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-   -   Poison Ivy and Other Plants - Pop the Blisters, or Not? (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=398483)

  • Sep 21, 2009, 02:43 PM
    Clough
    Poison Ivy and Other Plants - Pop the Blisters, or Not?
    Hi, All!

    I've always wondered if a person should pop/drain the blisters or not, that they've gotten from coming into contact with a poisonous plant.

    I've also gotten conflicting views about that...

    What's the straight dope on this, please?

    Thanks!
  • Sep 21, 2009, 03:05 PM
    tickle

    No, you shouldn't touch the postules, clough, that is spreading them to other areas of your body. DO NOT SCRATCH. That is why you use a lotion(calamine) to stop itching, so they go away without spreading.

    Tick
  • Sep 21, 2009, 03:10 PM
    ballengerb1

    I agree, don't pop them. Poping will also open you up to a higher risk of infection. Never pop any type of blister even ones from gardening too much or hammering too much. The blister is your bodies way of creating an isolation area for a wound.
  • Sep 21, 2009, 03:16 PM
    Catsmine
    Blisters are blisters, regardless of where they come from. Popping/breaking them will produce an entry point for all kinds of infections.

    I've heard the tales that fluid from the blisters will spread the rash, but unless the oils are still on the surface of your skin I can't see how. Warm water, detergent cleanser, and drying the rash are still the fastest ways to get rid of it. That's why Calamine is so good, it dries the rash out. Caladryl helps with the itch, too.
  • Sep 21, 2009, 03:18 PM
    Clough
    Hi, All!

    When I was a kid though, I used to pop them. It seemed to me that they didn't scar up when I did that.

    I'm always open for advice...

    Thanks!
  • Sep 21, 2009, 03:47 PM
    KISS

    At first sign of exposure, was with Octagon soap. Calamine lotion is also a good remedy.
  • Sep 21, 2009, 03:50 PM
    J_9
    Best stuff I have found for it is a prescription called Mometasone furoate. Dries it right up. My daughter had poison ivy covering almost her entire body earlier this summer. Gone in a day!
  • Sep 21, 2009, 06:15 PM
    Catsmine
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by J_9 View Post
    Best stuff I have found for it is a prescription called Mometasone furoate. Dries it right up. My daughter had poison ivy covering almost her entire body earlier this summer. Gone in a day!!
    Is that OTC? I'll get some if 'tis.
  • Sep 21, 2009, 07:00 PM
    KISS

    J_9 said prescription only: http://www.perrigo.com/uploadedFiles.../5D800RCJ1.pdf

    Looks like it comes in a cream, ointment and a solution and pretty cheap based on prices at drugstore.com Online Pharmacy - Prescription Drugs, Health and Beauty, plus more

    It might be similar to the active ingredient as in Nasonex nasal spray: http://www.spfiles.com/pinasonex.pdf

    J_9
    What version was prescribed?
  • Sep 21, 2009, 09:17 PM
    Clough
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by J_9 View Post
    Best stuff I have found for it is a prescription called Mometasone furoate. Dries it right up. My daughter had poison ivy covering almost her entire body earlier this summer. Gone in a day!!
    Hi, J_9!

    So, was that stuff used without opening up the blisters, please?

    Thanks!
  • Sep 22, 2009, 05:38 AM
    J_9
    The cream was prescribed.

    That stuff was just rubbed over where the patches of the poison ivy are, no blisters were opened or popped.
  • Sep 22, 2009, 11:35 PM
    Clough
    Hi again, J_9!

    No blisters opened or popped? I wonder how such a cream works then..

    Thanks!
  • Sep 23, 2009, 05:11 AM
    J_9
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Clough View Post
    Hi again, J_9!

    No blisters opened or popped? I wonder how such a cream works then...?

    Thanks!
    It's a cortisone based cream, so it dries it right up.
  • Sep 23, 2009, 12:40 PM
    Clough
    Hi again, J_9!

    So, does it work the same way that a poultice might work? Please excuse my ignorance/lack of knowledge here! I'm just trying to find out information...

    Thanks!
  • Sep 24, 2009, 08:01 PM
    twinkiedooter

    Ok, here's the skinny on poison ivy. I was the happy victim of poison ivy from my garden (again) this year. Got it on my left wrist. I used 91% alcohol on it as I was too lazy to use calamine lotion. Since I sleep on my left side and have my left wrist touching my right shoulder I got poison ivy on my right shoulder. It wasn't until I went out to the store and bought some fresh calamine lotion and slathered it on my left wrist and my right shoulder did the poison ivy go away. It does not matter if you pop the blisters or not as the poison ivy will infect another part of your skin if the infected part of your skin is touching an uninfected part. I'm living proof of being too stupid to buy fresh calamine lotion. When I did look at the bottle it had expired 7/03. Goes to show you how long I had that bottle!

    Don't pop the blisters ever!!
  • Sep 24, 2009, 08:20 PM
    Clough
    Hi, twinkiedooter!

    I can understand not popping the blisters due the possible spread of the infection. What I don't understand is if popping the blisters or not will cause scaring.

