Rode Sycamore Cyn, specifically up Guadalasca and got exposed to Poison Oak. Mostly sticks and branches with minimal leaves. A week later, I have major breakout from the knees down and over both arms. Should have used Technu prior to the ride. This stuff itches like no other. Tried special soaps, more Technu, hydro cortisone lotion, benedril and other home remedies. Wife won't get near me, dogs are looking at me sideways. Finally went to the Dr and got a steroid shot. Relief within a couple of hours! My legs look ravaged. Let me warn you...don't go up Guad w/o technu on!!!#-o
No Thanks. Skwerts: Get yourself a big tub/jug of Gojo/Fast Orange liquid soap. After a ride where you think you may have been in contact with poison oak, take a cool shower(coldest that you can handle) and use the soap I listed above. Gojo/Fast Orange are both degreasers....it will help was the oils that you get from poison oak. The cold shower keeps your pores in your skin closed, again keeping the oils only on the surface of your skin. I have done this after many poison oak covered rides and have been pretty successful at not breaking out.
Sometimes......when I do get a breakout, it usually takes 5-7 days, so once it starts to show up, I will hit it with the degreaser. never hurts to try.
Tecnu doesn't work applied before the ride, only for washing it off after the ride. I carry a jug of water and Tecnu and wash off immediately after a ride. Simple Green or other degreasers as mentioned above should work equally well. There is a product called Ivy Block that is applied before the ride and is supposed to help prevent po from affecting you but I don't think it works at all.
+1 on the degreaser. I use Orange Blast myself. Doesn't dry your skin and smells good. If you use it in the shower be very careful. It tends to make the surface very slippery.
Went hiking Thursday. Didnt see any poison oak. Didnt think much about washing off. Woke up this morning and my face was itchy. Looked in the mirror. Sure enough poison oak on the face! It follows my hair line then a little streak reaches down from my hair to my right eyebrow. Full body Tecnu rub, cold water rinse. Well see what happens. Not much I think I can do 2 days later. If it gets bad Ill take some pictures.
This will not help you now. When ever I hit some poison oak I immediately rub sand or dirt on the areas exposed to the oak. This seems to absorb the oils . Also many people carry a tiny bottle of windex or other ammonia based product. Just remember to re-apply after you take off your shoes,socks, shorts and any pads. especially your hands after removing your gear. Don't forget to clean your bike also .
I react worse to poison oak/ivy worse than anyone I have ever met. None of the above remedies/preventative methods work (or at least well enough) for me. The only thing that has ever worked in relieving and healing is Zanfel. My friends and I all swear by this. I keep a couple of bottles of this around whenever I do a ride anywhere risky. It will speed relief and recovery even in the midst of a full blown infection. http://www.amazon.com/Zanfel-Wash-P...PWUU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1289698992&sr=8-2
That is why I use a pumice based soap.....it does basically the same as the Zanfel....exfoliated the skin.....but it is only a fraction of the price.
First off, I've had my fair share of run-ins with the Oak If yer going to be mountain bike riding in SoCal, ya better get used to it. Me, if I end up frolicking in the Oak, I use a box of baking soda in a bucket of water and scrub myself down as soon as I get home. I'll still get a bit of the rash, but not as bad as if I don't use the baking soda. I got an ethics question. Recently, at the nature trail near my home here in Covina, where there happens to be an abundance of poison oak, I ran into a Dad with his kids who were off the trail, wading through the poison oak. I thought to myself, "Should I say something??? It's too late for them, and they're already "infected." They're having sooo much fun, meybe I should just keep my mouth shut....." So I wished them a good day and went on my way. My question is: What would you do??? Let them know they are up to their eyebrows in the Oak, or just keep your mouth shut (Like I did, though I would usually point out what the Oak looks like to folks that have not already gotten into it.)???????
I have PO from trailwork on El Prieto last weekend. It was several hours before I got to a shower, which is a little too late. I'm a fan of Zanfel for after-the-fact exposures that have already manifested. But for after the trail I just use plain ol' Simple Green. Non-toxic (so they tell us) and much cheaper than Tecnu. It does dry out the skin a bit, but that is what you want, to dry out the oils from the PO. On trail if I know I've touched oak and won't be near a shower any time soon, I'll use the old native american remedy. Roll up a few leaves of mugwort into a ball and use it to rub down/wipe off the area. Seems to work pretty well for small area exposures. Mugwort grows in the same conditions as PO, though usually stays closer to a water source. surfzombo, I probably would have said something. At least when they're itching a few days from now they'll know why. Sensitivity can develop with repeated exposure, so the less exposure, the better in the long run.
I probably would have said something and gave them a lesson on what to look for so they wouldn't make the same mistake twice. I've brushed against PO in Sycamore before so on the way back through the campground I looked through the showers and found soap, cold showers are free!!
Post Mortem R.I.P. Poison Oak Thanks to all that contributed their ideas, solutions and rememdies for poison oak prevention. Today is Sunday and I received my steroid shot on Thursday. I will not hesitate to use the steroid route in the future. I have noticed that my itching is resolving and that my biceps are bulging more. Not a bad deal!!!!
