Sea Lice Are Leaving Florida Swimmers with Red, Painful Rashes

These miniature jellyfish are no fun in the sun.

Jun 27, 2018

If you find yourself itchy after hitting the beach this summer, you may have encountered these tiny creatures that lurk Florida's southern Atlantic coastline: sea lice.

Pensacola Beach Lifeguards have hoisted purple flags for the past several days, which indicate the presence of "dangerous marine life." In this case, lifeguards have received reports of mild sea lice stings and have been warning beach-goers in the area.

Dave Greenwood, director of public safety for the beach, told the Pensacola News Journal that sea lice are common in the area as the water gets warmer and said visitors to the beach shouldn't panic. "It's just one of those things you have to deal with when you go into the Gulf of Mexico," Greenwood said. "You are a land animal and the Gulf is not our native environment."

What are sea lice?

First of all, these creatures are not related to head lice. They're actually thimble jellyfish larvae, which can get trapped under bathing suits (take a moment to let that horrifying image soak in). When pressure is applied to the miniature larvae while on the skin, stinging cells are released that cause irritation, itching, and welts, according to the Florida Department of Health. Sea lice apparently love human hair, so people will frequently find rashes on their necks from hair that's dangled in the water and then come into contact with their skin.

The rash, which is actually a form of dermatitis also known as seabather's eruption, will become noticeable between four and 24 hours after exposure to sea lice, although some people have reported a "prickling" sensation while still in the water, according to research from the Department of Health. The severity of symptoms can vary from small, barely discernible rashes to large vesicular eruptions across the skin. Other symptoms can include headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and infected blisters; children may also develop a high fever. Many people also report trouble with sleeping, likely due to the intense itching. Generally, these symptoms will fade within two to four days, but they can last as long as two weeks.

Sea lice treatment and prevention

An oral antihistamine is recommended to help relieve the itching, and an over-the-counter topical 1 percent cortisone cream or sting aid may also bring relief from sea lice symptoms, according to the Department of Health.

Sea lice stings tend to peak from early April through early July, but can be prevalent in March and August as well. Officials recommend swimmers pay attention to local beach reports and take a few steps to protect themselves and loved ones while in the water:

Avoid wearing T-shirts in the ocean—topical sunscreen may actually help protect the skin from sea lice stings (in addition to reducing exposure to harmful UV rays)
Consider one-piece bathing suits to reduce points of entry for sea lice
Change out of your bathing suit as soon as you leave the water and shower ASAP
Wash bathing suits with detergent and dry them with heat (don't air-dry). You may even want to discard the bathing suit if sea lice have been reported in the area.

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