Poison ivy season. (The Clinic).

I am very sensitive to poison ivy and poison oak and seem to get it at any time of the year even if I'm very careful. For me poison ivy can be very severe and I have had to take cortisone to reduce the reaction. Unfortunately, I also really like to run on trails, which is risky for me. Is there any advice you can give me to help avoid getting the awful rash besides to stay on the roads and off the trails?

Cara Murdoch

Sausalito, CA

Poison ivy can be a year 'round threat in many areas and even in places where poison ivy dies back after hard frosts, it can persist throughout the fall and emerge again in very early spring. Try carrying prepackaged towelettes with you on your trail runs. The urushiol oil that causes the painful itchy misery can be removed if you wipe it down with a hand washing towelette within the first half-hour of exposure. The alcohol contained in these wipes is a good method for removing the oil. Dish washing liquid is also effective, but less portable. And, if you wait until you get back home it may be too late. Once the oil binds to your skin, within a half an hour of exposure, it is virtually impossible to remove and you'll have to live through the two-week reaction poison ivy causes.

(CN)

(For more information and identification help, go to the Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac Information Center at http://poisonivy.aesir.com)