What Not To Do

Poison oak contains urushiol oil—the sticky, resin-like substance found inside the plant that causes the rash, blisters and itch that make it so well known. More than half the population is allergic to urushiol oil. Found in poison oak, poison ivy and poison sumac, it is said to be the cause of more than 50 million cases of dermatitis in the United States every year.

Urushiol is present throughout the entire plant, including leaves, stems and roots, even after the plant has died. It can also stay active on any surface for up to five years–including on dead plants, yard tools, garden gloves and even animal fur.

The leg is not mine, but I feel a bit responsible. Ron ran into a bad patch on West Horsethief and had a fairly major reaction. I had intended to bring alcohol and alcohol wipes along for the ride - always a good idea when venturing into unknown foliage - but I was remiss. Alcohol works well to remove the oil. Apply ASAP. Poison Oak is like cancer, the quicker you treat it the better. If you can't cleanse with alcohol during your ride, immediately wash with soap and rinse with alcohol when you are finished. If you start to break out, then you might try bleach on the rash. Bleach kills the oil. There are also over the counter products to combat poison oak exposure. I'm not sure if they work better than Alcohol and Bleach ( I believe Technu is alcohol based). You may also want to consider long sleeves and pant legs if you have repeated problems...an obvious solution, but you still have to be careful of your tainted clothing. Be careful, this is nasty stuff, some people are more susceptible than others. If you are sensitive to poison oak, don't always believe your friends when they tell you that the trail is oak free. They may not know and poison oak is often difficult to spot. Avoid the three-leafed plants as a rule. If you do step in it, try not to touch your the area of contact. If you do touch the area of contact, try especially hard not to touch your nether regions. Don't be the poster child for Regret.

If your breakout gets as bad as Ron's, then hopefully there is a walk-in clinic near you.