Poison Oak & Ivy FAQ

You can use Tecnu before using a hydrocortisone ointment.  Just make sure to wait at least 3 days after using a hydrocortisone ointment before using Tecnu.  (Refer to question regarding hydrocortisone and Tecnu, just below).

The use of hydrocortisone thins the skin, allowing any topical application to the skin to penetrate more readily.  If you are slightly sensitive to a detergent (like Tecnu), it will aggravate the skin more quickly and severely.

If you are still breaking out with a rash after using Tecnu, it could be because of 1 of 2 reasons.  Either you are still coming in contact with the urushiol oil through some other source or the rash had already spread to that area before using Tecnu.

If the poisonous oil has already penetrated the epidermal layer of the skin and bonded to the deeper skin cells, it's too late to stop the reaction from occurring.  The benefit of using Tecnu is if there is still urushiol oil on the top layer of skin, Tecnu will remove it and prevent further contamination.

Clothing, pets, anything you have come in contact with before cleansing your skin with Tecnu.  Remember that urushiol oil does not evaporate or disappear and may stay on the surface of these items. You can use Tecnu to clean them as well.  See How to use Tecnu.

Tecnu is most effective when used within the first 2 - 8 hours.

Enough for it to stay very wet when rubbing on skin for a couple of minutes.

Yes, however, consult your physician first.  During pregnancy you are more likely to develop allergies, so use with caution.  Nursing mothers should thoroughly rinse Tecnu from their skin.

Yes, you can use Tecnu on your face, but use at your discretion. Tecnu is a detergent, and if you have sensitive skin, an irritation may occur.  Definitely do not use Tecnu near your eyes.

As with any soap or shampoo, use a towel to absorb any excess liquid.

Use at your discretion!  Tecnu is a detergent, genitals are very sensitive, and an irritation may occur.

Do not physically MIX Tecnu & other medications, this may cause irritation or reaction.  Always use Tecnu and other products separately.  When using other medications, cleanse with regular soap before applying Tecnu.  Thoroughly rinse Tecnu before applying any other medications.

Keep in mind that the body grows new skin underneath the blistered area. This new skin area is usually a dark red and even looks bruised on some individuals depending on skin type.  This difference in coloring blends in a few weeks and doesn't leave permanent marks.

Saturate a cloth with Tecnu and wipe down the dog's coat. Then follow with a pet shampoo and water bath.  See How to Use Tecnu for further instructions on how to use the product.

No

No, Tecnu is a cosmetic and does not require an expiration date.  Shake well before you use it. If it looks discolored (no longer a white milky color) then throw it away and get a new bottle.

Follow the directions on the label for "As Soon as Rash Appears:"  1. Rub Tecnu on affected skin & surrounding areas.  Avoid breaking skin.  2. Rinse off with cool running water (not a bath) to remove Tecnu & poison oils.

No, Adding water will dilute the product and take away from it's effectiveness.

Apply the Tecnu directly to clothes as you would a stain remover. Run through the wash as normal.

Tecnu Outdoor Skin Cleanser is a heavy-duty detergent that removes urushiol from the skin, which in most cases avoids possible reaction to the substance.  It is a cosmetic cleanser that does not need FDA premarket drug approval. Tecnu cosmetic product, with it's labeling, has been reviewed numerous times by the FDA during plant inspections and has not had any regulatory concerns.

No, not if the oil has been removed from the skin.  The blisters are the body's natural allergic reaction to the initial contact with the urushiol oil.  The only thing that causes the rash is contact with urushiol oil.  The oozing from the blisters does not spread the rash.

Over the counter topical anti-itch products such as Calagel or Corticool may provide relief.

You can cover loosely with a sterile bandage. Change frequently. Taking a cool shower may also help control oozing. When you cool the skin the vessels constrict and don't leak as much.

There is no set limit to how many times you can apply Tecnu Extreme.

Homeopathic medicines use small amounts of distinct ingredients to activate the body's natural defenses to fight an ailment. Homeopathic treatments are made from minerals, herbs, and other natural extracts and are known to be generally safe.

The Food and Drug Administration regulates homeopathic treatment products marketed as drugs.

The potencies of homeopathic drugs are specified in terms of dilution, i.e., 1X (1/10 dilution), 2X (1/100 dilution), and 3X (1/1000 dilution).

There are no known side effects of Tecnu Extreme, all the inactive ingredients are GRAS (generally recognized as safe) ingredients approved by the FDA.

See page 2 on the Material Safety Data Sheet for Tecnu Outdoor Skin Cleanser.

Tecnu removes the urushiol oil from your skin, which is the cause of the rash.  A rash can still occur after use of Tecnu.  The greatest benefit of Tecnu is that the urushiol oil will not continue to spread to different areas of your body, minimizing the likelihood of the rash to continue to spread.

Because Grindelia is in our product, as a precautionary measure, pregnant & nursing women should consult a health professional before use since no studies have been carried out as yet to confirm its safety in these areas. (This advice was actually for internal use.)

Tecnu removes the urushiol from your skin the first time you use it.  You can repeat use to remove any urushiol you missed or to remove any urushiol oils that you have come in contact with after the first use.

