Rash in Cozumel

[HornDiver]

Hello -

I just returned from 2 days of diving in Cozumel and while on the first dive brushed against something that caused a rash of small red bumps, some concentrated close together others spread apart.

Remember exactly when it occurred as I was cruising close to a tall formation, looking behind me, and as I turned forward lightly swung my right forearm through a plant or coral with long, threadlike stems. My wrist and arm immideiately began to tingle or lightly sting, but never "burned" or "stung severely" as is described by others coming into contact with fire coral. Interestingly, there's a gap in the rash area where I was wearing my wrist computer, so this is probably a contact irritation as opposed to DCS related.

Anyone have an idea as to what plant or animal could cause such a thing?

HD

 

[melissalv29]

Could it have been a hydroid plant?

 

[fmerkel]

I just returned from 2 days of diving in Cozumel and while on the first dive brushed against something that caused a rash of small red bumps, some concentrated close together others spread apart.
HD

Possibly the Feather Bush Hydroid; immediated burning sting, then it kind of wears off. You think it's not going to be much and then small red itchy bump appear and slowly get worse.

Got this in Coz myself. A number of people in the group did. Very innocous looking thing and easy to brush up against in the current. One member of our group ended up on oral steroids. I need to get prescription strength topical steroids. It still took over 2 weeks to clear up.

Fritz

 

[HornDiver]

I'm guessing it was some kind of hydroid and the "Feather Bush" sounds like an accurate description. Need to see an image of this. So far have been applying cortizone and benedryl creams 4x a day. It's been a week now and the rash seems to be very, very slowly going away. If it's still prominent by week's end I'll see a doctor.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[fmerkel]

A quick Google search turned up this: (not a great picture)
http://www.aldoradivers.com/gallery/fthrhydr.html
It was very lacey and harmless looking. It's a feather with teeth.

I got stung by a Lion's Mane jelly (NW Puget Sound local jelly) for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Burned pretty significantly for about 5 hours, much worse than the Coz sting but when it went away it was totally gone with no after effects. That Hydroid just kept getting worse. About half our party got stung at varying levels. All it took was one light brush, not even being bottom crashers or clumsy.

It does go away slowly. It took 2-3 weeks with prescription grade cortizone. Oral steroids will clear it up more quickly but may not be worth it to you.

Fritz

 

[atpeach]

I went diving in Cozumel and Grand Cayman, ran over some kind of bush like thing and cut my foot a little on coral and now I have red pumps everywhere and itching. So is the cream and benedryl working, if not, what kind of prescription did you get?

I'm guessing it was some kind of hydroid and the "Feather Bush" sounds like an accurate description. Need to see an image of this. So far have been applying cortizone and benedryl creams 4x a day. It's been a week now and the rash seems to be very, very slowly going away. If it's still prominent by week's end I'll see a doctor.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[HornDiver]

I went diving in Cozumel and Grand Cayman, ran over some kind of bush like thing and cut my foot a little on coral and now I have red pumps everywhere and itching. So is the cream and benedryl working, if not, what kind of prescription did you get?

Never got a prescription. Used over the counter cortisone and benadryl cream. The rash is slowly fading. It's been just over 3 weeks now and I still can see remnants of where it stung me. It never itched bad, just discoloration for a long time.