Skin Dangers at the Beach
Traveling abroad and going to the beach are exciting and relaxing situations. It is also great that we can take our pets with us on vacation. Are you aware of the skin dangers that you might be exposed to? There are many situations that can happen to your skin such as skin burns, infections, and many others. This article will give you the example of one skin danger at the beach you have to be careful about. If you have any skin issues after a trip, it is essential to visit a dermatologist Cliffside Park residents can trust.
A Nightmare Vacation
Here is an anecdote of a patient who traveled to the Caribbean with her dog. She returned back home with a rash on her foot. She had visited a couple of doctors before she finally decided to visit the dermatologist. A couple of diagnostics included eczema and also a bacterial infection. After following the treatments step by step, nothing seemed to work. It just got worse and the itching was becoming unbearable.
The final diagnosis wasn’t any of the previous ones, it was a parasitic infection that is not common in humans. We asked the patient how did her dog enjoy the trip and she was surprised that we knew that she took her dog with her. This parasitic infection is very common for people who go to the beach and walk barefoot. Public beaches have all sorts of animals walking around and leaving poop on the sand. Then sand covers it and nobody can usually see it. Then they just step on it and get infected. This parasitic infection is known as Cutaneous Larva Migrans.
Cutaneous Larva Migrans CLM
This parasitic infection commonly occurs in areas of Central and South America, The Caribbean, Asia, and Africa. It is also called the “Creeping Eruption”. The feces of animals left on the beach have eggs that develop into larvae. The larvae enter the skin and the hookworm leaves a trace. Then the symptoms appear such as itchiness and the skin changes color into a reddish-brown color. Scratching too much might cause a bacterial infection. This might mislead the doctors but the correct diagnosis and treatment will do the trick. It isn’t harmful to humans but can be deadly for pets. The hookworm can reach the lungs or other important parts of your pets’ body. I also recommended taking her dog to the vet to get checked. It is better to be safe than sorry.
A nice vacation can become stressful and a little scary. Always wear shoes if you go to the beach to protect your feet. This is just a precaution, but there are many more situations that can occur at the beach. It is always advisable to investigate a little bit, wear sunscreen and proper clothes or shoes.
For more interesting skin related articles visit https://cliffsideskinandlaser.com/. Taking care of your skin is essential for a healthy and young appearance. We are skin experts.