Preventing poison oak?

Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any type of cream you could
spread on before a ride or anything?

Just curious,

*John*

 

On Mon, 16 Jun 2003 03:41:53 GMT, "*John*" <[email protected]> wrote:

.Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any type .of cream you could
spread on before a ride or anything? . .Just curious, . .*John*

That's easy: stay on paved roads, where bikes belong.
===
I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to humans ("pure habitat"). Want to
help? (I spent the previous 8 years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)

http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande

 

"*John*" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any
type
> of cream you could spread on before a ride or anything?
>
> Just curious,
>
> *John*
>

There is a product called Ivyblock that you can apply before you hit the trail.

 

> That's easy: stay on paved roads, where bikes belong.
> ===
> I am working on creating wildlife habitat that is off-limits to humans ("pure habitat"). Want to
> help? (I spent the previous 8 years fighting auto dependence and road construction.)
>
> http://home.pacbell.net/mjvande
>

Listen jackass, I was asking other mountainbikers, not "people who have no facts about others and
care to judge them". I've gotten poison oak while hiking too (which I believe, in your eyes, is the
only allowable form of off-road transportation).

Now, please tell me how I'm a typical mountain biker, a destroyer of the environment, and an SUV
driver, blah, blah, blah. You know me so well.............

I doubt that this will get through to you, in fact I don't even know why I typed it.

Perhaps you can get a job with the Sierra Club (with whom I have no problem) and express your
views...............oh, that's right.......

 

"*John*" <[email protected]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any
type
> of cream you could spread on before a ride or anything?
>

That is iesy, just do not ride where there is poison oak.

Seriously, is it too hot for long pants where you are? Even lightwieght ones? If you are contacting
flora on your ride, you are at risk for picking up a tick. Contracting Lyme is a bit more ugly than
an allergic reaction to a plant.

Where I ride (Germany), there is no poison oak or ivy, but we do have this weed called brenesil that
loves to grow on (and into) the trailside and it burns like hell when you touch it.

-Dave

 

"Dave Stocker" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> "*John*" <[email protected]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:[email protected]...
> > Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any
> type
> > of cream you could spread on before a ride or anything?
> >
>
> That is iesy, just do not ride where there is poison oak.
>
> Seriously, is it too hot for long pants where you are? Even lightwieght ones? If you are
> contacting flora on your ride, you are at risk for
picking
> up a tick. Contracting Lyme is a bit more ugly than an allergic reaction
to
> a plant.
>
> Where I ride (Germany), there is no poison oak or ivy, but we do have this weed called brenesil
> that loves to grow on (and into) the trailside and it burns like hell when you touch it.
>
> -Dave

I ride in major tick area, as well as an area with lots of poison ivy. I'd love to see somebody
riding during the 90+ degree F, 85% humidity days in long pants. Hell, they'd get heat stroke, fall
in poison ivy, and pick up loads of ticks

Jon Bond

 

"Dave Stocker" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> "*John*" <[email protected]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:[email protected]...
> > Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any
> type
> > of cream you could spread on before a ride or anything?
> >
>
> That is iesy, just do not ride where there is poison oak.
>
> Seriously, is it too hot for long pants where you are? Even lightwieght ones? If you are
> contacting flora on your ride, you are at risk for
picking
> up a tick. Contracting Lyme is a bit more ugly than an allergic reaction
to
> a plant.

Perhaps, but contracting lyme can be more easily prevented by thouroughly checking for ticks after a
ride. Most literature suggests it takes about a day to 2 days to contract it from a tick. (I'm not a
doc, don't get all bent out of shape if you know different) There's nothing you can do to really
prevent poison . And for those of us who have had bad cases it's more than just a "rash". If you
can't sleep for a week because your skin is on fire it becomes more of a concern than ticks.

Chris

>
> Where I ride (Germany), there is no poison oak or ivy, but we do have this weed called brenesil
> that loves to grow on (and into) the trailside and it burns like hell when you touch it.
>
> -Dave
>

 

*John* says:

>Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak?

