Poison Ivy Treatment
Poison ivy treatment does not have to be expensive or involve prescription medications in most cases.
There are numerous home remedies and natural treatments available which will stop the itching and dry up the skin so that the affected layers will fall off, leaving healthy unblemished new skin behind. Baking soda is a very effective home remedy that can stop the itching and burning while eliminating the damaged skin layers. Create a paste from equal parts of water and baking soda, then apply this paste to any skin that has a poison ivy rash. This will cool the burning and stop the itching sensation immediately.
Poison ivy treatment combines methods to stop the itching and burning while helping new skin cells to replace the damaged ones. There are some home remedies that are no longer used because of the dangers of damage to your skin, and bleach is the biggest one of these. Years ago, straight bleach was believed to be helpful when used on a poison ivy rash, because it removes dead and damaged skin and stopped the itching. Bleach, however, will cause damage to healthy skin, and is a harsh and caustic chemical that should never be used on your skin in any circumstances. There are other treatment methods that will give more effective relief without damaging the healthy skin underneath.
Poison ivy treatment can involve using hot water or hot air to help dry out the rash, and stop the itching and discomfort that poison ivy causes. A shower with the water as hot as your unaffected skin can take without burning can provide very effective relief, and make you comfortable in your own skin. Stand under the shower and let the hot water flow over the rash for ten or fifteen minutes, and the itching will stop for hours. Using a hair dryer to gently blow warm air on the skin which contains the rash can also help to dry out any blisters, and help the new healthy skin cells come to the surface. Drying out the rash is the only way to get rid of it, and this must be part of any effective treatment.