Sea lice

[CZMDM]

A wetsuit with a turtle neck collar provides excellent protection. if I get stung on my arms or my legs...no big deal. But if I get stung on my neck or armpits I get really bad running "zit" type things. For me the itch is killed within a couple of hours if I take Claritin, although you should be wary of taking it while diving as it can make some people drowsy.

I saw a few thimbles a couple of weeks ago. We usually get most of them before June. This year, in the late spring, we did not get very many Nortes and since the wind is what drives them against the island, we did really not experience them as badly as usual.

 

[scubawife]

As a diver I like to think that I am responsible when it comes to using products that do no damage to the environment. I was surprised and concerned to hear from you that Sea Safe was not biodegradable. We had done research looking for a biodegradable product that protects against sea lice and as you said, the web site says it is (I know you can't always believe what you read on the Internet) biodegradable. Neither of us is a chemist so we believed what we read. The product works well for my husband but we do not want to use it if is bad for the reef.
I decided to email the makers of Sea Safe in Israel and see what they had to say. This is their response:

Dear Judy
After review the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) definition. It is my understanding that Safe Sea Lotion is Biodegradable. The plastic bottle, label and other packaging material are not biodegradable.
More over Safe Sea is very waterproof and therefore do note contaminate the coral reef during swimming in the ocean.

Best regards

Dr. Lotan

Nidaria Technology Ltd.

Zemach, Jordan Valley, 15132

Israel



Mobile: 972 526907 003

Office: 972 4 6751 943

FAX: 972 4 6750367

Please let me know what the offending chemical is so that we can look for as safer more effective product. Its a shame when you cannot believe the company that makes the stuff. Again, we are not chemists just consumers looking for a little advice and information.
Thanks!

I have personally known more then one person who's had SafeSea confiscated upon entry to marine parks/eco parks/marine sanctuaries that prohibit non-biodegradable and actually check your bags.

This is a list of banned ingredients from XelHa and Xcaret (for just a couple examples)
PABA
Octocrylene
Octinoxate
Oxybenzone
4-methylbenzylidene
Butylparaben
Benzophenone
Butyl-Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Hexyldecanol
Dimethyl Capramide
Cetyl Dimethicone
Methylparaben
Polyethylene
Propylparaben
Butylcarbamate

Look at the ingredients list on your bottle, or download a pdf of the label from their web site and compare in full ingredients list to the above list.

If they've reformulated and made it biodegradable then maybe they just need to update their site accordingly? Also, if it is biodegradable and they are confident about that then why don't they have that claim somewhere on their packaging like every other biodegradable sunscreen I've seen does?

This is a really good resource for skin care products. Here's their info on Safe Sea. Safe Sea Jellyfish Sting Protective Lotion || Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Reviews

 

[judydivescoz]

I have personally known more then one person who's had SafeSea confiscated upon entry to marine parks/eco parks/marine sanctuaries that prohibit non-biodegradable and actually check your bags.

This is a list of banned ingredients from XelHa and Xcaret (for just a couple examples)
PABA
Octocrylene
Octinoxate
Oxybenzone
4-methylbenzylidene
Butylparaben
Benzophenone
Butyl-Methoxydibenzoylmethane
Hexyldecanol
Dimethyl Capramide
Cetyl Dimethicone
Methylparaben
Polyethylene
Propylparaben
Butylcarbamate

Look at the ingredients list on your bottle, or download a pdf of the label from their web site and compare in full ingredients list to the above list.

If they've reformulated and made it biodegradable then maybe they just need to update their site accordingly? Also, if it is biodegradable and they are confident about that then why don't they have that claim somewhere on their packaging like every other biodegradable sunscreen I've seen does?

This is a really good resource for skin care products. Here's their info on Safe Sea. Safe Sea Jellyfish Sting Protective Lotion || Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Reviews

Great info, thank you. For giggles, I sent a copy of the link to the person who responded to my inquiry at Sea Safe. Curious to see if they respond.

 

[scubawife]

judy, please let me know what they say. I'd love to hear it. I'm not a scientist either, but in working on a couple reef conservation videos and with environmental NGO's I became very conscious and aware... everyone seems to think that they're just one person it won't really do any damage. Well, just one person x thousands a year on the same reef/beach/community and the impact can get significant.

 

[imwright1985]

there are other products too i have seen 2 non seasafe brands for jellys and lice at some of our shops. the parks could ban it because of the litter from bottle not being biodegradable since people are jerks and litter

 

[gpatz]

Was diving Coz all last week, no problemo with the little buggers.

 

[driftin' by]

DEET won't help you; sea lice aren't insects, they are jellyfish larvae that get at you in the water.

Uh, yeah... not sure what I was thinking there. :classic: Pre-Cozumel-brain I guess!?!? :grinbandit:

To all reading: Please disregard my above asinine post.

 

[sharky60]

I have personally known more then one person who's had SafeSea confiscated upon entry to marine parks/eco parks/marine sanctuaries that prohibit non-biodegradable and actually check your bags.

This is a list of banned ingredients from XelHa and Xcaret (for just a couple examples)
...

we went to Xel Ha MANY years ago, before my wife started diving as part of a Tulum/Xel Ha package tour. They had "Suntan lotion police" all over the park. We started to lather up with some regular lotion and got all chewed out by them telling us we had to buy "eco friendly" lotion that they just happend to sell for about twice the price of regular lotion or go without. They actually made us take showers and wash off the lotion we had already started putting on.

"to protect the water" is what the reason was, I think they meant reef.

Then when we did finally get in to snorkel, the water was soooo murkey you could barely see your fingertips on an outstreched arm...thank God she strated diving!!

 

[Davki]

One thing to keep in mind if there are sea lice in the vicinity...the little brown monsters generally congregate near the surface. If you're on your safety stop, or as you ascend from your SS to the surface, take your octopus out, turn it upside down and blow bubbles all around you close to your body. This blows the little suckers away from you. I especially do this right around my neck, which is the only part that is really exposed. I've haven't been stung once since doing this.

 

[jondavies]

So what's a good brand of biofriendly sunscreen that works?

Cheers,

Jon