![swimmers itch parasite swimmers itch parasite](https://www.nps.gov/lake/learn/nature/images/Swimmers-Itch-Header.jpg)
If you love water but not swimmer’s itch, you’ll need to know how to prevent a rash from occurring. Avoid itching the rash area as this may cause infection, more swelling, and fever over time. Severe rashes, pus present at the rash site, or a reaction that persists for more than a week may require medical attention. Oatmeal-based bath products and lotions.Once you have swimmer’s itch, depending on the severity of your rash, you’ll want to treat the symptoms. Rash that appears anywhere from minutes to a week after swimming.
![swimmers itch parasite swimmers itch parasite](https://msb.unm.edu/divisions/parasites/_img/trematode.jpg)
Rash that resembles pimples or blisters.The most common symptoms of swimmer’s itch include: While some people appear to not react to the parasite at first, your sensitivity can increase with each exposure to them. So, the itching and rash are not actually from the parasite living in your skin, but an allergic reaction, which is why some people have a more severe reaction than others. Luckily, these parasites die shortly after penetrating your skin. When the parasite comes into contact with human skin, it burrows, causing a rash. The parasites are carried to various areas by waterfowl, snails, and semi-aquatic mammals (such as ducks or geese) that move between water sources. Swimmer’s itch is an allergic reaction usually in the form of a temporary skin rash to a microscopic parasite that lives in the first few inches of freshwater lakes and ponds. Whether or not you’ve had swimmer’s itch before, if you are someone that loves the water and wants to avoid it, the team at Waterfront Restoration is here to share our secrets about how to help prevent swimmer’s itch. If you’ve had it, then you also know that it is an irritating rash that can come on somewhat suddenly.Įveryone’s reaction to swimmer’s itch is different, and not everyone will have a severe reaction. Many Minnesotans have likely experienced swimmer’s itch at some point in their lives, especially if you have a lakefront property or spend most summer days swimming at the lake.