Fun Facts

Seabather’s Eruption | Sea Lice

A Craigville resident contacted me recently telling me of experiencing a serious episode of “sea lice bites" at our beach and suggested this article.

Sea lice, “…aren’t lice at all—they seem to be the larvae of jellyfish, most likely a small species called the thimble jellyfish. They’re translucent, almost invisible to the naked eye when they’re in water, which makes them difficult to avoid” (National Geographic). When they get trapped in a swimsuit, the friction of the suit against the skin causes the jellyfish to sting (not bite), causing a painful itchy rash. The reaction, the red, itchy, raised rash, and burning sensation may appear immediately or up to 24 hours later. You may have headache, chills, nausea, and abdominal cramps (WebMD). This is different from “Swimmers itch,” which is a rash caused by a water parasite bite, occurs on exposed skin in fresh water; while, “Seabather’s Eruption” is on covered skin in salt water (PubMed).

How to treat “sea lice” stings: first (and most importantly) remove the swimsuit ASAP and thoroughly rinse off. Apply vinegar, hydrocortisone cream, and/or antihistamines for itch relief. Avoid scratching which can lead to bacterial infections. To avoid stings, do not wear a t-shirt when swimming and apply sunscreen frequently. Do not rinse off in fresh water with a bathing suit on for that will only cause more stings from the trapped venom inside the suit to be triggered. As quickly as possible remove your swimsuit before showering and thoroughly wash the swimsuit and dry the suit in a dryer to kill any lingering venom, or consider discarding the suit. Unfortunately, if you experience one episode of stings you are most likely to have a second episode, and symptoms usually happen faster the second time around (WebMD).