    Thanks!
  • Sep 24, 2009, 08:28 PM
    ohsohappy

    Haha this is off topic, but did you really say "what's the straight dope on this?" HAHAH You realize that not even young kids say that right Clough? :)
    I hope you were just being silly. :)
  • Sep 24, 2009, 08:53 PM
    Clough
    No, I didn't realize that young kids don't say that sort of thing anynore.

    And no, I wasn't trying to be silly!

    Thanks!
  • Sep 24, 2009, 09:03 PM
    twinkiedooter

    Clough - just FYI I didn't pop my blisters but I still had scarring on my wrist and my shoulder!
  • Sep 24, 2009, 09:48 PM
    ohsohappy
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Clough View Post
    No, I didn't realize that young kids don't say that sort of thing anynore.

    And no, I wasn't trying to be silly!

    Thanks!

    I think when someone says "straight dope" it's the same as "wack" as in "ridiculous" or "bulls****"
    :)

    Twinkie said "here's the skinny" That's the phrase I think you want to use, in that context.

    A bit of an urban dictionary lesson. :)

    Although, I don't really use slang.

    Haha that made my day Clough. :)
  • Sep 25, 2009, 01:59 AM
    Clough
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by twinkiedooter View Post
    Clough - just FYI I didn't pop my blisters but I still had scarring on my wrist and my shoulder!!
    So, do you think there would be scarring if the blisters were opened or "popped"?

    Thanks!
  • Sep 25, 2009, 02:36 AM
    J_9
    No clough, there won't be any permanent scarring.
  • Sep 25, 2009, 02:44 AM
    Clough
    When I was a child, I noticed that there was scaring when I didn't pop the blisters and that there wasn't any scarring when I did pop them. Some of those scars have since turned into moles.

    Thanks!
  • Sep 25, 2009, 08:08 AM
    KISS

    How were they treated when you were a kid? If they were never treated, then ITS POSSIBLE scarring might occur since they would burst on their own.

    If they were treated then they should have dried up beore they would have had a chance to break. If the skin is never damaged then scarring should never occur.
  • Sep 25, 2009, 12:34 PM
    Clough
    Hi, KISS!

    When I popped them as a kid, I stuck a needle in them to drain the fluid out of them. Then I would apply something to them to dry them up. Anyway, that's the way that I remember it...

    Thanks!
  • Sep 25, 2009, 01:33 PM
    KISS

    Like the pink stuff: Calamine lotion?
  • Sep 25, 2009, 01:37 PM
    Clough
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by KeepItSimpleStupid View Post
    Like the pink stuff: Calamine lotion?
    It might have been. Don't really remember...

    It was definitely something that would dry things up, though.

    Thanks!
  • Sep 25, 2009, 01:41 PM
    tickle

    I hope the needle was sterilized first, clough. As mentioned, calamine lotion is an old fashioned, still popular remedy for poison ivy and would be dehydrating.

    Tick
  • Sep 25, 2009, 01:50 PM
    Clough
    Hi, tick!

    I'm sure, that as a child, I didn't sterilize the needle. Doing that then didn't even occur to me. Where I grew up, we would even go so far as to stir the lemonade with our bare hands and arms!

    Thanks!
  • Sep 25, 2009, 04:06 PM
    tickle
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Clough View Post
    Hi, tick!

    I'm sure, that as a child, I didn't sterilize the needle. Doing that then didn't even occur to me. Where I grew up, we would even go so far as to stir the lemonade with our bare hands and arms!

    Thanks!
    LOL, clough, I guess I did stuff like that too, way back then ! Back then we could do that, they said a little dirt never hurt anyone ! Now today , I know that was perfectly true because that's how we make our immune systems work well.

    Tick:eek:
  • Sep 25, 2009, 04:16 PM
    jmjoseph
    Clough, I worked as a surveyor for 16 years, and before that in forestry for 4. I have never had poison ivy, as I am very lucky that way. I have though, been around it for all of my life, and have seen dozens of cases. The single best thing for a rash from poison ivy, or poison sumac,or poison oak, is to avoid the urge to scratch first and foremost.

    Then go buy some "Ivy Dry". It's OTC, and works wonders. Both of my sons have had the rash, and this cream cleared it right up. I've seen it work time and time again.

    If you think that you've brushed against poison ivy, immediately wash off the affected area with alcohol.

    Rubbing, not distilled.
  • Sep 25, 2009, 04:45 PM
    KISS

    Getting rid of the stuff growing in the yard without getting it is always fun.
  • Sep 25, 2009, 05:06 PM
    earl237
    I love the outdoors and have had many run-ins with poison ivy. The best thing to do to prevent a rash is to wash all exposed areas with soap and water as soon as you get home from a walk in the woods. This can prevent a serious rash even you have come into contact with poison ivy plants.
  • Sep 25, 2009, 06:20 PM
    Catsmine
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jmjoseph View Post

    Rubbing, not distilled.
    Ethanol will work as well as Isopropanol, but it just seems like such a waste.

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