - and your body's reaction to them - and as long as those oils are on your skin, the best you can hope for are medicines that mute your body's auto-immune response. If you don't remove the oil, you can have a reaction that lasts weeks... until the oil physically wears off, or the contaminated skin flakes off as part of the standard natural growth process. The oil is invisible and particularly tenacious, and if it is on a part of your body that you normally don't scrub with soap (like the back of your leg), it can stay somewhat indefinitely.

I love my plants :) When we did the Holy Jim / Trabuco loop a couple of years ago, @Mikie , @mtnbikej and @MattB got a forced lecture on white sage :) Perhaps that is one reason why they kept riding away from me :)
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top