Gah, got it again!
I've either got urushiol on some tools, or it's growing somewhere that only I go. But once again, I've got it on my hands. Arg! This is like the fourth time in as many weeks!!!
I'm not the greatest at spotting it, but I've no idea what I keep messing with that gets it on my paws. And only my paws, my wife and son aren't getting it.
You could have come in contact with poison oak or sumac. If you easily are affected by poison ivy, you can easily get affected by the other.
And, it could be something besides poison ivy/urushiol. Anything that you are highly allergic to can produce the same effect, contact dermatitis. A hand soap, for example. The typical time from exposure to symptoms is about 3 days, so what were you doing 3 days ago? And the stuff will stay on your tools or other stuff like a steering wheel for a LONG time.
Be sure to keep your hands off your junk.
(you know, old stuff in the shed, spare car parts. The toxins can stay there for a long time)
It may be something else. And so I've no idea how long its taking for the symptoms to show up.
I do get poison ivy every year, from things like clearing the fences or such. But this time, I don't know the source. Almost making me paranoid that someone, or myself accidentally, has painted my computer mouse or steering wheel or something.
Time to go swipe the rubbing alcohol off the shelf at home and wipe everything down.
And this is why gardeners traditionally wear gloves.
Even if it is something else you are allergic to, the time between exposure to contact dermatitis is the same. Google up "Type 2 hypersensitivity reaction" for more info. It does sound like you need to thoroughly clean stuff you touch. I'm not sure if something like 409 would work better than alcohol. The stuff marketed as "poison ivy soap" may be better than regular soap, or wipe it all down with Tecnu, which I recall was originally made as a chemical warfare equipment decontamination agent. The maker's wife tried it on her poison ivy and a new market was created.
+1 for Tecnu. I think it was radioactive fallout that it was made for, but it either works wonders or I'm just really lucky. I was weed-whacking at my parents' house a year or so ago and hit a whole mess of poison ivy inadvertently, spraying the bits all over myself. I immediately sent my sister out with a wheelbarrow of cash to get a bottle of the stuff, used it to wipe myself down, and then showered. Not a single little bubble was found on me. I've used it on a smaller scale a few more times and it's always prevented any itching from happening. The only downside is that it doesnt' seem to do much if you're already itching.
My six year old just wound up completely covered in poison ivy (feet, legs, arms, and face, the poor kid) and she was totally miserable until we put her on prednesone and benedryl -- we didn't know she had been into anything until after she was already miserable. So, you might try a little benedryl?
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