Almost Everything you wanted to know about Sea Lice , But were afraid to ask

[Scott H]

Almost Everything You Wanted to Know About Sea Lice, But Were Afraid to Ask

What are these critters we call Sea Lice?

First off, they are not lice. They are the larval form of the Thimble Jelly Fish. Thimble Jellies look like a large brown thimble that would fit on your thumb. Don't waist your time looking for the larva as they are rather small. The larva may still be present even if there are no mature Thimble Jellies to be seen. A more proper term for exposure to these larvas would be Sun Bather's Eruption (SBE). Each larva is covered by nematocyst. These are the guys that cause the SBE. When there is a change in the larva's environment, (i.e. going from salt to fresh water, drying out, feeling trapped between your skin and swimwear) the nematocysts fire. When they fire they inject a substance into your skin that causes the reaction. The reaction leaves you with itch red bumps. These are most often found in areas that were covered with swimwear.

Somewhere I read but now cannot find, the source that the larva often could be found in Turtle Grass and they tend to get stirred up by careless swimmers. There is a little bit of Turtle Grass at Castaway Cay Snorkeling area; you know the shallow swim way that leads to the main area. Yep, that area where everybody stops to stand up and adjust their gear, where they can also stir the Turtle Grass and get the larva stirred up.

These critters are usually found in the wider Caribbean area from March to August. The greatest chance of exposure is from April to June. I have been told that there is a pattern from South to North as the waters warm. Personally I have seen them heavy in the Bahamian out islands in May.

How do you prevent or lessen your exposure?

Get out of your wet swim garments immediately after you leave the water. Shower only after you are out of your swim wear. By rinsing with your swim wear on you might cause the nematocysts to fire.

Before the advent of SafeSea a healthy application of sunscreen was recommended. Some folks used baby oil or even petroleum jelly.

I became aware of SafeSea about three years ago. SafeSea is a sunscreen developed to help prevent exposure to sea critters that sting. (There is a disclaimer that SeaSafe has not been tested against Portuguese man-o-war and box jellyfish. These are very dangerous and I doubt if there are any volunteers to be test subjects.) It has received good reviews and can be found a dive shops. Their website is www.nidaria.com. SeaSafe maybe available at either of these outlets www.diversdirect.com or www.lifestylesdirect.com.



OK… too late I got those pesky bumps now what do I do?

When you first see those red bumps form, a good scrubbing with soap and water with a very good strong rinse. You can also soak the affected area with white vinegar. Calamine lotion may be helpful. Topical application of hydrocortisone twice daily might lessen the reaction. They should dissipate in about 7-10 days.

Make sure you wash your swimwear well and make sure it is dry before worn again.

If you have a severe allergic reaction or a prolonged reaction seek medial evaluation.

Hope this helps to answer your questions about Sea Lice, a misnomer for SBE. Don't let those little critters keep you from enjoying the "Big Blue Wet Thing" (the ocean).

[cmatt]

great info thanks scott great links as well thanks cmatt

[TnRobin]

thanks Scott. I know people have asked about this before. thanks for putting it all together.

[Scott H]

You are welcome, No probs,

[Mboothby]

I'm curious. Are the sightings of these little guys new? I sailed on the Magic Maiden in July and hadn't heard anything about them. We snorkled and none of us were effected. Do they go for one type of skin over another? Is the infestation larger now than it was a few years ago? Why am I all of the sudden seeing it pop up everywhere? I assume getting out of your bathing suit ASAP is a good idea anywhere on the cruise then huh?

[albiats]

They've been around for years and years. I read that people didn't realize what they were until the late 1940s or so.

I think the reason you're seeing this topic more often is that the typical season is about to begin for South Florida and the Bahamas and that they seem to be more intense in the last four or five years.

