Does anyone know how to prevent getting poison ivy so bad? I love to go shroomin but get it every year and end up having to have shots.

Email: clape@woodcoinc.com

State: Louisiana

My sister had to get shots for her Poison Ivy. I don't know of anything that is "bullet proof" for preventing it other than vigilance. Of course, my sister used to say that she didn't have to touch it to get it but I am skeptical......

Email: john@morelsandmore.com

State: Illinois (Central)

Apparently some people are more prone to it than others, but everyone should be careful. Wear long sleeves and long pants, and watch what you touch. Using a stick to push your way thru the woods is a good idea. Line your car seat with a plastic bag when you leave the woods. When you get home, carefully remove your clothes and wash them immediately. Then take a shower or bath in warm water gently washing and rinse well. Use a mild lotion all over. I stood in the middle of a patch of elbow high poison ivy once to pick berries and didn't break out at all. Good luck!

Email: kbakehorn@indy.rr.com

State: Indiana

Check out herbmd.com and look for oral ivy. It's a homepathic treatment that really works. You take it every day during the seasons you may come in contact with the plant.

State: Minnesota

The best way to avoid it is to learn how to recognize the plant. If you see it you can avoid it. Leaves of three ia a good way to start. But in the early spring there may be no leaves so you need to learn what the vine looks like it mature vines will grow up trees and the vine has little hairs / roots that wil cling to the bark of the tree; any vines that have theese hairy roots do not touch. For the small immature plants that you find near clearings and along trails are harder to recognize. They almost always are are in sunny areas. find them the year ahead when they have leaves and remember where you saw them and avoid the area and learn what the little stems look like they usualy don't grow larger / higher than 1-2 feet. You can wear cheap nylons/ pantyhose / tights and take them off after your hike and wash or throw them away when you are done. But the best way is to recognize the plant by learning what it looks like and avoid those areas / plants. Have some one show you what it looks like and take a bunch of pictures up close and learn what it looks like. Go slow and avoid those leaves of three. Then again if you live in the south you have to also look for poison oak and poison sumac. You may also want to invest in snake bite proof gaitors that you can wear around your calfs and then you can wash them after your hike. It is best to wear pants and long sleeve shirt and wash after you wear them. Throw some soap that will cut grease and oil in the washer because it is the oils from the plant that will cause you to break out into rash.

Email: vaved7@yahoo.com

State: IL