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FAQ
How do Ivy Alert® products work?
Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac plants produce skin irritating
oils and sap (urushiol) that are normally totally contained
within the plant. When leaves, stems, roots and stalks break
(particularly in the spring when the plant leaves and stems
are fragile), the urushiol is released. Contact with urushiol
can result in skin rashes ranging from minor redness to blistering
outbreaks requiring clinical attention, depending on an individual's
sensitivity.
Ivy Alert® products are designed as urushiol detectors
by generating a color change to black in response to physical
contact with urushiol. This color change is the result of
a simple, reliable chemical reaction between the urushiol
and the product's reagents and solutions. When contact with
urushiol is detected, immediate cleansing of the affected
area is suggested.
Who should use Ivy Alert® products?
Ivy Alert® products are designed and intended for careful
use by adult outdoor enthusiasts who have first read and understood
all instructions and warnings.
How sensitive are Ivy Alert® products?
Ivy Alert® Sensing Swabs and Patches can detect physical
contact with as little as 0.001mG/mL of urushiol. This is
a very low concentration of irritant; however certain individuals
may react to this amount or less. For this reason it is possible
for users to contract Poison Ivy rash even with product use.
Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac plants produce skin irritating
oils and sap (urushiol) that are normally totally contained
within the plant. When leaves, stems and stalks break (particularly
in the spring when the plant leaves and stems are fragile),
urushiol is released. Urushiol is persistent and may remain
active on surfaces (plants, tools, clothes, etc) for many
months. Also, it is possible to come in contact with Poison
Ivy, Oak and Sumac plants that are intact (without urushiol
on the surface) that will not cause Ivy Alert® products
to respond as there is no urushiol available for reaction.
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Are Ivy Alert® products guaranteed?
Yes, Ivy Alert® swabs and patches are guaranteed to detect physical
contact with as little as 0.001mG/mL of urushiol. If Ivy
Alert® products can be shown not perform as advertised,
the product will be replaced or a refund of the purchase price
will be made upon return of unused portion to Ivy Alert®
product postage paid by certified mail. No additional guarantees
are expressed or implied. Users my contract poison ivy rash,
even with product use. Prevention against skin rashes on an
individual user is out of Ivy Alert's control and is NOT guaranteed.
Please see Ivy Alert's Terms and Conditions.
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What is Ivy Alert® product liability?
Since the proper use of Ivy Alert's products is in the
hands of the user and every individual responds to urushiol
differently, Ivy Alert's liability is limited to product replacement
or refund based on the performance guarantee. No additional
guarantees are expressed or implied. Please see Ivy Alert's Terms and Conditions.
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What is an Ivy Alert® Sensing Patch?
 Ivy Alert® Sensing Patches are wearable indicators designed
to identify contact with urushiol, the irritating oils of
Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac. Wear a Sensing Patch on your
hiking boots as part of your Poison Ivy protection plan.
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How do you use an Ivy Alert® Sensing Patch?
Place a sensing patch on your outdoor footwear, hiking and
hunting gear, gardening tools, or on golf clubs. To use, adhere
patch in a location likely for urushiol exposure, activate
the entire patch surface with 2-3 drops of surfactant solution.
When you wish to test the patch for urushiol, add a drop of
surfactant solution to the tip of a developing swab and rub
the face of the patch with the swab. Observe for the formation
of any black residue. The formation of any black residue on
the swab or darkening of the patch is a positive test and
indicates the presence of a known skin irritant and immediate
action should be taken to clean the contaminated area. Dispose
of patches and swabs carefully, particularly if urushiol has
been detected.
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What do you get in a package of Ivy Alert®
Sensing Patches?
One
package contains:
15 specially treated self-adhesive patches
15 pre-treated developing swabs
1 3mL dropper bottle of developing solution
1 product label with instructions
1 free copy of the American Academy of Dermatology's Poison
Ivy, Sumac & Oak pamphlet included for additional information
only, not as an endorsement of any kind
1 protective case
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 What
is an Ivy Alert® Sensing Swab? |
 An
Ivy Alert® Sensing Swab is a simple, easy to use,
self-contained, disposable device that is capable of detecting
the presence of the irritating sap and oils (urushiol)
produced by the Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac plant family.
Physical contact with even small quantities of the chemical
irritant found in Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac cause our
swab tip and developing solution to undergo specific chemical
reactions and instantly change color to black. Any color
change to black tells you to quickly clean contaminated
surfaces before the irritant has a chance to spread. |
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How does an Ivy Alert Sensing Swab work?
The physical dynamics and chemistry behind the Ivy Alert®
Sensing Swab are simple and robust. The product is designed
to pick up urushiol from surfaces with an activated swab tip
and detect the presence of urushiol through a simple chemical
reaction with the introduction of the bulb solution and reagent
located in the base of the swab. The generation of any black
residue or blackening of the swab tip or developing solution
indicates the presence of a known irritant and immediate action
should be taken to remove the irritant. Swabs are not reusable
and should be kept sealed after use to prevent the release
of potentially irritating activated developing solution.
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How do you use an Ivy Alert® Sensing Swab?
- Identify the limits of the surface you wish to sample
to insure you will get useful information from the test.
- Grasp the tube base and gently separate the bulb and sampling
swab from the tube base. Do not bend the bulb neck.
- Completely pre-wet the surface of the swab tip with 1-
2 drops of surfactant solution.
- Holding the sampling swab by the bulb or shaft rub the
swab tip firmly over the area to be sampled. Rotate the
swab tip on the surface while sampling. Do not bend the
bulb neck.
- Firmly place the sampling swab back into tube base. Do
not allow swab tip to contact other surfaces.
- Holding the swab upright bend the bulb neck to snap the
liquid seal and squeeze the bulb to release the developing
solution into the tube base. Tap tube base to mix reagents
well. Keep used swab sealed to contain developing solution.
- Observe for the formation of any black residue. The formation
of any black residue on the swab or darkening of the solution
is a positive test and indicates the presence of a known
skin irritant and immediate action should be taken to clean
the contaminated area. Dispose of used products carefully,
particularly if urushiol has been detected. Dispose of swab
safely.
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What do you get in a package of Ivy Alert®
Sensing Swabs?
One
package contains:
10 self contained sensing swabs
1 3mL dropper bottle of developing solution
1 product label with instructions
1 free copy of the American Academy of Dermatology's Poison
Ivy, Sumac & Oak pamphlet included for additional information
only, not as an endorsement of any kind
1 zip seal bag for temporary storage of used swabs
1 protective case
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What is the best way to check if a plant is poison ivy, oak or sumac?
For Ivy Alert product users, the best way to check if a plant is
poison ivy, oak or sumac is to test using Sensing Patches directly
on the leaf surface.
Use extreme care in working with or near plants suspected to be
poison ivy, oak or sumac and wear appropriate protective equipment.
One way to check the identity of plant suspected of being poison
ivy, oak or sumac is to adhere an activated sensing patch on the end
of a disposable stick and rub the face of the patch on the face of
the leaves or stems. If possible, with the stick or patch break the
surface of the leaves or stems to expose the urushiol-containing
sap. Once the patch has been exposed to the sap develop according
to the package instructions. Make sure to safely dispose of all
articles that may have come in contact with urushiol.
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