Full body condom. ;-) When I was at college and had to do fibreglass work, we were ofered a choice
or rubber gloves or barrier cream to keep the fibres and resins off our delicate skin. The barrier
cream looked like a great idea, but after a couple of hours where no sweat could escape and no skin
could breathe, we all opted for the gloves, which at least could be taken off for a breather.

In other words, you may regret the cream more than the poison oak.

Steve

 

"ctg" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
>
> "Dave Stocker" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > "*John*" <[email protected]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any
> > type
> > > of cream you could spread on before a ride or anything?
> > >
> >
> > That is iesy, just do not ride where there is poison oak.
> >
> > Seriously, is it too hot for long pants where you are? Even lightwieght ones? If you are
> > contacting flora on your ride, you are at risk for
> picking
> > up a tick. Contracting Lyme is a bit more ugly than an allergic
reaction
> to
> > a plant.
>
> Perhaps, but contracting lyme can be more easily prevented by thouroughly checking for ticks after
> a ride. Most literature suggests it takes about a day to 2 days to contract it from a tick. (I'm
> not a doc, don't get all
bent
> out of shape if you know different) There's nothing you can do to really prevent poison . And for
> those of us who have had bad cases it's more than just a "rash". If you can't sleep for a week
> because your skin is on fire
it
> becomes more of a concern than ticks.
>
> Chris
>
> >
> > Where I ride (Germany), there is no poison oak or ivy, but we do have
this
> > weed called brenesil that loves to grow on (and into) the trailside and
it
> > burns like hell when you touch it.
> >
> > -Dave
> >
All sounds dead scary to me....Think I'll stick with me all-over-all-in-one-bodysuit, with removable
armour and recyclable hydra-system that allows for continued hydration, a la Dune, Maud-ib etc. That
way I'll be perfectly safe ;-) ...oh yeah, and I'll remove that really dangerous thing with two
wheels on from between my legs. Cheers, Dave....

p.s. - but seriously, I reckon the most dangerous thing is age. I used to fall off and
bounce...never even noticed it really. Now (older) I fall off and stay exactly where I land,
for about 5 minutes....wondering which bit broke on landing ;-). It's not so much the bones as
the bits inbetween not being as flexible and elastic as they used to be. Enjoy it young ones,
it will get you too!!

 

In article <[email protected]>, "*John*"
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any type of cream you could
> spread on before a ride or anything?
>
> Just curious,
>
> *John*
>
>

First and foremost is to learn to recognize and avoid it. I can't count the number of riders I have
asked, "Did you see the poison oak?" and gotten the response, "Where? What poison oak?"

If I have seen poison oak and suspect I may have come in contact with it, I'll first wash the bike,
strip in front of the washing machine--turning the clothes inside out, and take a shower.

I suspect ordinary sunblock may slow the contaminant's bonding with your skin--which is what the
product Ivy Block is purported to do. There is also a product calle Technu which claims to be better
than soap at washing the contaminant off--IF you use it soon enough.

As a teenager, I was highly reactive to poison oak, but I haven't had a case of it since, despite
having SEEN the plant many times. In California it's nearly everywhere, except for the desert and
high Sierra.

TD

--
[email protected] World Without Cars Dictionary of Vandemisms (2001) is available at:
http://trekkiedad.freeservers.com/wwc.html ICQ# available on request

 

*John* at [email protected] wrote on 6/15/03 8:41 PM:

> Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any type of cream you could
> spread on before a ride or anything?

Yes - I suffer badly when infected - Here are my Hints:

1) Good greasy sunblock on the legs and arms. Seems to work as well as IvyBlock or those type of
things, at less $.

2) Learn what it looks like. Avoidance is most of the battle.

3) Assume the following: If you've seen it, you've touched it. It's on you. It's on your clothing.
It's on your bike. Treat them all as dangerous items and clean appropriately.

4) Buy the biggest bottle of TECNU that you can find and keep it in the shower. READ the
INSTRUCTIONS! FOLLOW the Instructions. The one that most people seem to not follow is to use cold
water to wash off the goop.

5) I used to use all kinds of topical stuff if I got it, but I read an article by Andrew Weil which
proposed using as-hot-as-you-can-stand water directed onto it in a shower to lessen itching and
duration. It makes you want to rip your skin off while you are doing it, but if you can handle
that, it does work.