Here's a link to an article from the Palm Beach, Florida newspaper that is very informative:
Palm Beach Article (http://www.gopbi.com/health/guides/sealice.html)

And another article from Florida Atlantic University:
FAU Article (http://www.fau.edu/safe/sea-lice.html)

I have used the SafeSea product with the SPF30, I bought it from the LifeStyles Direct Website, $12.95 plus shipping. It was on their home page along with their bathing suits. They make bathing suits that allow you to get a tan through the fabric, but I didn't try that, just the SafeSea. :rolleyes:

[Scott H]

Albiats, Thanks for the additional info and links.

From what info I have been able to gather it seem there is a relationship between water temp the presence of the thimble jellies. As the water warms the concentration increases. Thus when southern Caribbean waters warm they come out. This progresses as the waters warm the farther north you go. From personal experience it seems the northern Bahamas area peaks throughout the month of May.


The key is this.... yes they are there , some simple measures will reduce your risk of being affected, and if affected it wont last long. Get into to water and have a good time, diving, snorkeling, swimming etc.

I kinda liken it this ..... I grew up in Chicago, when I return there or any large city where you can see and cut the air , my throat gets irritated from the poor air quality. Bothers me a little, yes, keeps me from traveling, no way.

[goofyforwdw]

I want to say THANK YOU I sat with my chair in the water on March 8th at Castaway cay had a wondeful day, when we got back on the boat to a quick shower on deck 9 the got in the hot tub for a little while. Well I have had itching bumps since, this rash is mainly around the bottom of my bathing suit and let me tell you I was really freaking out cause I didn't know what it was ,did I pick up something in the Spa or the hot tub ? Well now I know and feel slightly better knowing but still uncomfortable. I never saw any jellyfish but did hear some on e say that there was one if there is one there is more . I will have seasafe on from now on when ever I go ing the warm ocean water. Thanks for the info
Brenda

[tlt]

I have had skin cancer...does anyone know if Seasafe is waterproof, has UVA and UVB protection? Thanks!

[albiats]

I'm reading the label on my bottle of Safe Sea and it does not say the exact words 'waterproof' on it. I did find those words in the description of the product on the 'lifestylesdirect' website, so I believe that it is. The label does suggest reapplying it after swimming though.

I bought my bottle of Safe Sea with the SPF30 rating. It comes with SPF30, or SPF15, or without SPF protection.

I'm not that familiar with the SPF qualification and I just figured that if anything said 'SPF' that it would automatically have to have UVA and UVB protection. Guess I'll have to research it further to find out if that's true or not. I can't find those specific words on the bottle or the websites.

Something I don't remember reading earlier from the bottle - It says if you have reason to believe that Sea Lice are present, that you should apply the lotion at least 10 minutes before going into the ocean and that it should be applied UNDER the bathing suit as well as on exposed areas.

After all the reading I've done on this subject and after ordering it before our last cruise, you'd think I would have considered that from common sense, but that point missed me completely. Next time, it goes under the suit too!

[soluc]

I've never heard of sea-lice and I've been living in the Caribbean for 8yrs!!!!

[SanMan]

Hi, All.

We just returned from the Wonder cruise that left Easter afternoon. We used the Safe Sea lotion (30 SPF). We bought our bottle at Ron Jon's Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach.

One bit of advice for anyone using the product...it's REALLY thick. It has the consistancy of Elmer's school glue. :-) We applied it to our kids' skin (DS 14 and DS 9) but didn't have enough left in the bottle to do both of our adult bodies as well. We ended up using regular sunscreen on our backs, arms, faces and lower legs. So, if you're going to use it on all members of your family, you may want to purchase two bottles of it.

Regards,
Robin and Dan

[DVC1996]

We just returned from the April 7th WONDER cruise and luckily experienced no problems with sea lice. I had ordered the Safe Sea about a week and a half before we left but it did not arrive until after we had left home. I was so worried about the sea lice but we had no problems.

