swimmers itch!!!

[Antelopeous]

I was at the cabin and we were moving the dock out 6 ft couse of the water dropping, and i got the swimmers itch. Does anyone have an info on this crap? What causes it? The best ways to prevent getting it? And how releive it if you do get it? Ant info is greatly appreciated as i sit here scratching lol

thanks.

[michelle]

Originally Posted by Antelopeous

I was at the cabin and we were moving the dock out 6 ft couse of the water dropping, and i got the swimmers itch. Does anyone have an info on this crap? What causes it? The best ways to prevent getting it? And how releive it if you do get it? Ant info is greatly appreciated as i sit here scratching lol

thanks.

Sorry you contracted it!
From the web:
Swimmer's itch, also called cercarial dermatitis, is a skin rash caused by an allergic reaction to an infestation with certain parasites of birds and mammals. Immature larval forms (cercariae), of parasitic flatworms (schistosomes), are released from infected snails into fresh and salt water, such as lakes, ponds, and lagoons. Swimmer's itch develops on exposed areas of the skin after contact with these larval forms when they mistakenly penetrate the person's skin (rather than its usual host, a duck).


The treatment that worked for me was to mix vinegar and water half and half and then wipe all of the affected areas untill the rash subsides. It also made the kids skin feel better. Good Luck!

[michelle]

Oh yeah,

The best way to prevent it is to shower off following every swim.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by michelle

Oh yeah,

The best way to prevent it is to shower off following every swim.

when we were kids we applied a bit of vaseline to our feet and lower legs. Seems like that is where they hit the hardest. Most people seem to get it on the tops of their feet by standing in the shallows wishing they were brave enough to swim... I believe the parasites are more readily found along the shoreline in shallow water. Not sure if waterproof sunblock helps these days...

[goosefrabba]

I used to get it real bad. Calamine lotion works well so does aloe. oh and a warm oatmeal bath

[Jetski]

Look up Schistosomiasis.

.

[DLP]

drip dry no towel
later

[bucktaker]

put sun tan lotion on. before u go into the water. the oil will protect the skin .

[floppychicken]

Yeah that stuff WAS nasty at PINE LAKE. Every one of the Kids and a few of the Adults got it and a couple were REALLY bad...

Trick is like the former posters said:

-Water Proof Sun Tan Lotion Before Swimming
-Rinse in the shower REALLY well immediately after Swimming
-Rub any spots with diluted vinegar and water (75 / 25)
(Putting 75/25 in a spritzer bottle and giving it a little shake then applying seemed to work the best.)

Cheers,

/FC...

[Antelopeous]

Thanks for all the info everyone. Greatly appreciated