[pct-l] More poison oak advice

[brick@fastpack.com (Brick Robbins)]

Here is something one of the runners wrote on another list about Poison 
Oak. (Clairemont and University City are suburbs of San Diego)

The word on that list is that Technu works much better than Fels Naptha, 
and these folks have LOTS of practice

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The poison oak is THICK in all of the canyons around Clairemont and University
City (and elsewhere in the city). It generally grows under the large shade
trees, off to the edges of most trails and around any running water or streams.
Even if you can't see the three lobed leaves you can still get the urishiol
poison on you from the stems or dead looking branches. Another contamination
source is dogs that are running through the stuff and then they rub up against
your legs or you pet them, getting the poison oil on your hands and then who
knows where after that. I have found Technu to work well if used immediately
(within and hour) after contact and by following the directions to the letter.
Technu is a soap that breaks the oil down and allows it to be washed away. The
only way Technu is effective is to use running water and lather up the exposed
area with technu, rinse off and do it again, and maybe even a third time if
you're paranoid. The wrong way to use it, and I have seen a couple of runners
do this, is to apply the Technu like a lotion after exposure and let it sit on
your skin. This is almost worse than not doing anything at all. If I don't have
Technu with me I'll find some plain water and scrub with it, with the hope that
it will carry some of the poison oil away.
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Brick Robbins                       mailto:brick@fastpack.com