need help for sting

[afuacat]

I went diving on saturday (4 days ago) and must have gotten stung by something. I now have large, red, raised welts al over my upper lip. they are getting worse rather than better each day. they simultaneously itch and burn. i've tried rubbing alcohol, baking soda, and benedryl, and so far nothing has shown an improvement. can anyone tell me what this sting might have been from and how i can treat it? it's incredibly ugly on my face, and i'd like to know how much longer this will last.
thanks

 

[Web Monkey]

I went diving on saturday (4 days ago) and must have gotten stung by something. I now have large, red, raised welts al over my upper lip. they are getting worse rather than better each day. they simultaneously itch and burn. i've tried rubbing alcohol, baking soda, and benedryl, and so far nothing has shown an improvement. can anyone tell me what this sting might have been from and how i can treat it? it's incredibly ugly on my face, and i'd like to know how much longer this will last.
thanks

Have you thought about having a doctor look at it?

If it's getting worse instead of better, you probably need more than internet advice.

Terry

 

[Teamcasa]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

moved to Diving Medicine..

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[fisherdvm]

Sounds like either herpes simplex labialis or bacterial folliculitis. If it is in a group or cluster, it might be herpes. I am most concern of a hair follicle infection, possibly from friction from your mask skirt rubbing on your upper lips.

I would suggest getting a prescription for a good antibiotic against staph and strep infection (bactrim ds), and if your doctor suspect herpes, then something like acyclovir, famvir, or valtrex.

Once in a great while I'd find an unusual case of fungal infection of the beard, but it is pretty rare, but something to think about when antibiotic does not completely clear the rash.

 

[Bob Vincent]

Better caution than error. See a Doc. You might try finding a diving MD also.

 

[Captain Walt]

Go see a Doc. To bad Diver. That sucks.

 

[TSandM]

It sounds to me very much as though you ran into the tentacles from some sort of jellyfish. The upper lip is a common place to get stung, because it's a part of the face that is exposed and held up a bit by the regulator. If you are having a persistent reaction to the sting, you might benefit from the use of some topical steroids.

The things fisher mentions are possibilities, but if this was temporally correlated with diving, I suspect a sting is more likely. I have had them myself, although I've not had any prolonged reaction.

If the symptoms are worsening, or you have severe pain or fever, you definitely need to have a physician look at the area and decide if antibiotics are warranted.