From New Jersey to South Florida, snorkelers, surfers, divers and beachgoers are all facing a seasonal threat in the waters right now: Floating Terrors. Bluebottle Jelly. The dreaded Portuguese Man o’ War. Whatever name you call these incredibly beautiful creatures, their 50-foot long venomous tentacles will deliver a nasty sting to anyone within reach – even if you’re deep below the surface where the creature itself may not be visible. Detached tentacles and the distinctive blue balloons along the shore line can deliver as nasty a sting as the living beauties.
According to the Medical Journal of Australia up to 10,000 stings occur each summer in Australian waters from the Man o’ War alone; and now, it seems, they are making a stronger showing in our local waters.
Stings can be moderate to severe, and look like long, thin wounds that may have been inflicted by a whip. For most people, the stings are annoying. Within a few hours, the pain subsides and the welts disappear within a couple days. But for those who may be allergic or very sensitive, there can be serious side effects including fever and shock.
I formulated our Stream2Sea Sun & Sting Gel to cool and soothe anything hot and inflamed. Made with marine enzymes, essential oils and powerful botanicals, I KNEW it worked great for sunburns, moon jellies and fire coral stings. But when asked how it would handle Man o’ War stings, I thought it would help, but really didn’t know.
Then, the testimonials started flying in:
“I run a dive boat out of Key Largo. It works on jellyfish stings, fire coral burns, and I now know it works on Man-O-War stings. I now make sure that I keep a tube of this on the dive boat at all times. If you are going into the ocean, this a must-have item!” – Captain Abend, Key Largo, FL
The most common treatment to date for jellyfish and Man o’ War stings is dousing the affected area with vinegar. This can be moderately effective, but many claim little to no pain relief. Greaseless and fast acting, our gel is enriched with Aloe and Green Tea to quickly reduce the heat, glycosamingoglycans and enzymes to stimulate the skin’s self-healing process, and essential oils like cinnamon bark, lavender, and tea tree for fast acting results.
“The stings are awful, but Stream2Sea’s Sun & Sting Gel knocks out the burn almost immediately. It’s the only thing I have used that actually works!” – Ani, Scuba Girl, dive instructor & boat captain, Miami, FL
A creator really shouldn’t choose favorites, but if pressed, I’d have to say this is the product that makes me the most proud. Natural aloe vera gels usually leave a tacky feel on the skin, and do little for soothing true skin inflammations. I’ve yet to find a sting or burn that didn’t respond quickly to my formula. And it feels wonderful going on!
So next time you are headed out to play in the ocean or on the beach, make sure you throw a tube of Stream2Sea’s Sun & Sting Relief gel in your bag!
I always appreciate your comments and honest feedback. Your concerns and questions help us to address what you find information. I thank you for continuing to join us on this journey…because we DO have a choice and we can choose to do better.
Autumn Blum
Formulator & CEO
Stream2Sea – home of the EcoConscious Mineral Sunscreen & Bodycare
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Stream2Sea has set a new standard for EcoConscious sunscreen and skincare. Along with standard human safety and SPF tests, Stream2Sea products are proven to be biodegradable in both salt and fresh water and have passed the most comprehensive series of aquatic toxicity tests documented in literature. Formulated with powerful antioxidant blends to protect skin from sun damage, the Stream2Sea line includes sunscreens, conditioning shampoo and body wash, leave-in conditioner, nourishing body lotion and lip balms. Stream2Sea products are currently available online at www.Stream2Sea.com or ask for them at your favorite health food store, dive shop or outdoor retailer. Friend us on Facebook or call (866) 960-9513.