Summer has returned to Northern Michigan. The geese are swimming, the beaches are full, and unfortunately, swimmer’s itch is popping up on some of our favorite lakes.
We had our first dose of the pesky malady a few years ago, so now I’m prepared when it shows up. But for those who are new to the area, swimmer’s itch can send you running for dry ground. Before you give up on swimming in our salt-free waters, I thought I’d share some handy tips on how to prevent and treat swimmer’s itch.
What is Swimmer’s Itch?
If you’re squeamish, you may want to gloss over this section, as it’s not too pleasant to visualize the source of these scratchy bumps. Swimmer’s itch is caused by a flatworm parasite. The larvae of the cercaria parasite travel between their water snail host and their intended waterfowl host. When they come in contact with human skin, they burrow in and immediately die as we are not hospitable. The raised itchy bump is an immune reaction to each site where a parasite has entered the epidermis. These parasites are not harmful to humans beyond the discomfort of the bumps.
So, what can you do to keep from ruining your vacation in northern Michigan with a case of the itch?
6 Tips to Prevent and Treat Swimmer’s Itch
1. Avoid Busy Beaches
Swimmer’s itch is most common in highly populated beaches where ducks, especially the merganser ducks, and snails are commonly found. Avoiding these swimming areas will decrease your chances of coming in contact with the parasite in the first place. Deeper water and moving water, such as rivers, are also less likely to carry the larvae in search of hosts.
2. Towel Off
Kids are most susceptible to swimmer’s itch as they tend to spend long amounts of time in shallow water and air dry. Try to towel off aggressively after each swim.
3. Protect Your Skin
Creating a waterproof barrier seems to help prevent the parasites from burrowing into the skin. One way to do that is with Baby Oil. But you’re going to want sunblock to go under that. And kids are squirmy enough putting on one protective layer, much less two. We’ve discovered two brands of sunblock that do the job. Bullfrog gel sunblock works pretty well and is readily available in most stores. But we’ve had the best luck with a Wisconsin product called Swimmer’s Itch Guard. It’s made from natural ingredients, smells and feels a lot like vapor rub, but it works like a dream. This is the best prevention we’ve found. You can find it in a few Traverse City stores and order it online. It’s pricy, but if your kids plan to spend much time in the water, it’s well worth it.
4. Don’t Panic
If you get the dreaded itch, don’t panic and swear off swimming for the rest of the season. The bumps will itch for a day or two, then they’ll just be red and ugly but not painful. The more sensitive your skin is, the more susceptible you are to the parasites. I’ve swam with my kids and never got it when they’ve been covered. So it doesn’taffect everyone the same way. Unfortunately, if you’ve had it once, you’re more likely to get it again.
5. Treatment
Applying an antihistamine creme on the spots to help with the itch or swallowing a dose of Benadryl if it’sreally bad has always helped my family. The bumps will go away in about a week. (The worst part is the fearful look you get from strangers who think you have a raging case of measles.)
6. Don’t Feed the Ducks!
Waterfowl like merganser ducks, Canada geese, swans, and mallards are the hosts of these parasites. The eggs are returned to the water in the duck feces, thereby repeating the life cycle. When the ducks are fed at beaches they congregate there, thus making those sites especially susceptible to swimmer’s itch. On lakes where swimmer’s itch is common, you can expect every common merganser duck is infected and capable of spreading the parasite.
Swimmer’s itch is a pain, and unfortunately, it seems to be growing in prevalence in Northern Michigan lakes instead of receding. But I hate to hear mothers swearing to keep their kids out of the lake for the summer because of an early case of the itch. Follow these steps, and hopefully, your summer will be filled with splashing and fun instead of itching and scratching.