6) Most "re-eruptions" are from contaminated clothing - the oils stay there until you wash them out.

...and here's a helpful hint: Wear full-fingered gloves, and take off your gloves before you pee...

 

"Jon Bond" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> "Dave Stocker" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > "*John*" <[email protected]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any
> type
> > > of cream you could spread on before a ride or anything?
> > >
> >
> > That is iesy, just do not ride where there is poison oak.
> >
> > Seriously, is it too hot for long pants where you are? Even lightwieght ones? If you are
> > contacting flora on your ride, you are at risk for
> picking
> > up a tick. Contracting Lyme is a bit more ugly than an allergic reaction
> to
> > a plant.
> >
> > Where I ride (Germany), there is no poison oak or ivy, but we do have this weed called brenesil
> > that loves to grow on (and into) the trailside and it burns like hell when you touch it.
> >
> > -Dave
>
> I ride in major tick area, as well as an area with lots of poison ivy. I'd love to see somebody
> riding during the 90+ degree F, 85% humidity days in long pants. Hell, they'd get heat stroke,
> fall in poison ivy, and pick up loads of ticks
>
> Jon Bond

There's an older guy(50~60) here in Missouri that rides the Chubb trail all summer in tights. It
looks hot, but he could kick my ass on any trails around here. I guess he knows what he is doing.
People think I'm crazy to ride in 90+ degree heat and humidity with Lizard Skin shin guards. I have
found that if I use them religiously, I acclimate with them through the summer and it doesn't
bother me.

Brad Vaughn

 

I don't know about *preventing* poison oak/ivy but I just discovered some stuff that does a good job
with getting rid of it. Tecnu (available at most drug stores, I'm sure) recommends applying
immediately after exposure and washing off. I used it a couple months ago and was impressed with the
results. Oh- it also stops the itching so there's no need to load up on an ointment AND anti-itch
cream. Here's their site: http://www.tecnu.com

"*John*" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any type of cream you could
> spread on before a ride or anything?
>
> Just curious,
>
> *John*

 

"Jim Edgar" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:BB132751.46D13%[email protected]...
> *John* at [email protected] wrote on 6/15/03 8:41 PM:
>
> > Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any
type
> > of cream you could spread on before a ride or anything?
>
> Yes - I suffer badly when infected - Here are my Hints:
>
> 1) Good greasy sunblock on the legs and arms. Seems to work as well as IvyBlock or those type of
> things, at less $.
>
> 2) Learn what it looks like. Avoidance is most of the battle.
>
> 3) Assume the following: If you've seen it, you've touched it. It's on
you.
> It's on your clothing. It's on your bike. Treat them all as dangerous items and clean
> appropriately.
>
> 4) Buy the biggest bottle of TECNU that you can find and keep it in the shower. READ the
> INSTRUCTIONS! FOLLOW the Instructions. The one that
most
> people seem to not follow is to use cold water to wash off the goop.
>
> 5) I used to use all kinds of topical stuff if I got it, but I read an article by Andrew Weil
> which proposed using as-hot-as-you-can-stand water directed onto it in a shower to lessen
> itching and duration. It makes you want to rip your skin off while you are doing it, but if you
> can handle that, it does work.
>
> 6) Most "re-eruptions" are from contaminated clothing - the oils stay
there
> until you wash them out.
>
> ...and here's a helpful hint: Wear full-fingered gloves, and take off your gloves before
> you pee...
>

All excellent suggestions and I use longer socks when the ivy is out. Roll em down when you aren't
near the stuff and up when you have to go through...

Bob

 

"*John*" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any type of cream you could
> spread on before a ride or anything?
>
> Just curious,
>
> *John*

Don't ride where poison oak grows.

