![]() The symptoms of swimmer’s itch will usually worsen with each exposure to these parasites. Normally the rash will only appear on skin that is not covered by waders, swimsuits, or wet suits. The rash can appear within minutes after getting in the infested water or days after you have waded or swam in this water. This rash looks like reddish blisters or pimples. SymptomsĪs mentioned with swimmer’s itch you have a rash. Swimmer’s itch is not contagious so you cannot catch it from another person. It was first described in 1928 in Michigan. There have been cases of swimmer’s itch around the world. The reason is that they like to play in shallow water and most of them do not dry off with a towel and instead let the sun dry them. Anyone regardless of age, gender, or race can get swimmer’s itch but it seems children are at a higher risk for getting swimmer’s itch. Humans do not make suitable hosts for this parasite and die soon when they are still in your skin. The parasite that is associated with this skin condition will normally live in waterfowl along with some of the animals that live near the water. When you get swimmer’s itch it is from an allergic reaction to microscopic parasites that have burrowed into your skin. Occasionally you can get it from salt water. You can get swimmer’s itch from freshwater ponds and lakes. It is also known as cercarial dermatitis, clam diggers itch, and duck itch. Be aware that winds blowing IN toward shore are more likely to bring in snails and cercariae that cause swimmer’s itch.It is a skin condition in which you have an itchy rash after you go swimming or wading.Do not attract birds (e.g., by feeding them) to areas where people are swimming.Towel dry or shower immediately after leaving the water.Do not swim near or wade in marshy areas where snails are commonly found.Do not swim in areas where swimmer's itch is a known problem or where signs have been posted warning of unsafe water.The Minnesota Department of Health offers these tips to avoid swimmer’s itch: This is especially convenient if symptoms start after clinic hours or over the weekend, since online visits are available 24/7. This can typically be done with an online visit, like Allina Health Everyday Online. If itching is severe or it looks like you’ve developed an infection, I may recommend a prescription lotion or cream. Scratching can cause the rash to become infected. Use over-the-counter anti-itch lotion or cortisone cream or ointment.Bathe in cool water with Epsom salts or baking soda.Apply cold packs or compresses to the affected areas.Apply a paste made with baking soda and water to the rash.To control the itch try these home remedies: ![]() Swimmer's itch most often does not require medical attention. Scratching may lead to a bacterial infections. It is itchy and makes you very uncomfortable, but it usually clears up within a few days to a week. The good news is that swimmer’s itch is not contagious. Because humans are not good hosts, the parasites die under your skin causing an allergic reaction that shows up as red, itchy bumps or blisters. When you or your child play and swim in that same shallow water the newly hatched parasites may attach to you and burrow under your skin. When the eggs hatch, in or near water, the larvae infect a certain species of snail, grow and develop, and complete the life cycle by searching for a host. ![]() This parasite lives in the blood of birds such as ducks and geese, and mammals such as muskrats and raccoons, and its eggs are released in feces. Swimmer’s itch, or cercarial dermatitis, is an allergic reaction to parasitic larvae (cercariae) released by infected snails that live in shallow, marshy areas of lakes, ponds and rivers. Just what is swimmer’s itch, how can you treat it, and most importantly, how can you prevent it? What is swimmer’s itch? But, your summer fun may turn into a summer bummer if you or your child gets swimmer’s itch. For many of us, swimming and playing in one of our many lakes or rivers is a favorite summer activity. ![]()
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