This description helped a ton.  At least it lets me know that the immune
system doesn't work backwards on certain things.  It sounds in the case of
poison ivy/owk that it's actually better to NOT have much of an immunity.

Brian Cluff
Team Snaptek

Crossing my fingers that I never run into the stuff.... luckily it doesn't
grow very well in the desert

----- Original Message -----

> I have read everything I can find on the internet on poison oak/ivy during
> the past several weeks.  The first person was right.  People are born with
> some immunity.  Continued exposure to the poison oak/ivy oils will make
the
> body more prone to getting the rashes.  The body's resistance gets weaker.
> The body is in effect reacting quicker to the invasion of the bothersome
> chemical.
>
> This is the opposite of what happens with other allergies where they try
to
> desensitize you with allergy shots.  There is no such thing as immunity
from
> poison oak/ivy.  You get in it enough and you'll eventually get it.
>
> When the poison oak/ivy rash appears, it can't be spread.  The oil has
> already been absorbed by the body and what you're seeing is the body
> reacting to the presence of the oil.  Scratching just causes problems
> because it causes an open wound that is susseptible to infections.  Poison
> oak/ivy is very messy because it shows up as blisters and likes to stay
> around for as much as 2 weeks.
>
> The difference between poison oak and poison ivy is very minor.  About the
> same difference between a basset hound and a beagle.
>
> > Everyone is born with some degree of tolerance, or immunity to these
> > chemical "reactions."  With repeated exposure, this tolerance will
> > decrease, until the body develops a defensive reaction - which results
in
> > the rash, etc.  Some people only need one exposure to get the body to
> > react.  Others require many, but it's not infinite.
>
> That sounds like the exact opposite of the way the immune system works.
> Isn't the reason you get shots to give your immune system practice so that
> it knows what to do what it gets the real thing.  Seems like it should
work
> in a similar way with poison ivy/oak.
>
> Brian Cluff
> Team Snaptek
>
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