Such Treasures

We bought some of Marie's Original Poison Oak Soap while we were out yesterday. Our pastor's family recommended it as the best thing they've ever found for getting through a poison oak outbreak. I believe it. According to the box, "Marie's Original Poison Oak Soap helps remove the oils of the poison oak plant from the skin, and speeds healing of poison oak and other minor skin rashes."

Ingredients: Glycerine soap, organic oat bran, Argile montmorillonite, olive oil, lecithin and powder, infusions or essential oils of Betula lenta, Salix alba, Morinda citrifolia, Sassafras albidum and Grindelia camporum.

I was curious what the ingredients are that are used in the forms of infusions or essential oils, so I looked them up.

• Argile montmorillonite = a type of clay typically formed as a weathering product of low silica rocks;a major component of bentonite

• Betula lenta = a tree, commonly known as the cherry birch, sweet birch or black birch

• Salix alba = a tree, commonly known as the white willow

• Morinda citrifolia = a large shrub or medium size tree, commonly known as the cheesefruit, koonjerung, tokoonja or great morinda

• Sassafras albidum = a tree, commonly known as the sassafras

• Grindelia camporum = a hardy perennial plant, commonly known as the giant gum plant

These are some things that our pastor's wife advised us in the treatment of a poison oak outbreak:

• Buy at least two bars of Poison Oak Soap at a time — one for use and one as a spare. 

• The Poison Oak Soap has two sides — one with a layer of oat bran for a gentle scrubbing and the other is smooth. Set it out on the bathroom counter, on a folded up towel or soap dish, for use when feeling itchy. Instruct other family members not to touch the soap. Scrub gently with the rough side, let the lather sit for a few minutes to pull the poison oak oils out of the skin, then rinse with cool water. Reapply a lather from the smooth side and leave that coating to sit on the skin. After several hours, or when the person starts to itch, repeat this process.

• Don't use hot water when bathing or washing, as heat can cause the poison oak oils to spread.

• Keep all personal items of the person suffering from the outbreak separate from the rest of the household, including: clothing, towels, washcloths and the bar of Poison Oak Soap. Their items should be laundered separately also.

• Sit in front of a cool fan for relief.

We feel so blessed to have good friends advising us just what to do to ease Naomi's pain. Naomi is following our pastor's wife's instructions. Twice during the night last night, she got up and took care of her own treatment with the soap. She's much less itchy, although the outbreak is still getting worse. We have learned that the outbreak will generally work up to a climax for about a week, then maintain that intensity for another week before it starts declining in strength during the third week.