Jellyfish: here’s what not to do if you get stung

Jellyfish are back, especially on the Atlantic coast, and ever more numerous. Indeed, with global warming, these aquatic animals tend to proliferate along the beaches and wash up there, waiting to be able to leave with the rising tide. Jellyfish stings may be benign, but they are particularly stinging, recalls TF1Info. Here are some tips to soothe the pain:

Do not urinate or splash with fresh water

Contrary to popular belief, you should not urinate on the burn. Indeed, urine can burst the microscopic cilia which act like a harpoon on the skin and diffuse the venom of the jellyfish. The same goes for fresh water, which is to be avoided.

“I advise, when you get stung, to rinse the area thoroughly with sea water, especially not fresh water” recommends Sébastien Voilet, aquarium manager at the Océarium du Croisic, in Loire-Atlantique . “Then apply damp sand to the stung area and scrape with any card, a blue card for example, to remove any tentacles that may still be stuck to the skin.” Then you have to rinse everything again with sea water.