Jelly Fish Stings
Jamie
Member
I got 3 really bad jelly stings last week. All are about 8 to 12 inches long on my arm, chest and neck. They all have stopped hurting but it looks like they may scar. Does anyone have any remedies for preventing scaring or should I just consider them a wonderful reminder of a great swim? Thanks
Comments
We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams
Here's a blurb from wikipedia:
Chinese black vinegar is an aged product made from rice, wheat, millet, sorghum, or a combination thereof. It has an inky black color and a complex, malty flavor. There is no fixed recipe, so some Chinese black vinegars may contain added sugar, spices, or caramel color. The most popular variety, Zhenjiang vinegar (鎮江香醋), originated in the city of Zhenjiang, in the eastern coastal province of Jiangsu, China[9] and also is produced in Tianjin and Hong Kong.
Here's more info too:
Vinegar (3–10% aqueous acetic acid) is a common remedy to help with box jellyfish stings,[61][62] but not the stings of the Portuguese Man o' War (which is not a true jellyfish, but a colony)
Beyond initial first aid, antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can control skin irritation (pruritus).[66] For removal of venom in the skin, a paste of baking soda and water can be applied with a cloth covering on the sting.[citation needed] In some cases it is necessary to reapply paste every 15–20 minutes. Ice or fresh water should not be applied to the sting, as this may help the nematocysts to continue to release toxin.[67][68]
Rubbing wounds, or using alcohol, spirits, ammonia, or urine may have strongly negative effects as these can encourage the release of venom.[65]
Jellies 101! )
-LBJ
“Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde
loneswimmer.com
But for Pelugia Noctiluia, (Purple Stingers) Compass, Lion's Mane and Portugese Man O War, it does nothing to the toxin or the unfired stingers. The other usual techniques are valid: sea water (duh), scrape the affected area to removed unfired stingers or use a towel. I seem to recall that he said the evidence on the Safe Sea product isn't conclusive, it does nothing for some people.
loneswimmer.com
I found this product online, that is a lotion that claims to prevent the jellyfish sting (also has sunscreen properties, how convenient!).
http://getsafesea.com/
I am planning on using this on my next swim where I anticipate these.
A few swimmer friends on an upcoming relay were wondering if it was channel legal.
I think it is and would fall under "...a swimmer is permitted to grease the body". It is like a specialized grease, provides no flotation or warmth...
Does anyone disagree with that?
Stop me if you've heard this one...
A grasshopper walks into a bar...
https://elainekhowley.com/
Got stung by a Portuguese Man-o-War yesterday for the first time (kayaking, not swimming) and wow, those things are no joke. Full props to anyone who survives a swim with multiple encounters with those nastiest.
http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer
I've been more or less lucky so far although sea lice are the pits--as I learned in 2010 and a couple times after that. Safe Sea is good--but don't forget to apply it UNDER your swimsuit, not just to exposed skin.