The key to not getting a “reaction” to poison ivy, is to wash the oils off your skin within 6-8 hours. If however you are allergic to it, you getting the itchy’s no matter what you do. Oils from the plant will absorb into skin quicker if you are sweating. Be safe. It does suck to get it!!
I went to plant trees in north-central Minnesota back in the eighties and the grop I was in came back coverd with calamine lotions and I wasn't even scratching.
"The bottom line. Urushiol is the component of poison ivy that causes an itchy, red rash to appear. Anyone can develop a sensitivity to urushiol during their lifetime, and this sensitivity may change over time. But there's no way for someone to be completely immune to the effects of urushiol"
Bubbie is right poison ivy only affects those who are allergic. My dad and I are out all the time in the woods walking through the exact same plants and paths everything. He gets poison ivy like no other and has red spots everywhere for days and I get nothing at all. I actually proved this at a baseball tournament once my buddy and I had the same argument so I picked some and licked it yes I was terrified that maybe it would go wrong but nothing happened.
I've never had poison ivy. I spent a day clearing brush and grabbed heaping piles of it for a solid 5 hours bare handed. Girlfriend got it real bad and I had no reaction.
