For those of you lucky ones who get to live on or visit the ocean this summer, Lifehacker shared a really easy way to prevent jellyfish stings: pantyhose!
Although I can't imagine most people adding nylon sleeves and such to their bathing suits, I bet this is particularly helpful to those who like to scuba dive or spend a lot of time observing ocean life. I mean, they are likely to wear a wet-suit anyway, right?
Lifehacker also included a helpful tip for if you do get stung: use a blowdryer on the hottest setting you can stand (without burning your skin) to dry out the stingers. After the heat is applied, you can scrap the stingers off with a razor.
In case you don't have a blowdryer handy at the beach or on your boat, I learned a quick way to ease the sting after I got stung myself: a spritz of vinegar. The local lifeguard had some on hand just for that purpose, and it worked beautifully. Whatever you do, the lifeguard said, don't rinse it with freshwater or it'll just irritate it more; you can rinse with salt water if you need to.
(Of course, seek a professional opinion about the kind of jellyfish you'll be swimming with - you want to seek immediate medical attention if the jellyfish sting could potentially be life-threatening!)
Safe swimming!
Actually you got stung twice by jellyfish the summer you were in Myrtle Beach. When you called to tell about the first time, you said it wasn't that bad. You said that the second time was more painful.
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