Treatment of poison ivy dermatitis

BSA: body surface area.

* Skin soothing measures may help improving itch and pain while medical treatment is taking effect. These may include oatmeal baths, cool wet compresses or dressings (with or without topical corticosteroids), or calamine lotion. Oral antihistamines are not effective in reducing itch associated with poison ivy dermatitis.

¶ The combination of betamethasone, a short- to intermediate-acting corticosteroid, with triamcinolone acetonide, a long-acting corticosteroid, provides rapid relief of symptoms while waiting for triamcinolone acetonide to take effect.