What should you do it you have bad nettle stings all over my hand You put germolene on and then vinegar and now it turned all red in a big rash Is this serious?

Answer 1

Ouch! Sounds awful! Let's see what we can do... Nettles sting by two processes: hair-thin filiments like spines penetrate the skin and stay there, which is a HUGE irritant. Additionally, this spines inject formic acid and a variety of amines -- a not uncommon chemical defense in the biological world (so the vinegar was a bad idea). Get a magnifying glass and see if you can find any of the super-tiny spines in the affected area. If you still can, you may be able to remove them with masking tape. Lay the tape on the area, smooth it down a liitle, and see if you can pull some of the spines up. If the remaining spines are already embedded, this trick won't work. Get some diphenhydramine (Benadryl -- sells over the counter) in pill form and take according to the directions on the box. Next, mix some baking soda (3Tbsp per pinr should do) -- sodium bicarbonate -- into a bowl with water. Mix until the sodium bicarb dissolves and add ice. Try soaking your hand in that, on and off, benig careful not to freeze the hand. If you don't show improvement in 1 hour maximum, if the rash increases, and especially if you have trouble breathing, it's off the the ER for you. Otherwise, keep the hand clean over the next few days and repeat this treatment as often as necessary, being careful not to exceed max dosage of the diphenhydramine as described on the box. If the rash forms blisters that break the skin, keep them clean and disinfected. You can also call Poison Control for this at: 1-800-222-1222