Poison oak, poison sumac, poison ivy, chiggers, and ticks. A great way to be misery!

[The Yodeler]

Never had chiggers or ticks, but I am insanely allergic to poison ivy. Had it on my face once, and that was not a pleasant 2 weeks. Every now and then I'll get it on my ankles right above my socks, or on my arms when I accidently touch it while reaching for a disc.
Best thing is get the oils washed off (I have special soap for this), wash your clothes and whatever you may have touched. Then hydrocortisone all over the area. Also, ice packs can make it itch less.

 

[cmcolomb]

I can testify to Mean Green as an effective and way cheaper substitute for Zanfel to scrub away poison ivy (even after you've had it for a few days). I bought a tub online which is essentially a lifetime supply. Only issue is it'll grow mold after a while; solution - stick it in the freezer, scoop out a bit & thaw it when you need some. Just got back from playing Stafford Lake in CA, and can confirm it works on poison oak too. See for detail:
http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1744563&tn=100

TECNU is better

 

[General Scales]

Living where I do in the northwest, I rarely have any encounters with anything other then ticks. Deer ticks are a giant pain in the ass. Played out at Four Mounds this year for the Lilac City Open, spent the entire next week removing ticks. Final count was 41. I still wake up in fear sometimes thinking that I'll find more.

My only experience with chiggers is through you guys. You can keep them, I do not need anything that makes my skin itch more so than it already does. Plaque psoriasis is bad enough.

 

[juju]

Final count was 41.

:gross::gross::gross:

 

[Jukeshoe]

2nd that emotion.

 

[barneco]

TECNU is better

I used tecnu for a while too, but then discovered that dawn works just as well, and it's $16 for literally a lifetime supply if you happen to shop at Sam's club. I'm on the same bottle I bought 5 years ago.

I also keep these in the trunk of the car for when I'm not immediately headed home for a dawn shower and think I've been exposed:

I feel like a quick scrub with degreaser and rinse from a water bottle has to be better than leaving the oils on my skin for 2 hours until I can get home and shower.

Between these 2, I haven't had a serious outbreak in 5 years...following 2 of the worst seasons I'd had in my life.

 

[hophead]

You got it right barneco. The key is to get the oil off soon as possible and when you get home is likely too late. Anything that will remove the plants oil (urushiol) will work. I've found the easiest, cheapest, and least messy is basic rubbing alcohol. Keep a large bottle and roll of paper towels in your car. Soon as you get done take off shoes/socks and thoroughly wipe down your ankles, legs, arms, etc... basically anywhere you may have been exposed. Also really helps with chiggers and you feel much cleaner for the ride home to boot. Soon as you get home take a good shower right away as well. You can even keep a small bottle along with a pack of wet wipes in your bag to use while you're on the course. If you're going to be playing for a long time or are hyper allergic like myself it can make a big difference in the amount and severity of the rashes.

 

[cmcolomb]

^^^ TRUDAT. Main point is - get the oils off the skin ASAP!! by any means necessary!!

F*** YOU POISON OILS AND TICKS/CHIGGERS!!!!

Although, some sick sadistic part of me oftentimes misses the burn of hot water on poison ivy, if I haven't had it for awhile.

 

[tarel]

Gnats are kiling me! I have pretty much soaked myself in DEET and it doesn't phase them. They get in my eyes, landing on my eyeball while I am in my x step! On the heavily wooded courses I have even worn my bug net that goes over my head.

wear a hat and place a tall blade of grass as a stem.

bugs go for the highest point.

 

[humchris85]

Living where I do in the northwest, I rarely have any encounters with anything other then ticks. Deer ticks are a giant pain in the ass. Played out at Four Mounds this year for the Lilac City Open, spent the entire next week removing ticks. Final count was 41. I still wake up in fear sometimes thinking that I'll find more.

My only experience with chiggers is through you guys. You can keep them, I do not need anything that makes my skin itch more so than it already does. Plaque psoriasis is bad enough.

This reminds me of when I was back in MO. A friend and I put in a course on his dad's property. It was beautiful, but there were soooooo many ticks.

P.S. I'm still working on getting rid of Lyme Disease.:thmbdown: It's no fun, so make sure to do through tick checks every time.

 

[Jukeshoe]

wear a hat and place a tall blade of grass as a stem.

bugs go for the highest point.

Interesting.

---------------------------------a formal line of demarcation----------------

@ Humchris: How long have you had Lyme's disease?!

I hear it's not the easiest to get rid of...details if you feel like sharing? (How long the tick(s) were embedded, etc.)

 

[mashnut]

I panicked once. I was out in ticky areas, picked several off my legs but I thought I got them all before any actualyl got me. A week later I had a bright red circle on the back of my shoulder. I spent about 15 minutes frantically googling pictures of lyme disease rashes before I remembered that I had banged my shoulder into the end of a metal pipe which apparently left a mark.

Sorry to hear you're dealing with that Chris, from what I read that day it sounds like it's no fun at all, good luck with the continuing recovery!