Dr. Jim Brauker spent 25 years as a biomedical scientist studying skin inflammation. After retiring 8 years ago, he now spends a lot of time in the forest doing deer habitat work.
With his years of experience, he's revealed his clever trick to prevent poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak rash.
I love simple tricks that can keep us safe and healthy like this easy DIY birch bark bug repellent. While it's great to be in nature, it's not so great when it puts us in harm's way.
Dr. Brauker says that the plants are not what cause the rash, but rather the substance they release, called urushiol.
If you touch urushiol and then, let's say, a doorknob, then someone else who touches that door knob can also get a poison ivy rash, too.
This is why it's tantamount that the urushiol be removed properly after interacting with poison ivy to prevent skin rashes. The substance can be removed 2–6 hours after coming into contact with it before the skin starts to react.
However, removing it thoroughly is what's key. Dr. Brauker's secret to removing urushiol isn't any fancy soap or secret concoction, it's merely friction with a damp cloth.
See how he uses it in the video below and SHARE if you're going to try this the next time you come in contact with poison ivy!
