Please Don’t Pee for Jellyfish Stings
You’ve probably heard that you need to urinate on a jellyfish sting, or perhaps pour alcohol on the affected area before scraping off the sting. But recent research shows that most of these home remedies, including golden shower, don’t work. And some of them can really make the situation of the victim much worse.
A study that was recently published in the journal Toxins took these tips carefully and tested them for validity. First, do not pee on yourself or your friends if a bite occurs. The urine does contain urea, which helps remove the tentacles, but your urine is too diluted to work. In addition, salt in urine can cause nematocysts to enter the skin. Sucks. Anything it takes to pee on someone will embarrass everyone.
Scraping off the tentacles is also a bad idea, as pressure can trigger nematocysts. And alcohol will make them burn even more, so don’t do that . Other do-it-yourself products, such as shaving cream, baking soda, and seawater, do not work on bites, and trying to wash away the tentacles can be dangerous as you give them the opportunity to fall and snag on another part of your skin.
However, there is one home remedy that actually works: vinegar. This prevents the nematocysts from starting, so you are no longer injected with poison. If you are stung by a jellyfish, pour concentrated vinegar on the affected area, then have someone in protective equipment remove the stings with tweezers. After the tentacles are removed, apply heat to the area, not cold. You may need cold to soothe burning skin, but heat slows the poison down so it does less harm. However, if you think you will be spending a lot on the beach this summer, you might want to consider purchasing a product designed to protect against jellyfish stings. The study found that products like Sting No More worked best because they contain vinegar, which suppresses nematocysts, and high concentrations of urea, making it easier to remove the tentacles.