Leaves of Three... Let Them Be

I guess I didn't let them be.

One of the hazards of hiking is poison oak. I must have brushed up against some during our hike in the Pinnacles. It's Spring and since the leaves are still green, I may not have noticed them among the rest of the verdant foliage.

A couple of days after our hike, while I was in the shower, I noticed a rash on the underside of each elbow, a patch on the back side of my shoulder, and one patch on my upper arm. Unfortunately, by the time I noticed it, I had already had a couple of hot showers, letting the urushiol - the chemical that causes the allergic contact dermatitis - sink deeper into my open pores.

Fortunately, there are treatments, but they aren't a panacea. Tecnu or Zanfel are probably the best products on the market, but they should be used immediately and with cold water so that the urushiol oil doesn't sink deeper into the pores. After that the only thing you can do is treat the symptoms with a hydrocortisone cream to decrease the swelling and/or a Benadryl cream to reduce the itching.

I've used them. I'm still itching. It's been almost two weeks. Time to visit the doctor and see if there is something stronger to stop this dead in its tracks.

Meanwhile, I suspect my backpack may also be infected. I used hot soapy water, with Dawn detergent, to wash my backpack thoroughly. I've also ordered some Ivy Wipes, which are supposed to help clean off equipment. Urushiol is found in poison oak, but also in poison ivy and poison sumac.

I really don't want to do this again. And I sure don't want to reinfect myself just before attempting Half Dome for the second time.