Grindelia robusta is a homeopathic plant that has skin protectant, anti-inflammatory and mild pain-relieving properties. It can be used topically for burns, poison oak, & other skin rashes.

Grindelia robusta in Tecnu Extreme and Tecnu Rash Relief will soothe contact dermatitis caused by various sources. While it hasn't been tested specifically on other plant irritants, it makes sense to wash them off the skin as soon as possible with some kind of cleanser to reduce the chance of irritation, so it might as well be Tecnu Extreme.

See page 2 on the Material Safety Data Sheet form

Tecnu Rash Relief Spray is a medicated anti-itch spray that stops itching and pain from poison oak and ivy rashes. Tecnu Rash Relief Spray dries oozing, promotes healing, and helps prevent scarring. Tecnu Rash Relief Spray is a homeopathic drug.

Tecnu Extreme can be used before (to remove urushiol and help prevent a rash) or after the rash has started (to stop itching and prevent spreading the rash).

The original Tecnu is only a cleanser that removes the urushiol oil from your skin.  Tecnu Extreme not only removes urushiol oil from your skin, but also has an additional homeopathic ingredient, Grindelia robusta, to help soothe, treat, heal, and protect the rash.

3X designates that there is .01% of the active ingredient (Grindelia robusta and Calendula officinalis), and 4X designates that there is .001% of the active ingredient (Plantago major) in Tecnu Rash Relief Spray.

This is stated as an extra precaution because of the Grindelia. There are precautionary warnings for pregnant or nursing women not to take Grindelia "internally, " although this warning does not appply to our "topical" products, we added this warning to our labels just to be extra cautious.

Anything that you can do to dry up the rash is going to benefit you the most.  Oxygen is helpful to healing the wound.  If you cover the rash with a sterile bandage cover loosely to allow healing oxygen to reach the surface of the skin.  It is important to keep the rash very clean; changing sterile bandages frequently reduces the risk of infection.

Yes, you can begin getting poison ivy or oak rash at any time during your life.  Three out of four people are senstive to poison oak and ivy.  Sensitivity is just a matter of being exposed enough times until the body becomes allergic to the poison oil (urushiol).  The rash can begin within a few hours after contact, or it can start three to five days later.

The blisters are the body's natural allergic reaction to contact with the poisonous plants.  The blisters do not cause the rash to spread.  You should never break the blisters.  An open blister can easily become infected and lead to blood poisoning.  If the blisters break, cover loosely with a sterile bandage.   In severe cases contact your doctor.

A plant that has homeopathic properties that are anti-inflammatory, promotes healing without scars, and encourages the repair of damaged tissue.

See page 2 on the Material Safety Data Sheet form

Yes, the non-poisonous sumac has a hairy reddish cone-like fruit.  The poisonous sumac has a droopy whitish-green fruit.

No, You must have direct contact with the urushiol oil in order to have a reaction.  It is highly unlikely for you to get the rash from wind blowing on the plant.

This is not only untrue, but can actually be lethal.  Eating poison oak or ivy can cause a potentially fatal allergic reaction.

No.  The poison oil remains toxic and does not evaporate.  All parts of the living or dead poison plants, including the roots, flowers, or berries, contain the urushiol oil.  Be especially careful of dead vines on firewood and leafless vines in the winter.

Urushiol is a substance in every fiber of the poison oak/ivy/sumac plants that causes the rash. When it gets on the skin, it binds with the proteins in the skin after about 10 minutes & becomes very difficult to get off.

Urushiol does not evaporate and can remain active for years after being picked up on tools, clothing, animal fur, etc.

You can apply Tecnu directly to the tools or object and rinse well. For clothing use Tecnu as you would use a stain remover. Apply directly to dry clothing. (Make sure to do a spot test first) See How to Use Tecnu.

Yes, be careful, because you can get the rash from your pets.  Since the animals' fur protects their skin from the oil, they won't get the rash.  However, the oil will remain on their fur and will contaminate you when you touch them.  You can use Tecnu to bathe animals. Apply Tecnu to dry fur, rub in, and fully rinse.

Bleach may appear to be a quick fix to poison oak or ivy.  However, bleach removes the top layer(s) of your skin.  Using it can irritate your skin and in the process weaken it so that the rash may become worse.  Your skin may then become more susceptible to getting the rash in the future.

The rash is a reaction to the initial contact with the urushiol oil, the rash cannot pass from person to person.  You can't spread the poison ivy rash by coming into contact with a person who has it, unless that person has urushiol on their skin.  You can, however, pick it up by touching a pet that has gotton the poison ivy or oak on its fur or by touching garden tools or clothes that have come in contact with the plant.

Yes. If the plant is burned in an open fire, it is possible to get poison oak or ivy systemically by breathing the smoke of burning poison oak or ivy.  If you think you have poison oak/ivy systemically, see your doctor; this can be a fatal condition.  In some states it is illegal to burn poison oak/ivy.  NEVER BURN IT!

Urushiol absorbs into the skin at different rates on different parts of the body.  Your wrists may break out a day or two earlier than your forearm breaks out.  It is normal and doesn't mean you have been exposed to the urushiol again.

Calagel helps to relieve the five major poison oak and ivy symptoms: itching, pain, oozing, swelling, and infection. Calagel is designed to help dry up the rash.