Caught something else at B.H.

As for becoming immune, I thought that people became less immune over time from multiple exposures rather than more immune.

That's what I've heard too but it looks like there is hope for me yet.

Michael

That's what happened to me, never got it as a kid or teenager, then one day handled it showing off...

 and that was the end... 

I would say the worse case I ever got was from Niles Canyon...

  stuff has teeth....

OB...please refrain from posting pics of you butt        

OB...please refrain from posting pics of you butt        

The butt pic series was only sent to you as a PM, Mooch. 

I used to get it bad as a kid, now I can't remember when I had it last. I have ( braggin') 12+ acres/ 1500+ft of river frontage on the north fork of the Consumnes River. Hence the handle LilRiverMan. Have to scramble over the rocks to get at the Rainbows and Browns and there is a fair share of Poison Oak. I think a large part of my resistance is due to a product they used to have called Immune-Oak. Like an extract from Poison Oak that you drank once a week for a few weeks, then once a month for a few months. worked great for my family and friends. Can't find it anymore, Probably some stupid lawsuit where some genius thought hey, If I take more over a shorter amount of time, I'll get immune quicker.   
if anyone knows if the product is still around, let me know.

if anyone knows if the product is still around, let me know.

I remember hearing about "mangos" being the fruit to eat to get some sort of immunity from poison oak. I believe there were studies done why most Islanders don't get the poison oak because of mango consumption. I can kinda relate cause I grew up eating plenty of tropical fruits but mostly mangos. I have never gotten any poison oak. (used to ride my mtn bike all over the local trail systems and remember brushing up against a few...my other riding buddies used to get 'em but I somehow never did)

^^ not for me because as a kid every now and then i would get a poisen oak rash like all over my face and it was nasty puss filled kept me outta school type thing too , then we linked it to mangos so i stoped eating the things, never got it again , then i read that there are enzymes in mango skin that cause a poison oakrash and in fact they are part of te same weird family or something...anyways i can drink mango necter , eat mango peices if im carefull just as long asi my skin doesnt touch the skin

^^ not for me because as a kid every now and then i would get a poisen oak rash like all over my face and it was nasty puss filled kept me outta school type thing too , then we linked it to mangos so i stoped eating the things, never got it again , then i read that there are enzymes in mango skin that cause a poison oakrash and in fact they are part of te same weird family or something...anyways i can drink mango necter , eat mango peices if im carefull just as long asi my skin doesnt touch the skin

been told that the stem end is the worst part of the mango.

I was never prone to poison oak rashes. Seemed I could walk right through the stuff without any issues...until two years ago.

In Montana de Oro I was doing trail maintenance on some mtb trails with a group. We had to clear a patch of poison oak that had trunks the size of my arm and I ended up getting sap on my leg from chopping the roots. I had a pretty good case of it.

Months later I told my dermatologist about it, he's an avid cyclist too. According to doc, the poison oak in Montana de Oro is especially virulent. Over the years he has noticed a pattern in that people who are usually immune. All poison oak is not created equal.

The doc also said rinsing the area quickly is key. In a pinch he said “pee on it”.

The doc also said rinsing the area quickly is key. In a pinch he said “pee on it”.

As someone who works in the woods, I can verify this - at least about the washing, never tried the pee thing.  On many occasions I've been immersed in the stuff, with known contact on my face and other body parts.  When this happened I would get down to the creek and really wash myself down, and would not have any rash.  Cold water, if there's no soap around, helps congeal the oil and make it wash off your skin better.

Also, some of my worst cases of Oak have happened in winter because you get fooled by not seeing the leaves.  A couple of times in winter I've pulled myself up a bank or something on the bare PO stems -Doh!  Then spread the crap on my other parts because the oils were on my hands.  Of course, taking a leak after getting the oils on your hands is especially fun later on - I know.

I carry a few foil packets of Tecnu in my camelback.  If I know I was in PO, then I wash off with that as soon as I can.  Seems to work.

Cold water, if there's no soap around, helps congeal the oil and make it wash off your skin better.

Cold water is good for another reason as well - it closes the pores of your skin and keeps the oil from penetrating. A hot shower is one of the woest things you can do, as it opens the pores wide and makes for a worse case. Uslo using dishwashing soap such as Ivory is good as it tends to encapsulate the oils and remove them.