Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa Message Board

I was snorkeling 5 weeks ago at Las Gatas and was on my back side when I scraped coral. It burned only at that moment so I forgot about it. The next day I noticed the area had 4 red streaks and thought maybe I missed sunscreen in that area. Two days after it looked like the area was burned like from a hot iron.

I got cream at pharmacy that did nothing. Here it is weeks later and It does not appear a whole lot better. Was dry for awhile and flakey but now red and brown. I saw a dermatologist in Morelia, but not sure she gets it as she had me using fancy creams that do not appear to help. Unfortunately, not knowing, I did not scrape the coral out or use vinegar and am beginning to wonder how long I will have this issue since it was not treated properly initially.

Anyone experience this? Treatment? Could have been jellyfish, but I remember scraping coral. Maybe something on the coral?

Thx.

Barb

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You might try ORGANIC coconut oil externally, and add it to your diet, too.

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Hi Barb,
This happened to me recently in Cozumel. Although I did apply vinegar and hydrocortisone, some weeks later I had a big rash. I ended up going to the doctor and she prescribed Prednisone for a week. I felt terribly with the Prednisone, but the rash disappeared completely.

I suggest you go see a doctor/dermatologist.

Wishing you the best,
B

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Feb of 15 I had a severe run in with the reef at Las Gatas. Many spines in my hands, legs and back side. Most of them were pulled with tweezers and then I sat on a vineger soaked towel to help disolve others, 6 months later I was having trouble with a reoccuring infection on my knee. Between my regular Dr and my dermatoligist I got tested for everything including cancer. But while on Las Gatas beach Feb of 16 two sea urchin spines worked their way out of my knee and I've had no trouble since. I always thought it was black coral but it was really sea urchins that were my problem.
Don't know if this relates to your particular problem or not. I didn't have much of a rash, just spines stuck down deep like splinters.

--
KO

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A year ago March, I was swimming at Ixtapa Isle. I noticed 3 red streaks on my upper thigh and thought I had missed the area with sunscreen as it looked and felt like a sunburn. Later on for a couple days the area would be sore if it got rubbed wrong or I slept on it. The streaks were raised like a welt. They too became dry and darker red/brown and I thought they would peel and that would be it. Nope, they stayed there for at least six months. Still slightly raised, but did not hurt at all. Now, after 1 year believe they are gone. A friend looked up jellyfish stings and mine looked just like one of them. There are many different kinds.
PS-out of curiosity I just checked to see if my streaks were gone. Amazingly, they are still there, faint, but still there. Crazy. Hope you heal soon.

Terry

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Good answer Labrat! Kudos!

Creatures that make up coral and live in reefs are microscopic. They are barbed to prevent being loosened from their habitat in the ocean. When embedded in skin they must be extracted. Steroids only mask the allergic reaction. Get to a dermatologist pronto, or risk scarring.

In the ocean, RED means do not approach.

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