Product Review: Ivarest Cleansing Foam for Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Other Skin Rashes

If you follow the blog, you know that my life has been pretty much consumed the last week and a half by a pregnancy rash that has made it nearly impossible to sleep and has made me absolutely miserable.  The rash, which my doctor originally thought was PUPPP but may actually be pemphigoid gestationis or some other kind of pregnancy-related rash, started on my stomach and quickly spread to the rest of my body, with the most vicious irritation occurring on my hands and feet.

In my quest to find some kind of relief for this pregnancy rash, I have tried all kinds of different products.  Although I knew it was not poison ivy, I picked up a product designed for poison ivy because the rash has similar characteristics.  

The product is called Ivarest Poison Ivy Cleansing Foam, and it is manufactured by Blistex.  It boasts the ability to stop poison ivy from forming if used soon after exposure and to keep it from spreading.  It also contains menthol to soothe the itching and burning.  

Desperate for anything that would provide even temporary relief, I bought the Ivarest and jumped in the shower as soon as I got home.  I used it on my hands, feet, arms, and legs.  I really was not expecting much because my rash is clearly not poison ivy, but to my surprise, the Ivarest worked wonders in just a matter of minutes.  It soothed the itching from my rash and allowed me to regain some semblance of sanity after days (and nights) of nonstop itching.

Although I was given a steroid pack to treat the rash, which helped take away the worst of it, I continue to have symptoms and flare ups, especially on my hands and feet.  They are still bad enough to keep me from sleeping, but I have found that if I wash my hands and feet with Ivarest, I can get enough temporary relief to allow me to fall asleep or to be able to focus on other tasks (like doing squats and running up and down the stairs to try to get this baby out).  

Whether you have poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, or some other kind of skin rash that is making you crazy, I recommend giving this product a try.

Disclaimer:  This is a completely UNSOLICITED review of Ivarest based on my experience.  No compensation or other incentive whatsoever was provided to me by the company.