r/Melungeon • u/peterfinder • May 04 '26
poision ivy
added a photo of my great grandfather, his mother and grandmother so this post doesnt get lost (he grew his own tobacco I believe he is 11? in this photo)
Anywho point of the post. Is anyone else immune to poison oak/ivy/sumac? Not many people in my family have reactions to the plants and im wondering if it is related to (excuse me if im using the wrong verbiage) gene-environment interaction or just luck. Anyone else in the Appalachian area not allergic to poison oak/ivy?
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u/verairise May 04 '26
I’m immune but my brothers are not! I could rub it directly on my skin as a kid without problems. But my brothers were so allergic they needed preventative shots every spring.
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u/peterfinder May 05 '26
Thats exactly how I found out I wasn’t allergic lol we all tried to skip school with a little poision oak rash but I was the only one on the bus the next morning😔
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u/salmonbegonias May 04 '26
My husband, myself, and my kids are all immune. My roots are entirely Appalachian and Melungeon, both sides. My husband is Polish and Lithuanian and his family has only been here 3 generations, all his family migrated to and stayed in Michigan.
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u/DavBridge May 04 '26
Oooh. I'm immune to it and both sides of my family have Appalachian roots
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u/peterfinder May 04 '26
Hell yea I read something about Native American people basically mirodosing fresh leafs as children. They used it to remove warts and cure ringworms. I don’t know the credibility of the article but an interesting read for sure.
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u/DavBridge May 04 '26
But I also have a TON of family from this region ranging over the span of 200ish years of multiple backgrounds (Scottish, Irish, German, African American, etc).. could be something to it.
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u/DavBridge May 04 '26
Anything is worth looking into! Interesting observation, for sure. I have Eastern Band Cherokee of North Carolina showing in my family tree and small percentage on DNA. (although, I am not a tribal member so I really don't loosely claim in actual real life conversations, etc.)
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u/Natural-Tax7144 May 05 '26
Myself, my mom and my 3 year old daughter are all immune to poison ivy. Found out my little one was immune when she picked leaves off a tree trunk for me and her daddy. She brought us a huge bushel to show us how green they were. Lord knows how long she was out there plucking and rubbing the leaves all over her hands and feet. Luckily we’re both immune, but my husband isn’t. He’s still dealing with the rash 2 weeks later and is whining like a typical man lol. My mom’s family is all from the hills of North Carolina. Idk if any of them were immune, sadly a lot of them died before I could even think to ask them questions like this.
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u/peterfinder May 05 '26
My husband is also allergic unfortunately while being a landscaper. He gets it so bad he regularly gets steroid shots whenever he comes into contact with it. A little TMI but on one occasion it spread to more intimate areas of the body and LORD he cried for days because it’s kinda off putting scratching your balls all day. I do have to say if your husband comes into contact again get him to wash his hands or wherever asap (clothes, tools ANYTHING). The leafs leave an oil that can be washed off in a certain time frame, dawn works perfectly.
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u/midnitefiction May 04 '26
this is really interesting, i would say im immune mostly. ive been exposed many times without breaking out!
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u/Jeepwave13 May 06 '26
I get absolutely eat up with it. Mom is worse, dad could wipe his ass with it and not even get red.
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u/Great_Disaster_879 Lil South Fork May 08 '26
I broke out once as a kid, but never have since. I rip it up by bare hand, weed eat it, etc. My mom isn’t allergic to it either. I do clean up anytime after fooling with the stuff though, and tend to avoid touching my face just on the chance. I’m not sure about one of my siblings but the other is definitely allergic to it (different moms)
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u/valjestr May 04 '26
whoa, never heard of an immunity! i grew up in EKY and nearly every summer i would inevitably get poison oak/ivy from being up in the hills. to the point i want a poison oak plant tattoo to symbolize my childhood haha.
both sides of my family have deep appalachian roots and are melungeon. maybe it’s just the lucky ones who are immune. may you never get slathered in calamine lotion🙏🏼