![]() ![]() The body’s immune system detects it as a foreign protein, then attacks and kills it shortly after it penetrates the skin. The good news is the organism that causes swimmer’s itch cannot complete its life history in the human body. As a part of their life cycle, these parasites are released by infected snails into the water, where they may come in contact with people and burrow into their skin. Officials speculate the warm water causes these parasites to thrive this time of year, causing swimmer’s itch.Īccording to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, swimmer’s itch is a temporary skin rash that is caused by an allergic reaction to microscopic parasites that are carried by waterfowl, semi-aquatic mammals and snails. Swimmer’s itch, sometimes confused with “chiggers,” which are found primarily in moist grassy areas, is pestering swimmers once again on Mille Lacs. In extremis, get into a cold bath to take heat and itching away.This is a combination of information from a few DNR specialists and an Aitkin Independent Age article dated Sep 9, 2020 Avoid hot baths or showers as heat irritates the spots. If the itching becomes intolerable don’t ice, but use cold compresses on the spots. Try Aqueous Calamine Cream, or keep some Aloe Vera lotion in the fridge.ĭon’t scratch, it can cause infection. I use Sudocrem, though Dr Fraser warns that some people react to its fragrance. I also carry dual-action antiseptic and anaesthetic gel to treat each red spot as it appears,Ī topical steroid cream can be effective: mild 1% hydrocortisone, or the slightly stronger Eumovate, can be bought over-the-counter, but should be used sparingly, for a week at most, to reduce the risk of skin thinning.Ĭreams such as E45 and Aveeno will both soothe and hydrate. People who react especially badly could consider an antihistamine to be taken before swimming. It is also useful to carry an over-the-counter antihistamine, to swallow immediately symptoms appear, as Dr Fraser says this should definitely help. Various protective creams are advertised, but I found none with randomised control trials to show whether they are effective. A lighter but less effective option would be a kneesuit or tri-suit. Like Dr Rai, Dr Fraser emphasised the only protection against swimmer’s itch is not to swim in affected waters. Having heard swimmers swapping suggestions, from basting themselves with coconut oil to not feeding swans, I turned to Susannah Fraser FRCP, a Consultant Dermatologist, for some myth busting and practical advice. What can we do, to keep swimming where there have been outbreaks of swimmer’s itch? Few have a choice of places for a daily dip. An exhaustive search of the professional literature confirmed her expert advice. Unfortunately, as I learnt from Dr Sweta Rai of the British Association of Dermatologists, the only guaranteed way to avoid swimmer’s itch is not to swim in affected waters. These may stay itchy for several days, sometimes causing sleepless nights. But – usually after a few hours, though it can take up to two days – the unfortunate human reacts: the skin breaks out in red, itchy lumps. The parasite soon dies, as it cannot live in a human. Mistaking the swimmer for a desirable duck, the confused parasite burrows into the outer layer of human skin. The cercaria might, on its journey, meet a human swimmer. Eventually the cercaria hatches and sets off to find a waterfowl host to begin the cycle again. As lakes and rivers warm up in summer, parasite eggs leave the host bird for an intermediate host, an aquatic snail. These parasites normally live in waterfowl. This parasite (of the family Schistosomatidae) causes ‘swimmer’s itch’ or more correctly cercarial dermatitis: an allergic reaction to the parasite – in its cercarial stage – burrowing into your skin. Sadly, in summer, there is a serpent in our garden: a tiny, fork-tailed, wormy parasite. Swimming at sunset, walking across moors or city parks to splash into dawn: these are glimpses of paradise for an outdoor swimmer. ![]() Susie Symes is your guide to protecting yourself against cercarial dermatitis, also known as swimmer’s itch ![]()
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