[happylady]

Boy do I feel stupid!! I've lived in the South Florida area for 20+ years and am well aware of these pesky little guys. Well...yesterday my 11 DS and I went to visit my neice and her 1 year old DD staying on at a condo on the beach near our home. We decided to go down to the beach for a while. My DS went snorkeling for a half hour or so. He rinsed afterwards and changed into dry clothes. Well this morning he said he had a bunch of mosquito bites.:eek: :eek: I knew better. So, even us informed folks get hit by them. Luckily, he has a pretty mild case, mostly his underarsm, back and waist area.... :( He's being great about them,and trying not to scratch.

[D A P & I]

I lived in Florida for 21 years. Miami and Sarasota. I have been stung by a jellyfish,But never heard of Sea Lice.:confused: I don't doubt they are real, just never heard of them:D

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc :Pinkbounc

[disneyholic family]

we live overseas and use a local sunscreen that protects against jellyfish (including portuguese men-o-war, which is the delightful creature we have to contend with).....
it works fine...
i assume the active ingredient is the same as the one in the product you're buying online...
the main point is that you have to put it on an hour before you go into the water.....
in other words, put it on in your stateroom before leaving the ship or else it won't work....
i forgot how it works...i heard the company here explain it once on the radio, but i wasn't really paying attention....
but he was very clear, that if you don't put it on an hour before you hit the water you may as well not use it at all....
i don't have it in front of me, so i'm not sure what the SPF is...
for non-jellyfish waters, we use regular sunscreen (45 SPF....although i was seriously considering buying 100 after my son burned to a crisp a few weeks ago....)

[disneyholic family]

ok...i stand corrected...
i just read the bottle and it says at least 10 minutes before you go in the water...
but the guy on the radio said an hour.....besides which we always put on sunscreen before we go out so it works out to much longer than 10 minutes...

also, it says to also put on the sunscreen UNDER your bathing suit....very important....

[PiperG]

Maybe you folks could help me here.

Last December we stayed at the Poly prior to our Wonder cruise. We spent a lot of time on the beach, which was great, except for these terrible itchy red bumps all over our feet and in between our toes. We just waded in the water (not actual swimming) so nothing near our suits or shorts.

Was this sea lice? If so, since we are not swimmers, can we wear water shoes to protect ourselves?

Thanks for your help.

[albiats]

PiperG

If you meant you were swimming at the Poly in December:
I'd have to say that I doubt what you had was the result of Sea Lice, for a couple of reasons:

The Seven Seas Lagoon doesn't actually connect to the ocean so I don't think the baby jellyfish would be in fresh water like that.

Also, since you were there in December and the 'season' for Sea Lice is March to August, it looks doubtful.

But I think you really meant you were wading in the ocean water while you were on the cruise in December (and you also went to the Poly), again, it's outside of their 'season'. If it was caused by Sea Lice, wearing water shoes wouldn't help much. The Sea Lice get trapped inside clothing (or cloth water shoes) and then when they're introduced to friction, they cause irritation. If they were in the water and around your feet and toes, that would cause them irritation.

I am really considering using the Sea Lice lotion as a preventive anytime that I cruise, despite the month. It's only about $12 for a full 4 ounce bottle so it isn't that much of a financial risk for wasting it, and I can always use the SPF30 protection that's included.

hope that helps

[PiperG]

Thanks for the feedback.

Our problem was definitely at the Poly beach as that preceded our Wonder cruise. DH is now thinking its sand fleas. I will post under the WDW resort section also to see if anyone experienced the same problem.

[Pixie_Dust]

Have any of you ever gotten sea lice out of season? I am trying to decide when to go on vacation, and if we can avoid those it would be great. But I guess a September or October cruise would put us into hurricane season, so it's always something!

[AnnaB]

Just want to make sure - we will be sailing on Nov 2nd. Can anyone confirm for me that I will not be sailing during "their season" and therefore won't need to worrry about the little critters. Thanks a million !

