# Question for my fellow leg shavers.......



## merlin (Jan 20, 2004)

I got a nice case of poison oak this weekend riding the South Yuba trail.:madman: It’s been over a week and my legs are starting to resemble that of a Sasquatch!:eekster: Do I wait for the oak to go away before shaving? I assume if it will make it spread if I shave right?


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## Soloracer (Jan 26, 2004)

*Tecnu*

Next time try tecnu. It is available at REI. When I got in some poison oak a couple of years ago my riding buddy gave me some tecnu, never ended up spreading any and I did not stop shaving.

jim


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## merlin (Jan 20, 2004)

Soloracer said:


> Next time try tecnu. It is available at REI. When I got in some poison oak a couple of years ago my riding buddy gave me some tecnu, never ended up spreading any and I did not stop shaving.
> 
> jim


I've been applying techu 2x per day for the last 4 days :madmax: :madmax: It's still spreading:madman:


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## JMH (Feb 23, 2005)

Once you have showered or the oil is rinsed off, the irritation will not spread. It may take days before you know the extent of the coverage, but this isn't due to "spreading." Also, shaving is fine. The blisters do not contain any of the plant oil and they do not spread the rash.

Oh, and once you have come into contact you have about an hour or two when you might be able to wash the oil off and not develop any symptoms. After that window, applying technu or other remedies to areas that are already infected does nothing except maybe make you feel better.

Sorry!


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## HarryCallahan (Nov 2, 2004)

I'd say shaving depends on whether you have blisters or just rash. having hairy legs for a bit might be the lesser of your problems. 



What jmh said is sadly true. At this point, what you are doing is riding out the allergic reaction. If you've got blisters or weeping areas, I endorse going to the doctor and getting prednisone. It will clean up the situation in about a week. Or you can ride it out for the next few weeks. :eekster:

Oh, yeah: Make sure all the gear you were wearing gets washed in some nice detergent. Gloves, too. Technu comes in small bottles you can carry on your next ride.


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## Guest (May 25, 2006)

*Ultravate*

Ultravate Ointment...prescription only...ask your doctor. :thumbsup: 
My PI is gone in about 2 days.


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## LeiniesRed (May 24, 2006)

I worked a few summers on a golf course. Right before we hosted the Sr. Open, we had to make room for the gallery in the woods. I weed whacked a lot of poison ivy. Pieces would go down my oh-so-suave polyester shirt, and stop at my belt. It would start to spread and all you would hope is that it wouldn't spread...down.

One day, the girlfriend calls up and says, "Guess what you gave me?" I'm confused and dreading the worst and she quietly says, "Poison ivy." Yes. Poison ivy is an STD.


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## nrs_air (Apr 29, 2006)

Tecnu didn't work for me either. I got some poison ivy specific soap at CVS and that stopped it pretty quick. If you cut the blisters open while shaving, it spreads more.


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## merlin (Jan 20, 2004)

nrs_air said:


> If you cut the blisters open while shaving, it spreads more.


Thats what I thought.


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## cougar9000 (Feb 23, 2006)

merlin said:


> I've been applying techu 2x per day for the last 4 days :madmax: :madmax: It's still spreading:madman:


you must have gotten it 5 or 6 days ago then


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## teamdicky (Jan 12, 2004)

merlin said:


> Thats what I thought.


Google it and learn the facts. Some of the other posters got it right. The urishol oils from the plant cause the reaction. The goo that leaks out of your body is part of the natural reaction when the oil reacts with your bodies T-cells (AIDS patients lose T-cells and become less succeptible to PO). It doesn't spread once the oils are no longer present.
Tha histamines (the things that make your body itch) can be released with heat (hair drier or hot shower). If you have it really bad the release can be quite intense, but leave you itch free for awhile.

and I do continue to shave.


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## beegirl (Apr 23, 2005)

Teamdicky and JMH are right. It is only the original contact w/ the oils and once it is washed off it doesn't spread. Thinking that the liquid in the bisters will cause spreading or contagion is an old wives tale. It's no more valid than catching warts from frogs and toads. Shaving won't make poison ivy spread, but could increase irritation and secondary bacterial infection..


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## carter1 (Jan 30, 2004)

I might not shave an area for a couple of days. But no way am I going to give up "that loving feeling" that my wife loves so much for a little poison ivey!
c


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## notrelatedtoted (Mar 3, 2005)

*Sorry, but...*

The idea of shaving over a poison ivy rash....:eekster: :yikes: The price of beauty, eh? 

Let us know how that goes...and be sure to post pics.


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## merlin (Jan 20, 2004)

teamdicky said:


> Google it and learn the facts. Some of the other posters got it right. The urishol oils from the plant cause the reaction. The goo that leaks out of your body is part of the natural reaction when the oil reacts with your bodies T-cells (AIDS patients lose T-cells and become less succeptible to PO). It doesn't spread once the oils are no longer present.
> Tha histamines (the things that make your body itch) can be released with heat (hair drier or hot shower). If you have it really bad the release can be quite intense, but leave you itch free for awhile.
> 
> and I do continue to shave.


Thanks for the advise, very informative! This weekend I shave


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

merlin said:


> I got a nice case of poison oak this weekend riding the South Yuba trail.:madman: It's been over a week and my legs are starting to resemble that of a Sasquatch!:eekster: Do I wait for the oak to go away before shaving? I assume if it will make it spread if I shave right?


ooooh! itchy!! sorry to hear about the PO. however, it will not spread if you shave. it may not be very comfortable but breaking the blisters does not cause poison oak or ivy to spread. this is an urban myth. the liquid in the blisters is the same stuff that is in any blister you get and does not carry any of the toxic oils from the PO/I.

what causes PO/I to appear to spread is the fact that the reaction time of your skin varies depending on how much of the oil touches it. so, if you rub the PO/I leaf on your skin that spot will react before, and to a greater extent, than a spot where you touched the oil that was already on your skin and then touched a spot where there was no oil. make sense?

so, i wouldn't worry about shaving with respect to making your rash spread. however, it's generally not recommended that you break the blisters because that increases the likelihood of infection and scarring. I would recommend waiting a bit before shaving.

rt


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## merlin (Jan 20, 2004)

*rt* said:


> I would recommend waiting a bit before shaving.
> 
> rt


What the heck do YOU know about shaving your legs!!!  Thanks for the advise. Funny, I asked my wife about this and she buys in to the " myth " that shaving will make it spread. This is great, now we will have something to bicker about over the 3 day weekend


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## *rt* (Jan 15, 2004)

merlin said:


> What the heck do YOU know about shaving your legs!!!  Thanks for the advise. Funny, I asked my wife about this and she buys in to the " myth " that shaving will make it spread. This is great, now we will have something to bicker about over the 3 day weekend


what? just because i only have to shave my legs twice/week, what does that matter? you're just jealous!  

LOL. it's always good to be able to plan out your bicker sessions ahead of time. hehehehehehe. oh, and you can tell her that my dermatologist was the one who disabused me of believing the myth. 

rt


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## OGDHr (Jan 13, 2004)

*best PO treatment*

as a fellow PO sufferer I have tried most everything. Technu works well removing the oils hours after the initial contact but one the oil is locked into your skin the allergic reaction starts taking place and Technu doesn't help. The best thing I have EVER used is Zanfel. It's expensive but sooooo worth it. My doctor also recomended taking Benadril at night and Clariton during the day to help with the histamine reaction. Remember that you can re-expose yourself by coming into contact with bikes, shoes, clothes, etc. that have PO oil on them.

www.zanfel.com


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