DETROIT LAKES — A parasite is plaguing lake-goers and putting a damper on summer fun. Swimmer's itch is back, creating a nuisance that is literally getting under people's skin. As the ripples hit the shoreline in Detroit Lakes, there's something other than fish floating in the water.
"Swimmer's itch is an allergic reaction to a microscopic parasite that usually is involved with ducks, water birds, and snails. So it's in the life cycle," said Dr. Amanda Beehler from Dermatology at the Lakes.
Reactions have popped up across Lakes Country. Several cases have been reported at the Detroit Lakes City Beach. The city plans to treat the beach this week.
But how do you even get the red bumpy reaction? "What happens is that parasite, it lives in the water, right, and on the droplets. So, when you get out of the water, the droplet evaporates, the little parasite burrows into your skin. That's what causes a reaction," Beehler said.
Luckily, it's not life threatening or contagious and there are ways to avoid seeing the itch. "If you can towel off immediately after getting out of the water. That helps.
Another thing is to wear heavy lotion, or sunscreen, like really thick that prevents it from even getting into your skin" she said. Where you swim can also play a factor whether you encounter the parasite or not. "But where it lives, you know, kind of gets blown so the wind will blow it towards the shoreline," she said.
Sometimes getting swimmers itch is just inevitable. Dr. Beehler says y.
