Duck Itch this year?

Mink Islander · 07-27-2006, 12:23 PM

It's been worse than usual this year. Wear lots of sunscreen which is said to offer some level of protection. The only other prevention is to towel off briskly and immediately after leaving the water. Those little buggers burrow into your skin as the water dries and then die, causing the skin reaction. Towelling off kills them before they dig in. And don't let the kids hang around in wet bathing suits either. Wading/swimming in shallow, still, warm water -- especially if there is water vegetation in the area that supports snails -- is sure to put you at risk. That's why little kids seem to get it more than adults. A good reason why having a raft in deeper/cooler water for the kids to swim to and play on is a worthwhile investment!

wildwoodfam · 07-28-2006, 09:49 AM

I have yet to have any member of our family/friend group/etc find that they have been attacked by the dreaded itch!! Maybe its our location - water is never standing. We do have ducks resident to our beach area, and there are certainly snails that my daughter finds in the shallow waters....but no itch!! Quick -- find me some driftwood to knock on!

07-27-2006, 12:23 PM	#1
Mink Islander Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 753 Thanks: 59 Thanked 271 Times in 129 Posts	Duck Itch It's been worse than usual this year. Wear lots of sunscreen which is said to offer some level of protection. The only other prevention is to towel off briskly and immediately after leaving the water. Those little buggers burrow into your skin as the water dries and then die, causing the skin reaction. Towelling off kills them before they dig in. And don't let the kids hang around in wet bathing suits either. Wading/swimming in shallow, still, warm water -- especially if there is water vegetation in the area that supports snails -- is sure to put you at risk. That's why little kids seem to get it more than adults. A good reason why having a raft in deeper/cooler water for the kids to swim to and play on is a worthwhile investment!

07-28-2006, 09:49 AM	#2
wildwoodfam Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: North Andover, MA & summers up at the BIG lake Posts: 285 Thanks: 5 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Thankfully - 30+ years aand NO ITCH!! I have yet to have any member of our family/friend group/etc find that they have been attacked by the dreaded itch!! Maybe its our location - water is never standing. We do have ducks resident to our beach area, and there are certainly snails that my daughter finds in the shallow waters....but no itch!! Quick -- find me some driftwood to knock on! Last edited by wildwoodfam; 07-29-2006 at 11:12 PM.