If you have it real bad lotions of any kind will just not cut it. My experience about 10 years ago resulted in getting it severely over a lot of my body. When I finaly went to the doctor she told me there are 2 ways to deal with poison ivy - one is with a pea shooter (lotions) the other is with a canon and she said you (me) need the canon. I was given an injection which I believe was some type of steroid and it promptly cleared it up. Unfortunately once you get it bad you're very more supseptible to getting it again at least for a period of the next 3 or 4 years. Good luck. gg.