The best thing to do if you know you’ve been exposed to poison ivy / oak / sumac is to wash your skin immediately with rubbing alcohol (or Tecnu), in which the resin is soluble. However, for jewelweed to be most effective as a poison ivy treatment, you really need to derive an extract from it. Unless you have a lot of time on your hands, purchasing a jewelweed extract is more feasible than making your own. After injury, the sap leaks to the surface of the plant where the urushiol becomes a blackish lacquer after contact with oxygen. Call your doctor if:
• You have a fever over 100° F (37.8° C)
• The rash covers large areas of your body
• The rash is in your eyes, mouth or on your genital area

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