Strange sea urchin prick mark

[hedonist222]

Hey everyone

My physiotherapist is also a diver.
She got pricked by a sea urchin on her knee a few weeks ago.
Diadema setosum species.

I've gotten pricked before and it's usually a few ink spots that fade away. A bit itchy but that's it.

Hers looks strange. A pronounced ring.
It's itchy.

Any ideas?

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hey everyone

My physiotherapist is also a diver.
She got pricked by a sea urchin on her knee a few weeks ago.
Diadema setosum species.

I've gotten pricked before and it's usually a few ink spots that fade away. A bit itchy but that's it.

Hers looks strange. A pronounced ring.
It's itchy.

Any ideas?

View attachment 713376


View attachment 713375

Kind of hard to tell from the photos but it's concerning for infection. Recommend she be evaluated to see if there are any retained fragments of the spine.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[Akimbo]

I've gotten pricked before and it's usually a few ink spots that fade away. A bit itchy but that's it.

Good on you for trying to help her out. I have noticed that women's skin does not react anything like mine or my male counterparts. I remember being surprised when I learned that male skin literally averages 20-25% thicker than female skin — hold the jokes about figurative skin thickness for another forum.

My unfortunately extensive experience with urchin spines is similar to yours, from the needle-like spines in the tropics to the pencil lead size spines in colder waters. The wound might turn a little red for a day or two, the broken spine pops out, and the evidence is barely there in a few more days.

BTW, I have learned the hard way that relating my experiences with rapid skin healing to the ladies in my life is not welcome or helpful.