JD

 

"Dave" <[email protected]> wrote in message news[email protected]...
> > >
> All sounds dead scary to me....Think I'll stick with me all-over-all-in-one-bodysuit, with
> removable armour and recyclable hydra-system that allows for continued hydration, a la Dune,
> Maud-ib etc. That way I'll be perfectly safe ;-) ...oh yeah, and I'll remove that really dangerous
> thing with two wheels on from between my legs. Cheers, Dave....
>
> p.s. - but seriously, I reckon the most dangerous thing is age. I used to fall off and
> bounce...never even noticed it really. Now (older) I fall off and stay exactly where I land,
> for about 5 minutes....wondering which bit broke on landing ;-). It's not so much the bones
> as the bits inbetween not being as flexible and elastic as they used to be. Enjoy it young
> ones, it will get you too!!

We didn't even get into West Nile, SARS and Monkeypox... Watch out for those rabid prarie dogs.

Chris "It's all a government plot to keep us at home watching commercials or in the malls
stimulating the economy" G

 

Brad and Julie Vaughn wrote:

> "Jon Bond" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
> > "Dave Stocker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > "*John*" <[email protected]> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any
> > type
> > > > of cream you could spread on before a ride or anything?
> > > >
> > >
> > > That is iesy, just do not ride where there is poison oak.
> > >
> > > Seriously, is it too hot for long pants where you are? Even lightwieght ones? If you are
> > > contacting flora on your ride, you are at risk for
> > picking
> > > up a tick. Contracting Lyme is a bit more ugly than an allergic reaction
> > to
> > > a plant.
> > >
> > > Where I ride (Germany), there is no poison oak or ivy, but we do have this weed called
> > > brenesil that loves to grow on (and into) the trailside and it burns like hell when you
> > > touch it.
> > >
> > > -Dave
> >
> > I ride in major tick area, as well as an area with lots of poison ivy. I'd love to see somebody
> > riding during the 90+ degree F, 85% humidity days in long pants. Hell, they'd get heat stroke,
> > fall in poison ivy, and pick up loads of ticks
> >
> > Jon Bond
>
> There's an older guy(50~60) here in Missouri that rides the Chubb trail all summer in tights. It
> looks hot, but he could kick my ass on any trails around here. I guess he knows what he is doing.
> People think I'm crazy to ride in 90+ degree heat and humidity with Lizard Skin shin guards. I
> have found that if I use them religiously, I acclimate with them through the summer and it doesn't
> bother me.
>
> Brad Vaughn

So what does a hot looking 50-60 year old guy wearing tights have to do with preventing getting
poison oak D

Jimbo(san)

 

Thanks for all the great advice.

It is much appreciated!

"B. Jones" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I don't know about *preventing* poison oak/ivy but I just discovered some stuff that does a good
> job with getting rid of it. Tecnu (available at most drug stores, I'm sure) recommends applying
> immediately after exposure and washing off. I used it a couple months ago and was impressed with
> the results. Oh- it also stops the itching so there's no need to load up on an ointment AND
> anti-itch cream. Here's their site: http://www.tecnu.com
>
> "*John*" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> > Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any
type
> > of cream you could spread on before a ride or anything?
> >
> > Just curious,
> >
> > *John*

 

"*John*" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any
type
> of cream you could spread on before a ride or anything?
>
> Just curious,

I have been told that wiping down with blech after the ride is great to prevent it. If you are
allergic to the point that you are breaking out before you get home, you are on your own.

darsh

>
> *John*

 

While this will not prevent you from getting the resin on your skin, you can wash it off very
cheaply and effectively with most Mechanic's Hand Cleaners. I've used a brand called Lan-Lin and
this stuff is amazing. I've been hiking in really hot weather and had to walk through both poison
oak and poison ivy or turn back on trails. I've had the stuff on me for more than 4 hours and when I
get back to camp or home I lather up with the Lan-Lin and wash it off with warm water. I usually get
the alergic reaction fairly easily, so the Lan-Lin must get it all off my skin. Lan-Lin is a lot
cheaper than Tech-Nu and works at least as well from my experience.

If I miss seeing the stuff and don't wash and then get infected - I get a preventative prescription
of steroids from my doctor which I take. Don't mess with it. Cures the sores overnight! If it is
REALLY BAD, get a shot.

"*John*" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone know of any way to prevent (or help to prevent) poison oak? Any
type
> of cream you could spread on before a ride or anything?
>
> Just curious,
>
> *John*