Sea lice bites can be very irritating and painful to those who keep getting it all the time. Mentioned in this article are various sea lice bite remedies that you can use to treat the bites. Also, there are practical tips on prevention of these bites.
Sea lice are found mostly during summer months. Many times people enjoying in the beach water during the summer tend to get bitten by sea lice. Swimmers, divers and people exposed to beach water get sea lice stings. Sea lice are mostly found along the Caribbean and East and West coasts of United States. Sea lice are small jellyfish larvae which have stinging cells on them. Their bites can burn and cause a lot of irritation. Symptoms of sea lice stings include red rash which is sometimes accompanied with small blisters and swollen skin regions. These lesions commonly affect the skin areas which were covered by the swimsuit. This is because they tend to get trapped in the swimwear. Sea lice bites can be treated at home with some basic stuff available at home. There are also many over-the-counter products and medications which can help to treat these bites. However, the best cure to these bites is prevention.
Remedies
Given below are various sea lice sting remedies. These remedies will provide relief from the burning sensation and reduce the swelling.
- One of the most common home remedy used to treat these bites is using vinegar and meat tenderizer. To reduce the stinging sensation of the sea lice bite, shake meat tenderizer over the affected skin region and then pour a bit of vinegar. You can repeat this remedy till the burning decreases.
- Aloe vera gel is one of the best remedy to treat stings and burns. So, take a fresh aloe leaf and cut it lengthwise and scoop out the gel from it using a spoon. Apply this gel several times a day on the affected region. This will soothe the skin and bring down the swelling.
- Castor oil is another good home treatment measure against sea lice stings. Apply castor oil to the affected areas for couple of times a day to soothe the skin and reduce the swelling.
- These two are topical treatments for these bites. If the symptoms persist for more than two days, or you are experiencing extreme discomfort and pain due to the bites then consider using an over the counter pain-killer.
- You can also use a hydrocortisone cream on the affected area. You can find many hydrocortisone creams over the counter. To use the cream, read the instructions mentioned on the label.
Prevention
Keep in mind the mentioned below prevention tips. These tips will help you prevent getting bitten by sea lice.
- Sea lice affects the coast during the summer months. Hence, it is a good idea to stay away from the coastal region during these months. If your skin is very sensitive and you are prone to allergies, then the best thing to do is avoid going in the beach water.
- Wear a wetsuit which covers your body. This will prevent the tiny sea lice from being trapped in your swimsuit.
- However, if you don’t have wetsuit then cover your body to bare minimum possible. This will also prevent them from trapping and harming your skin.
- To avoid them getting stuck on your skin apply loads of petroleum jelly. If you don’t have petroleum jelly then apply lots of sunscreen or regular lotion.
- If you have open wounds or cuts then avoid going in water.
Sea lice bites can be treated at home, using many home remedies. However, if a person along with the stings is showing other symptoms of these bites then medical help is required. This is especially common among children who have many bites. Sometime severe reaction to sea lice can trigger fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and headache. In such cases, hospitalization may also be required.