[BraveMom3]

This is my first time to wander into the "cruise forum". I'm currently doing my first serious thinking about a DCL cruise. I travel alone with 3 children (ages 10, 6, and 5), and this subject really got my attention! This reminds me so much of the "red bugs" (don't know if that's what an entomologist would call them:o ) we have here in South Mississippi. They do the same thing, such as attack the most in areas inside your clothing, especially where there is something binding like the waistline of your pants, and other areas of your underwear!! These things, that you cannot see, will drive you crazy with itching for days. You can be sure that if I do take myself and the kids on a cruise that I will most definitely invest in some of the Safe Sea product. Can you imagine listening to that for days and days of your trip!!!:rolleyes:

[albiats]

Originally posted by Pixie_Dust
Have any of you ever gotten sea lice out of season? I am trying to decide when to go on vacation, and if we can avoid those it would be great. But I guess a September or October cruise would put us into hurricane season, so it's always something!

My very own opinion -
It's a giant ocean out there and there are lots of those liittle guys swimming around. Some of them may not be as smart as the others and may not know that their 'season' is over, or they may have lost their calendar.

In other words, I think there will be some that start sooner and some that stay later, so I will be prepared with a bottle of Safe Sea whenever I cruise.

It's a small price to pay for the assurance that I'm doing all that I can to make sure that I have an enjoyable cruise experience. I get the one with the SPF30 sun block included and I know I need that when I go out, so it's still one lotion to apply, so no additional trouble.

I was on a DCL cruise this past January and I was in the water at Castaway Cay for 3 or 4 hours. I used the Safe Sea, but did not reapply it. I did have a localized red area under my trunks but my DW was in the same water and always with 10 to 20 feet of where I was and she didn't have any problems under her suit. I didn't ask anyone else on board and I also didn't overhear anyone else complaining. So it could have been my imagination, but I'm going to play it safe and get a bottle for each cruise.

[disneyholic family]

we were on the july 4th cruise....
my kids and husband used the anti sea lice sunscreen which has to be the grossest stuff i've ever had to put on them.....and it's really hard to wash off...
i didn't use it (i never use sunscreen and i wasn't about to start....especially given its gross texture)...
well....i didn't get sea lice and neither did they...
the moment we all got out of the water we headed straight to the showers and washed off completely (even pulling our bathing suits awy from our skin so that water went down inside them....an area where in any case, you don't usually put sunscreen)...

i suspect that shower is the most important part of the whole anti sea lice procedure...

[LianeMJ]

They are indeed real. I have lived in West Palm Beach all my life and have gotten them pretty bad at times. They aren't present year round, only in certain months, and some people's skin types seem to be more suseptible to them. For example, my dad never seems to get them but I always get a bunch. They look and feel sort of like chicken pox. Just shower real well and you should be okay. The last cruise we took in December we had no sea lice problems. ;)

[GenieDana]

Anyone who still has a bottle of this stuff please repond??

Can you post the ingredient list? I am curious what is in this stuff that would prevent a sting, which is a mechanical reaction (touching the jellyfish, triggering the shot).

I spoke with some Iron man triathletes I know and they use petroleum jelly in practice and competition (Florida Gulf). I suspect since most of you describe this as a very thick gel, it might be creating a physical barrier, not a chemical one.

Would a heavy lathering of sunscreen offer the same protection?

Someone please post the ingredients - Thanks!

[GenieDana]

P.S. - Some additional research yielded that this product is "derived from the protective mucous secreted by clownfish."

Chemical or Physical?

[albiats]

Originally posted by GenieDana
Anyone who still has a bottle of this stuff please repond??

Can you post the ingredient list? I am curious what is in this stuff that would prevent a sting, which is a mechanical reaction (touching the jellyfish, triggering the shot).

I spoke with some Iron man triathletes I know and they use petroleum jelly in practice and competition (Florida Gulf). I suspect since most of you describe this as a very thick gel, it might be creating a physical barrier, not a chemical one.

Would a heavy lathering of sunscreen offer the same protection?

Someone please post the ingredients - Thanks!

I still have some left from a previous cruise, it's the 'Safe Sea' product with SPF 30.

It says it was made in Israel and sold by Nidaria Technology Ltd. I ordered it from the Internet from www.lifestylesdirect.com.

