[Question] Good idea to wash discs?

[whentherainscome]

Yes, wash your discs, wash your hands, wash your legs/ankles and wash your shoes. Most of my recent spots of P.I. rash have been from scuffing my shoes on my calves.

I keep single-use alcohol swabs in my bag for first-line defense and wipe down the rim of a disc that has been in poison ivy. Then I wipe down my fingers because, well, they touch my face, neck, arms, and other susceptible areas. I wash the discs with dishsoap at home. I wish myself with a mix of body wash and Tecnu brand soap.

I laugh at anyone who says they're immune. I've yet to meet anyone with actual confidence in their claim (eg, willing to come in intentional contact with the plant).

 

[Carnavas]

According to Science News Letter, about 20% of the population is born legitimately immune, and that sensitivity to urushiol is obtained through repeated exposure. (Nature Ramblings: Poison Ivy
The Science News-Letter , Vol. 77, No. 22 (May 28, 1960), p. 352). So I'm good now, I'll believe you all.

 

[Grungedude42]

I can't site a source, but when I worked with cricket colonies in the lab, my professor told me to wear a mask every time. I wasn't allergic to crickets when I started working for her, and she said repeated exposures to allergens can cause you to develop allergic reactions to that allergen. It doesn't work like vaccines.

I react like crazy to poison ivy. I must have gotten some on my washrag. I have two small spots on my wrists (normal). But I've now found blisters behind my knee, and on my ankle. And I always wear long pants and shoes with socks when I play.

Probably gonna wash my discs tonight. And change washrags.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

It is true that some people don't have an allergic reaction when they are exposed to poison ivy, but others don't have their first reaction until they are exposed multiple times. So it is very hard to truly know if you are really immune. It may just be that you just haven't had your first reaction yet, so even if you think that you are immune, you should still try to take steps to avoid poison ivy.

Explanations for natural immunity to poison oak are complicated by myths, conflicting reports and ongoing controversies among authorities. Sensitization depends on the chance meeting of a special effector T-cell (with correct receptor site) and the poison oak allergen--a painful biochemical rendezvous. You may not have effector T-cells with the special receptor for urushiol--or perhaps your relatively few effector T-cells with precise poison oak receptor may never encounter the urushiol allergen. The allergen may be absorbed and degraded before the T-cells find it. If the truth is known, most people will probably experience some degree of dermatitis if a sufficient quantity of urushiol is thoroughly rubbed into their skin. You may even be sensitized by a white blood cell transfusion from a sensitized person. Immunity to poison oak with age, exposure and homeopathic remedies may involve suppressor T-cells which inhibit or block the action and reproduction of other T-cells. Circulating IgG immunoglobulin antibodies that block the T-cell receptor for urushiol may also be involved.

Honestly it has not been studied enough to conclude one way or the other and everyone's body reacts differently to stuff.

 

[Carnavas]

It is true that some people don't have an allergic reaction when they are exposed to poison ivy, but others don't have their first reaction until they are exposed multiple times. So it is very hard to truly know if you are really immune. It may just be that you just haven't had your first reaction yet, so even if you think that you are immune, you should still try to take steps to avoid poison ivy.

Explanations for natural immunity to poison oak are complicated by myths, conflicting reports and ongoing controversies among authorities. Sensitization depends on the chance meeting of a special effector T-cell (with correct receptor site) and the poison oak allergen--a painful biochemical rendezvous. You may not have effector T-cells with the special receptor for urushiol--or perhaps your relatively few effector T-cells with precise poison oak receptor may never encounter the urushiol allergen. The allergen may be absorbed and degraded before the T-cells find it. If the truth is known, most people will probably experience some degree of dermatitis if a sufficient quantity of urushiol is thoroughly rubbed into their skin. You may even be sensitized by a white blood cell transfusion from a sensitized person. Immunity to poison oak with age, exposure and homeopathic remedies may involve suppressor T-cells which inhibit or block the action and reproduction of other T-cells. Circulating IgG immunoglobulin antibodies that block the T-cell receptor for urushiol may also be involved.

Honestly it has not been studied enough to conclude one way or the other and everyone's body reacts differently to stuff.

Did you just pull that off of the snopes message board?

 

[Aim For The Chains]

no..?

 

[Carnavas]

Wait I meant yahoo answers as opposed to snopes message boards. Which is even worse. Anyhow, here is an abstract for an experiment found in the National Library for Medicine's website.

Young nonimmune subjects were injected intramuscularly multiple times with small amounts of urushiol oil derived from poison oak. One week after the last injection this group and another group of age-matched controls were exposed to a sensitizing dose of the oil painted on the skin. All were challenged at 1 mo, then each year for 7 yr. Initially all experimental subjects were tolerant to high challenge doses; this persisted for 1 yr, at which time experimental subjects were no longer completely tolerant but were clinically tolerant (hyporeactive). This state persisted for at least 4 yr, and this represents complete tolerance followed by long-lasting hyposensitization.

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7240596)

 

[zenbot]

i ate poison ivy as a kid....

This explains so much.

 

[dekdo]

I just wash them with water

 

[DustinRobirtis]

ive thrown a disc or 2 into the water so mine get a regular washing every couple of rounds :doh:

 

[threevok]

if you ingest a bit of poison ivy leaf right as it blossoms it will build your immunity to it. just don't screw with the furry vines. at least that's what i've always been told and have practiced such. i'm not a doctor and doctors know much of **** anyway on subjects like that.


i ate poison ivy as a kid and i never get it.

I tried this once and had no problems until I pooped it out.

 

[StevieWraithVaughan]

I don't react to it and probably come in contact w/ it quite a bit. Don't actually pay attention anymore. But you could never pay me enough to eat it.

 

[DustinRobirtis]

eating poison ivy? Yikes!

 

[DiscinFiend]

Back on topic, I wash my discs will a fair amount of frequency, around once a week. I don't like using soap b/c of the chemicals in it (not that tap water doesn't have drugs & chemicals in it also). So I just wash each of my discs with water & a rag by hand (kinda like doing dishes).

 

[Sooner34]

Discs don't get washed unless I throw them in water or can't get mud off of them. I like the feel of them better sticky... Haha.

 

[Halcón]

It's probably OCD, but I can't throw, or have dirty discs. After any kind of use, every time, they get a dish soap bath. They get wiped after every throw too. Gotta keep 'em nice and clean.

 

[IcyWynter]

I want to thank you all for taking time to answer my question about washing discs. Thanks! :hfive:

 

[mashnut]

I only wash my discs after playing in heavy poison oak or ivy. The discs feel a little different once they have some dirt on them, and that's how they're going to be after the first time you throw them so I figure they might as well start out that way. That said, you're not going to hurt them by washing them unless you use really abrasive stuff or ridiculously hot water.