Swimmer's itch: a cercarial dermatitis.

What are the symptoms of swimmer’s itch? Symptoms of swimmer’s itch can be felt soon after swimming. You will first feel a tingling, itching or burning sensation. Within twelve hours of swimming, red bumps appear on the skin which may turn into blisters or a larger rash. The greater number of exposures to contaminated water, the more intense and immediate symptoms of swimmer’s itch will be. The itch is not contagious and therefore cannot be spread from person to person. Scratching affected areas can result in secondary bacterial infections if the skin is broken. Swimmer’s itch typically lasts for 2-5 days, but the symptoms including rash may be present for up to 2 weeks. You should consult a physician if symptoms persist for more than a week. How do I treat swimmers itch? If you are affected with swimmer’s itch, itching treatments such as a cold compress, anti-itch medications, antihistamines, and taking a bath in Epsom salts, baking soda or colloidal oatmeal are all effective treatments. You may seek medical attention, but it is not necessary. If scratching is too difficult to avoid, your physician may provide a prescription strength lotion or cream.