The active ingredients are listed as:
Octyl Methoxycinnamate
Octyl Salicylate
Oxybenzone
Titanium Dioxide

It warns that in case of sting, do not use Safe Sea as a treatment. Seek medical attention.

It also states specifically in the instructions block that it should be applied under the bathing suit.

It was specifically developed to help protect against the stinging of most jellyfish, Sea Nettle, Sea Lice (Seabathers Eruption) and Coral. It was not yet tested against Potuguese man-o'-war and Box Jellyfish.

Cautions are:
For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes. Discontinue use if signs of irritation or a rash appear.

hth

[disneyholic family]

it's my understanding that it's both a chemical and physical barrier....(in other words. regular sunscreen will NOT work).....

as for not having been tested against portuguese men o war...that's not up to date...i live in israel where the stuff is made.....we do have portuguese men o war (lucky us) and it does work against them...

as i noted in my other post, i didn't use it on castaway cay and i didn't see the need for it as long as you shower like a maniac as soon as you get out.......
however, if i were to go swimming here (which i don't do either since i hate salt water) i would most defnitely use the stuff.....people who swim here during the men o war season swear by it......and if you've ever seen a portuguese man'o war you'd be happy to use it too , no matter how vile it feels on the skin.......those babies are HUGE.....gigantic....and revolting....and deceptive....on top of the water they just look like big plastic bags floating on the water.....awful awful awful....and if you've ever been stung by one you wouldn't worry about the slimey feel of the sunscreen.....

[TINKFAN3]

My DS had sea lice 2 years ago. He had a rash everywhere and it itched unmercifully!
When I took him to the DR and asked about sea lice the DR laughed and said he never heard of it. Well, the next year we bought the Safe Sea for sea lice and no one had the bumps except for my DS#1who thought he was too cool...well the critters got his legs!
My advice is get the Sea Safe!:smooth:

[BriarfoxinWA]

O.k. I bought the SafeSea for our upcoming cruise on 3/29. We're doing the Stingray City snorkle and planning on doing some snorkling at Castaway Cay. My question is do I need to apply the SafeSea for both or just on Castaway?

I'm allergic to some types of sunscreens so I'm going to have to try out the SafeSea before we go. My reaction to the Safesea may be worse than the potential of getting attacked by Sea Lice!

[TINKFAN3]

I would put it on both places. I am unsure what is the 'season' for sea lice. You may want to find that out since you are sensitive to sunscreen. It could be you won't need any. We go in June and I know that is the season for the pesk things.

Have a great cruise!!:wave:

[dizneykids]

when you return, please post your experience with the SafeSea. i, too, have very sensitive skin and have trouble with certain sunscreens. i've bought two bottles of the safesea (there are 5 of us with 3 days of planned ocean time), but am a little reluctant to use it myself given my hypersensitivity. sometimes, a reaction to a lotion can be worse than the problem that requires the lotion!

[disneyholic family]

why not test a little bit of it on your skin now...long before your cruise...
that way you'll know if you're sensitive to it or not...

[dizneykids]

oh, that i will do, but with sunscreens, i've found that what seems okay at home can be a problem when applied and worn in intense sun and heat. it's weird, i know, but that's my life :(

[Verniebird]

Do the beaches post anything saying anything about an infestation? Also, going on the May 10 Western with stops in Key West, Gr Cayman, Cozumel & Castaway Cay. Is sea lice more concentrated in the Key West/CC area? Or should we use it at Cozumel and Gr Cayman also? I have 1 bottle to use for 2 people, will that be enough?

[BriarfoxinWA]

dizneykids - I have the same problems with sunscreen. I can try it on a "test spot" prior to going and really using it and have not problems. But when I'm out in the sun with it on I would break out in a rash.

We all used the Safesea only at Castaway Cay. I had no problems at all with it. I did test it out at home, but that doesn't always work for me. We made sure that we snorkled in the morning fairly early and avoided stirring up the turtle grass. We didn't see any evidence of jellyfish at that time. We did have a family sitting near us on the beach come back from snorkling late in the afternoon that said the small jellyfish were terrible. (We did see some about the size of a fifty cent piece out at the adult beach.) Apparently they were very thick and their daughter had been stung.

