Have you ever decided to weed a new spot of your lawn near the woods only to end up with deep poison-ivy regret? Or do you remember a time you went picnicking on a glorious spot near the water, only to find out the park was overrun with brown-tail moth caterpillars? Maine’s summers are full of beauty, but you may want to plan ahead to remedy the rashes and bites your family is inevitably going to experience.
You hear a lot about brown tail moths, but these insects are problematic long before they fly. As caterpillars, their tiny hairs can get on your skin from a tree nearby, or even float through the air. Oftentimes, people have no idea where they came in contact with the caterpillars — it could just come from being outside during the height of activity. If you think you are having a brown tail moth reaction, wash the area well. Or in a pinch, you can use a do-it-yourself method with some wide tape or a lint roller to be sure there are no hairs clinging to your skin.
Which itch is which?
Poison ivy tends to cause red, blistering rashes, often in a line or streak where the plant’s oil has touched your skin. Poison ivy can also spread to other people if they come in contact with the oil remaining on your skin. This rash may produce discharge as well. After taking a dip in a shallow lake or pond with tiny parasites, you can get swimmer’s itch. This rash may pop up a few minutes or a few days after swimming. Not to be confused with bug bites that often appear in clusters after they take a few tasty bites.
“If the rash is spreading, uncomfortable, or just not improving after a few days, that’s a good time to check in with a pharmacist or your provider,” says Heather Sudik, PharmD, pharmacist, Northern Light Health. To feel the ease of relief, Northern Light Pharmacy has treatments to remedy your summer rashes. “We even have ready-made brown tail moth kits that help knock out the discomfort fast. But if you see signs of infection, like increased redness, swelling, warmth, or drainage, contact your primary care provider quickly.”
For more severe rashes, reach out to your primary care provider, who can write a prescription for a stronger treatment. If you would like to know if a particular ointment works for your itch, just ask a pharmacist, so you can squash the itch and get back to enjoying your summer.