Throughout this amazingly persistent and itchy bout of poison oak I have learned a few valuable lessons. I thought I would share them in case anyone ever gets it themselves.
1) The absolute BEST way to get rid of the itch is to take a flaming hot shower - as hot as you can tolerate. You'll itch like mad while you're in there (your skin is releasing all the histamines it has stored up), but once you get out, nothing will itch for 8 hours. No gucky cream or anything required. It is a miracle.
2) Mangoes, cashews, and kiwis contain minute amounts of the same chemical in poison oak. So if you cut and eat them while you're hypersensitive (as in the case of the delicious mango-kiwi fruit salad I ate on Sunday), you can get a secondary contact reaction to any skin that touches them, including your lips. This is not fun, and should be avoided at all costs.
And if you're in the market for some free mangoes and kiwis, drop me an e-mail.
1 comment:
Wow, Kate! Those two info bits are something. I did not know either of them. Thanks for the warning. So sorry you are still suffering from the oak.
Judy
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