On our 3/29 cruise the weather wasn't nice enough to try going to the beach anywhere else - so I can't comment on whether there were any posted signs about the Sea Lice.

Hope that helps.

[happylady]

Originally posted by Verniebird
Do the beaches post anything saying anything about an infestation?

Yesterday, we were at a great public beach (Carlin Park in Jupiter) just north of West Palm Beach. And, yes, they did post the possibility of sea lice.

Sea lice is a nickname, and probably only know in the Central and South Florida area. The water has to be in a certain temperature range for the there to be a problem....just as the water is warming up for the summer from @ March to July. In a post on this thread from a year ago, I related how my son became victim last year. We've never used any of the products on the market, but just rinsed VERY, VERY well after getting wet.

[laf]

Last year, end of May, we ran into sea lice in Grand Cayman. Local divers told us the theory is it's an increasing problem due to the warming of the earth's oceans...

Well, we survived, and will look for preventative products this year!

[Verniebird]

Thanks for the info. I am currently on the May 10 Western and it is Sunday morning...heading into Key West. Will be sure to pack my SafeSea when we leave today.

[AprilsZoo]

It's a giant ocean out there and there are lots of those liittle guys swimming around. Some of them may not be as smart as the others and may not know that their 'season' is over, or they may have lost their calendar.

Obviously, some must survive the "off-season" in order to reproduce the following year ;)
Could be that they move out to deeper or warmer water during part of the year and therefore humans aren't exposed to them during those months.:confused:

[LG123]

Do I need to worry about the Sea Lice in December? :(

[snowiit]

We're cruising in just about 3 weeks. Is there anywhere at a brick and morter store that you can pick this up? I'd be worried if I ordered online it might not get here in time.

Nancy

[TINKFAN3]

We got back from our long....vacation a week and a half ago. We did not use 'safe sea' and this time no one was infested with sea lice. We went into the ocean at every stop too. The ocean was 10-15 degrees colder then normal so this may have had an effect on the sea lice. We looked for safe sea at the normal spots where we found it years prior-Ron Jon's and Cocoa Beach Surf-but they don't carry it anymore! If you have time and don't want to chance an encounter I suggest ordering it. You will not be able to purchase it at the corner pharmacy.

[femmfaerie]

a while a go i had a few bed bug bites and I was ready to do anything to cure the itch - HEAD AND SHOULDERS! No kidding - and i am sure (not proven by scientists or anything) it will stop the itching caused by sealice also. Don't know why it works, just know it does.
Head and Shoulders, its not just for dandruff any more!

[sillysmom]

THINK I'LL BRING THE HEAD AND SHOULDERS WITH ME. THAT STUFF IS NOT CHEAP. ITS 9.95 A BOTTLE AND 9.00 SHIPPING. THATS A LITTLE STEEP NO?

[mommommouse]

I bought safe sea at drugstore.com for 9.95 plus shipping. I look at it this way. It really don't cost much more than suntan lotion. Why not be safe than sorry. Who wants to ruin their cruise for such alittle bit of money.
:banana: :banana: :wave:

[kath1210]

I got Safe Sea from Dermadoctor.com for $12.95 + shipping. I guess $16.00 is worth being safe, especially for the kids. I searched the internet, but drugstore.com did not come up. I tried 2 other sites that were sold out.

Kathy

[Villains_Rock]

OMG Scott!!! I am thinking about planning our first EVER cruise for next year and I ran across this. :scared1:

You are a cruise expert though so I will listen and obey!!

[DontGetStungResearch]

Thank you so much! Im in Mexico right now and I had spent the day at the beach. Later I saw that I had tons of red bumps where my swim suit was. I was completely confused on what they were. They itched so much! Thank you for the information!

P.s.

Can you still swim in the water after you have gotten bitten? (once you've washed your swim suit?)