What Are Sea Lice Bites And How Do You Get Rid Of Them?
Sea lice are tiny little insects that live in water and feed on dead skin cells. They have no legs or wings, but they make up for it with their small size. Their bodies are covered with fine hairs which makes them very difficult to see without magnification equipment. These tiny creatures are not dangerous unless handled carelessly or if they get into your eyes or mouth. If you are bitten by one of these tiny bugs, it will cause a painful sting. The pain may last from a few seconds to several minutes. Some people experience no symptoms at all and others suffer severe itching and burning sensations.
How Do You Get Rid Of Sea Lice?
There are many things you can try to get rid of sea lice. One of the most effective methods is using a product called Neosporin. This topical medication kills any living organisms that might be present on the skin surface where it was applied. There are other products available such as rubbing alcohol, vinegar, baking soda and even household bleach. All of these products work well in killing sea lice, but none are 100% effective. In most cases, a single application is sufficient to kill all of the sea lice. In severe cases where you may have a large number of bites, you may need to reapply the product several times at short intervals.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Sea Lice Infestation?
Some people experience no symptoms at all. Others will experience an itchy rash or an allergic reaction that might require medical attention. These bites are not known to spread any type of disease.
How Do Sea Lice Bites Affect Your Health?
These bites are not known to cause any serious harm. They may cause an itchy rash or a slightly swollen welt that may last for several days. Some people have reported experiencing a temporary burning sensation when bitten. These symptoms are not life threatening, but they can be quite uncomfortable. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should seek medical attention just to be safe.
How To Prevent A Sea Lice Infestation?
The best way to prevent getting bitten is to avoid swimming in highly populated waters. If you swim in an area that is known to have sea lice, always wear a full body wetsuit. The thicker material will protect your skin from getting bitten while still allowing you to enjoy your day in the water. If you swim in an area with sea lice and do not have access to a full body wetsuit, you may want to consider taking a bath in vegetable oil before swimming. The oil will create a barrier between your skin and the sea lice preventing them from biting. Be sure to rinse yourself off before getting out of the water.
Is There A Sea Lice Allergy?
It is common for people to have an allergic reaction to the saliva of certain insects. For most people who suffer from this condition, they will experience an itchy rash around the area where they were bitten. This rash may grow in size over a 24 hour period and may take several days to completely disappear. If you experience any of these symptoms following a bite from a sea lice, you should contact your doctor immediately. If left untreated, this condition may become quite serious.
How To Treat A Sea Lice Infestation?
It is fairly easy to get rid of sea lice. Most over the counter topical creams will eliminate these tiny pests. If you are unable to find any cream, there are many household items that will treat a sea lice outbreak including crushed asprin, baby oil, vegetable oil, etc. You should avoid using products that contain petroleum jelly since this might actually makes the problem worse.
How To Remove Sea Lice From Your Swimsuit?
Sea lice are quite small and can be difficult to locate, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for. If you believe that your swimsuit has become infested with sea lice, you should place the clothing item in a sealed trash bag and throw it away. Wash any other items of clothing that may have come into contact with sea water. You may also want to take a very hot shower to ensure that any sea lice have been killed.
Interesting Facts About Sea Lice:
There are more than 12,000 known species of sea lice.
The largest species of sea lice found in the North Pacific can grow to be as long as 10 centimeters.
The scientific name for sea lice is “Argulas”.
Seals and whales have a special type of lice that live on the outer layer of their skin without harming the host. These critters are known as “comedors de la mollesa”.
Seals and whales do NOT get swimmer’s itch. Humans are the only creatures that can get it.
Seals themselves do not have fleas, but their lice have been known to carry fleas on rare occasions.
Unlike normal lice, comedors de la mollesa do not live on land.
Humans are most likely to become infected by sea lice by coming in contact with a host such as a seal.
Some species of sea lice have been known to jump onto a person’s skin while they are swimming and begin to bite them. This is especially common in cold waters.
A group of sea lice is known as a “congregation”.
Some countries have started to introduce non-indigenous sea lice into their waters in order to reduce the populations of certain overpopulated seal species.
Some people mistakenly refer to swimmer’s itch as “seal ulcers”, “seal bugs” or “seal fleas”. These are all inaccurate names for the condition.
Some people will catch sea lice from swimming in non-temperature controlled swimming pools. These types of pools are more likely to have traces of urine and feces in them. If these bodily fluids get into the open wounds on your skin, you increase your risk of getting infected by sea lice.
Some species of fish will also host sea lice. These types of fish will not seek out human hosts.
The most vulnerable body parts to get infected by sea lice are the area in and around the groin.
Seals attain sexual maturity at a very young age. In fact, some species of seals will give birth only one year after being born.
The type of swimwear you wear can increase your risk of getting infected by sea lice. Thongs, string split-tails and speedos are more likely to allow the sea lice access to your skin. Wear loose fitting swim trunks if you want to lower your risk of getting infected.
The most common types of sea lice do not like sunlight. If you’re in an area that is subject to a lot of direct sunlight, you’re at a lower risk of being bitten by sea lice.
Seals are some of the only mammals that don’t have hair.
There are two types of people who get infected by sea lice the most: swimmers and seal watchers.
In order to kill sea lice, you must use a lotion or cream that contains 5% permethrin or a lotion or cream that containsl rontline.
Sources & references used in this article:
The use of cleaner-fish to control sea lice on two Irish salmon (Salmo salar) farms with particular reference to wrasse behaviour in salmon cages by S Deady, SJA Varian, JM Fives – Aquaculture, 1995 – Elsevier
Use of lumpfish for sea‐lice control in salmon farming: Challenges and opportunities by A Powell, JW Treasurer, CL Pooley… – Reviews in …, 2018 – Wiley Online Library
Seabather’s eruption, or “sea lice”: New findings and clinical implications by MT Russell, RS Tomchik – Journal of Emergency Nursing, 1993 – intljourtranur.com
Delousing of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) by cultured vs. wild ballan wrasse (Labrus bergylta) by AB Skiftesvik, RM Bjelland, CMF Durif, IS Johansen… – Aquaculture, 2013 – Elsevier
