http://www.chiggaway.com/
Anyone heard of the above? Anyone used it? It claims to prevent chiggers as well as swimmers itch.
I have these little red dots that itch intensely. I thought I had chiggers. But I kept reading on the internet. And now I think I have swimmers itch. Because I was sitting in shallow water to cool off while I was kayak camping. It’s very very unpleasant and I don’t ever want to get it again.
swimmer’s itch = just a euphemism
for poluted water? I’ve always wondered about that.
swimmers itch and chiggers
According to a web site that I found it’s caused by a parasite. It causes little red dots. And after several hours the little red dots itch intensely. You can get it in these months by sitting in shallow water that was contaminated by the parasite. I think the articles said that snails and birds are somehow involved.
It’s not contagious according to the article I read. Also the parasite doesn’t stay on the person. But the bites are very unpleasant.
the war monger answer
In the Navy teams this does not exist. eat/drink more tabasco sause 
Hoo-Yah
I’ve never used that but
I think I had a similar problem. Pretty sure mine were chiggers though. Right along the waist band line, and all that. Not a fun itching. Haven’t had those in ages. Definitely got them while out on paddles… and I got out and swam so I guess it’s what I deserve
I just used the old nailpolish trick…dab some (I use clear but it really doesn’t matter) on the red spots and reapply as needed. Didn’t take but a couple of days and I am itch and spot free! Asked the pharmacist if I should use something else and he said that’s still the best. Good luck!
wet and dry
You don’t have a perosonal profile setup so I am guessing that you are from the Michigan area where swimmer’s itch is well known. Swimmer’s itch is from the lake. The parasites burrow into your skin causing the itch, but they eventually die. Snails are the culpit and the mergansers are responsible for the spread or part of the life cycle. Wipe yourself dry with a towel is the best prevention. There is no other cure that I know of. Chiggers are from dryland - bushes and grass. They cause similar effect - the itch. Don’t know about Chiggeraway for swimmer’s itch. If it numbs the itch it might work for you.
Adding to what Swordfish says
I used to swim in a lake that was known for having a severe swimmer’s itch problem. The firs time I got it, I didn’t know what had happened, since I hadn’t heard bout swimmer’s itch for a while. After that, I always followed the best prevention advice, a thorough rub-down with a towel when I got out of the water, and I never got swimmer’s itch again. Apparently the little critters need a fair amount of time to burrow into your skin, and since they are tiny and fragile, they don’t survive a rub-do0wn with a towel.
For what it’s worth, I didn’t find swimmer’s itch to be much of a hassle, just many dozens of “miniature zits” which didn’t bother me much. Maybe a severe case involves thousands rather than dozens, I don’t know. I’ve never had chiggers, but I’ve heard they are really uncomfortable.
In saltwater there’s also bather’s itch.
Causes a stinging, burning, itching sensation from larval-stage jellyfish. It usually occurs where the bathing suit is tight against human skin while swimming through an infested area.
freshwater: swimmer’s itch, not chiggers
If you were in freshwater, welcome to swimmer’s itch–not chiggers, which are terrestial. (The nailpolish didn’t do a thing; the itching would have ended at the same time without sticking all that junk all over you. Nail polish might help with chiggers, but definately not with swimmer’s itch). Swimmer’s itch comes from trematode parasites, and ducks are their real hosts. We’re not good hosts, so the parasites don’t bother to lay eggs in us (lucky us!), which is why they only itch for a day, not for weeks. Warmer water temperatures are making the parasites increasingly common–even Lake SUperior had swimmer’s itch last summer.
Benadryl or another anti-histamine can help a lot, if you get it. Towelling off or a very hot shower also helps, but you have to towel off everywhere very briskly.
We also call those "Sea Lice"
Mostly when snorkeling in salt water, common in SoFL.
Try tea tree oil
I have an uncle who is a lineman for the county and he got a bad case of chiggers. He got rid of them by using tea tree oil
hope this helps
Ran into ichy swarms…
– Last Updated: Jul-02-07 8:20 AM EST –
just a couple days ago while paddling across a hydrilla weed mat. I got swarmed by millions of tiny sub-gnat sized critters that were so thick and irritating...and asphyxiating, I almost paddled into clear water and bailed out of the boat! Found if I splashed water on em, they die. Nothing like chiggers though. I get those here too and they leave a 1 cm welt that itches for a couple weeks. Deep Woods OFF or any DEET containing repellent takes care of those.
I've never run into the hydrilla insects before...horrible!
Chiggaway = sulfer…
– Last Updated: Jul-02-07 8:22 AM EST –
and you can buy a 25# bag of sulfur powder at your local feed store for a couple bucks. Put it in a sock and use it as a duster around your socks and waistband.
You'll smell like gunpowder and sometimes the smell doesn't come out of your clothes but chiggers and ticks won't go near it.
Chiggaway is made from 10% sulfur and 3% benzocaine.