50 Ways To Celebrate Summer
#56 For poison ivy, plant this in your first aid kit

Star-Telegram
By Carolyn Poirot, Star-Telegram Staff Writer
August 28, 2006

Tecnu Extreme Poison Ivy Scrub may not be the coolest thing of summer, but it might climb to the top of your list of favorites if you love the outdoors and are allergic to poison ivy, poison oak or poison sumac.

Hiking, camping or clearing weeds can be dangerous if you are among the 70 percent to 80 percent of the population sensitive to urushiol. The oily, poisonous chemical produces the red, itchy rash that can erupt into blisters if you are especially sensitive to poison ivy. Urushiol is in and on all parts of poison ivy.

Memorial Day is the No. 1 holiday for trouble with poison ivy -- the most common poisonous plant in North Texas -- but the Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends are not far behind.

Tecnu Extreme (available at pharmacies for $14.99) contains microscrubbing beads to remove urushiol from the skin. It also has medication to relieve itching and stop the spread of the rash. Developers say it is the first product that can be used to prevent a rash from developing (if used immediately after exposure), as well as stop the itch and spread of the rash.

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