Bite/Pimples on my Neck after Cleaning Boat Bottom

[Contraman]

I was doing a final cleaning of my boat bottom prior to hauling. Had a wet suit on but my neck was exposed. I used a white 3m pad and was vigorous in cleaning off the slime and raised some anti fouling clouds. Today I have multiple bite like pimples on my neck- one on my hand. Very itchy!

What's the most likely cause? I'm hoping some microscopic marine critter and not the anti fouling paint cloud.


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[fstbttms]

Sounds like dermatitis from your wetsuit.

[GordMay]

Sea Lice?

[Sea Dreaming]

Unsuspecting swimmers who pass through an invisible swarm of thimble jellyfish larvae often end up with a nasty, itchy, acne-like rash, usually in the most awkward spots where their bathing suits cling to their bodies.

Scientists believe the stinging larvae can infest warm coastal waters such as in Florida or the Caribbean, particularly when water temperatures read between 76 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit.


From http:// abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=98540

[2hullvenus]

What about all those tiny, biting, shrimp like creatures one is covered with when scrubbing a well encrusted bottom? The insides of barnacles, i believe?

Thise bit the hell out of me when I scrubbed bottoms a few times.

He could be sensitive to their bites?

Another guess...

[fstbttms]

When you are "bit" (if that's even what the small arthropods that come off a boat bottom when cleaning it, do) during a dive, you know that it is happening. It's painful. And typically it occurs when one of them is trapped beneath your wetsuit against your skin. They do not swarm you and attack your open skin.

I had a case of dermatitis on my shins a few years ago. Maybe the OP will let us know if this resembles his condition.

[GordMay]

The ‘sea lice’ that causes the ‘itchy bites’ are actually tiny little jellyfish or stinger larvae (thimble jellyfish larvae) that have the same stinging cells (nematocysts) as an adult jellyfish/stingers. They usually only sting when they get caught between you and your swimsuit and they get squished, that's when their matecysts, the cells that act as stingers, fire off, resulting in a cercarial dermatitis.

[roberthowell]

alittle cortisone 10 will fix the itch probably sea critters just did mine in a cloud the whole time no bites no itch

[jreiter190]

Delayed puberty?

[TrinitySeas]

After contact with potentially itchy/bitey/stingy critters ( and without rubbing skin excessively) Apply vinegar (acid), fresh water rinse; apply "windex" (alkaline), fresh water rinse; (these neutralize the "stingers"); then cool soapy shower; pat dry no rubbing or scratching; vegetable oil (olive or even corn/saffflower/canola cooking oil) to skin. chill out in cool shade. If stinging and/or itch persists, cool shower and/or antihistamine (Benadryl). The dermatitis with red-margins on scabby wounds is a secondary response to scratching the itch...

[Contraman]

Thanks for the feedback. My bites are almost entirely on my neck which was NOT covered by my suit. I also have two on the top of my left hand also not covered by suit or clothing. Does this rule out the sea lice option?

I'm trusting that this rash is NOT caused by the "cloud" of ablative paint that I raised when cleaning the bottom.

Thanks to TrinitySeas for suggestions on how to avoid this in the future. This is really uncomfortable right now. I've had it before but never this bad.

[rsnini]

A word of caution!


I cleaned my boat bottom once and got a form of bactiria that required antibiotics to rid.
Ther are bactiria that people can contract from cleaning aquariums, boat bottoma ect.

Might want to see a dermatologist
.

[bnizette]

My wife had the same issue

The dust and particles from our anti foul irritated her neck and arms. Got through the protective overalls.

Took two to three weeks to subside. used an anti allergy cream to slow the itch

[hellosailor]

Had a similar problem when some fish were eating jellyfish. Little uneaten bits of tentacles with stingers also get scattered in the water, and those little bits still work very nicely to raise little bumps and bites on bare flesh.


A thorough fresh-water wash, and some vinegar or other "sting" treatment right away on any you find, maybe with some Benadryl or other lotion, and they should stop bothering you soon enough. (Well, unless your other gig is as a cover model.(G)

[TrinitySeas]

I am not a dermatologist. However, if an inflammation dermatitis arises, a wash with soap --> hydrogen peroxide --> rubbing alcohol --> Listerine (ethyl alcohol, menthol and camphor, all antimicrobial and degrade the biofilm that is their self-created optimal habitat). And/or the single top antiseptic for cruisers and adventurers me thinks: Betadine solution (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Povidone-iodine). It will stain the skin (and should be allowed to do so to work optimally) but is amazing stuff; this is the surgical prescrub stuff on the imminent incision site, and for use in debriding/cleaning and then "sterilizing" infected wound sites.