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| |  Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac Skin Protectant Now Available SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, 1997 -- The awful itch of poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac rash could become a thing of the past. For the first time, the millions of Americans who suffer from the rash caused by these poisonous plants will be able to help protect themselves prior to exposure with new IvyBlock skin protectant. The clinically proven, over the counter lotion, manufactured by EnviroDerm Pharmaceuticals, is now available nationally. EnviroDerm made the announcement at this year's Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). "Until now there's been no viable pre-exposure poison ivy, oak and sumac barrier creme that works," said Dr. Joseph Fowler, a member of EnviroDerm's Scientific Advisory Board and a practicing Louisville dermatologist who is attending the AAD meeting. "IvyBlock skin protectant fills this void. It's clinically proven, easy to use and, perhaps most importantly, it helps protect against poison ivy rash before it begins. "Prior to IvyBlock, avoiding the poisonous plants was the only thing you could do to reduce the risk of getting a rash," he added. The company expects the roll-out to be complete by Memorial Day. IvyBlock lotion is the first and only poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac skin protectant to receive clearance to market from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Applied as a topical lotion that dries quickly, IvyBlock skin protectant lays down an active coating on the skin with a special formula that helps block skin contact with urushiol (yoo-ROO-shee-ol), the oil in the plants which triggers the rash, thereby serving to help protect against poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac rash. Poison ivy can affect two out of three Americans and of these, 15% may have severe allergic reactions which require medical treatment. In 1994, more than nine million Americans sought remedies for the irritation caused by poison ivy, oak and sumac. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, however, hydrocortisone creams may help with very mild rashes but in most cases these over-the-counter remedies are far too weak to combat the itch of poison ivy. In addition to its importance to the consumer marketplace, the company stressed the benefits to outdoor workers. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, poison ivy and oak are the greatest cause for worker's compensation payments related to outdoor injuries. The introduction of IvyBlock follows more than 11 years of research and clinical testing by some of the nation's leading dermatologists specializing in contact dermatitis. A major clinical study was conducted in four dermatology centers around the U.S. comparing occurrences of poison ivy and poison oak rash on unprotected skin against skin protected by IvyBlock lotion. Two thirds of the people who developed poison ivy rash on unprotected skin were completely protected against poison ivy by IvyBlock skin protectant. The rash was much milder in the one third who developed some rash on IvyBlock lotion protected skin than it was on unprotected skin. IvyBlock lotion should be applied to skin at least 15 minutes before possible contact with the poisonous plants and re-applied every four hours for continued protection. The lotion coating is then removed with soap and water.
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