What are the best essential oils for poison ivy? If you are dealing with a rash from poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac, you are probably looking for quick relief. Fortunately, with a few easy steps and some essential oils, you can be feeling better in no time.
Here’s your guide on how to treat irritation and use the best essential oils for poison ivy.
What Is a Poison Ivy Rash?
A rash from poison ivy is caused by the urushiol oil that is found in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. While it’s incredibly uncomfortable, it isn’t contagious and it won’t spread from one part of your body to another. You might see some areas get redder with time, but this is just a delayed reaction. So, don’t worry about it spreading all over like chicken pox!
Should I Go to the Doctor for a Poison Ivy Rash?
Before we talk about home remedies for poison ivy, let’s quickly dive into some worse case scenarios. While most of us can deal with a rash without a doctor, there are times where you may have an emergency on your hands.
Go to the emergency room if you:
- Have trouble breathing
- Have a rash covering the majority of your body
- Are dealing with excessive swelling
- Have a rash on your face or genitals
It’s possible to have a serious reaction and need a prescription medicine. But don’t panic! You doctor will give you a cream or possibly an antibiotic.
How to Treat a Poison Ivy Rash
Assuming you have a typical reaction to poison ivy and are just feeling uncomfortable and itchy, it’s time to take action by treating your rash at home and using essential oils for poison ivy.
Step One: Clear Your Skin
The sooner that you can do this, the better! Wash your skin with warm (not hot) soapy water to try to get as much of the oil off as quickly as possible. It’s important to know that you can spread the oil around at this point so be extremely careful that you don’t get it on another person and another area of your body.
Wash your clothes as soon as possible because the oil can stick to the fabric and cause another rash. The same goes for anything else that could have touched the oil, including your pets!
After you’ve had a shower and thoroughly washed everything to get rid of the poison ivy oil, the next step is to take soothing bath. While you are probably uncomfortable, it is worth taking some time here to blend up a jar of dry DIY soothing oatmeal bath blend with essential oils for poison ivy that you can keep for future baths. Here’s how.
Our Signature “Dry Oatmeal Bath Blend with the Best Essential Oils for Poison Ivy”
Ingredients
1 cup oats
½ cup powdered milk
1 cup baking soda
12 drops lavender essential oil
12 drops chamomile essential oil
Toss the oats, baking soda, and powdered milk into a blender until you have a powered mix. Once it is finely blended, add essential oil, and click blend a couple more times. Once you’re done, dump it all out into a jar for storage. Now you are ready for a bath!
As you are filling up the tub with lukewarm (again, not hot) water, hold out ¼ cup of your “Dry Oatmeal Bath Blend with the Best Essential Oils for Poison Ivy” underneath the faucet. As it falls into the tub, blend it thoroughly (and keep mixing up through your bath, as it may tend to settle to the bottom).
Tip- It’s good to take short lukewarm baths as often as possible to soothe your skin. Keep your “Oatmeal Bath Blend with the Best Essential Oils for Poison Ivy” handy and refill it as often as you need. It’s good to stock up with premium quality ingredients. When it comes to essential oils, it’s all about getting 100% blends. For lavender, we love Lily & Lush XL Lavender Essential Oil (4 oz) w/Glass Dropper – 100% Natural Therapeutic Grade Aromatherapy Oil. It’s a premium quality mix and it smells AMAZING. When it comes to Chamomile, the Roman Chamomile Essential Oil Ultra-Premium 100% Pure Therapeutic Grade By Avíanō Botanicals is a cult fave. Roman chamomile is ultra soothing and this brand is numero uno.
Step Three: Leave it alone
Never itch a poison ivy rash. The itchy feeling means that it is healing, but scratching it will only set you back in the process.
Step Four: Antihistamines and Hydrocortisone
While essential oils for poison ivy are powerful, sometimes you need something a bit stronger. If the itch is unbearable, add hydrocortisone cream. Remember, this can only be used sparingly so don’t go crazy with it, or you might actually cause more irritation. Finally, try antihistamine pills if you need extra relief.