New Theory

As information comes to light, even the best of minds (maybe ESPECIALLY the best of minds) refine their theories to accommodate that new information. The big bang theory didn't just come out of nowhere; it was refined after science revealed the universe was expanding in all directions. By the way, I'm not sold on the big bang theory, but that's another entry entirely.

Similarly, I've refined my poison ivy/new detergent theory. The most prominent rash sites on me are on each leg above the ankle but below the knee and the back of my neck: exactly where I put sunscreen while golfing. But I also put it on my forearms, which is where more subtle bumps have begun to appear.

On the very hot day in question, I took a shower after the first round of golf because it was so hot and because we had time. I'm not sure if I had been exposed to the ivy at this point or not, but it doesn't matter. The shower was more to cool off from the heat and humidity as opposed to cleaning dirt, so I wouldn't have made a huge effort to soap up my legs to get them clean.

The sunscreen becomes important though because I use SPF 15 and reapply it throughout the day. You see where I'm going now? I put sunscreen on my legs, forearms and the back of my neck and then would reapply it later on, spreading the oil from the poison ivy to those other parts of my body.

So now I think the laundry detergent is NOT to blame for any rashiness I may be experiencing. It seems to have just be transference by sunscreen that spread the nastiness.