Permetherin treated cammies

Panzerman · 04-13-2006, 12:34 AM

Anyone else here ever have any skin irritation when forced to wear wet, permetherin treated cammies for long periods of time?

I've been getting some wicked little skin blisters on my legs after wearing wet cammies for 16 hours plus lately. Other Marines in my platoon have been getting them, too, but it's only the Marines that have deployed to Iraq before. I just realized that we only get them where our cammies are in direct contact with our skin (mostly around the knees, on the thighs, and on the backs of our calves)...and I was wondering if it might be the insect repellant they treat our uniforms with before we deploy.

Anyone else experience anything like this?

Hasbeen · 04-13-2006, 12:42 AM

Not that I've ever had any contact with it on cammies, but we dispense it enough for patients with lice, it does have some side affects such as skin irritation, rash, redness and swelling you mentioned, and with the cammies and you being wet the absorption by your skin is probably a lot higher. It is nasty stuff. My best suggestion would be to see a doc, and maybe ( I know, I know..$$$) ditch the cammies.

USMC Chuter · 04-13-2006, 05:32 AM

I never got sores from it, but I remember some minor skin irritation for the first little bit after they sprayed our cammies.. Another thing I remember was thinking "Agent Orange, anybody?" when they told us the stuff is harmless...

SpongeJuan · 04-13-2006, 06:08 AM

Well it must be that bug juice cuz I haven't gotten sprayed and I never got any rashes for wearing them.

**cincymarsdad** · 04-29-2006, 03:21 PM

Permethrin is a synthetic variant of "pyrethrins", which are insecticidal agents in the chrysanthemum plant. Permethrin is generally more active and better tolerated by humans than pyrethrin extracts. "Generally" means some people do react to it, and you may be one of them. You could eventually acclimate to it, or it could get worse.

The irritation could also be something else, but this is a decent guess. Any chance there is fine grit still in the cammies that is abraiding your skin?

Hot water washing "should" remove most of it, I would think. A doc would tell you to drink more water, or so I have heard.

Panzerman · 04-29-2006, 04:34 PM

Turns out I had a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colony in me, along with half my company. That's what happens when they make us train in the ocean on "water condition red" days, I guess. Got put on a broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment for it, it seems to have worked.

SpongeJuan · 04-30-2006, 03:34 PM

Why is it that docs always say, "just hydrate some more, and you will be ok"

Panzerman · 04-30-2006, 03:44 PM

Because you're a pogue and never do anything that's actually going to hurt you.

Ours are actually pretty shit hot - I've never been so taken care of medically in my life.

Grimmy · 04-30-2006, 03:50 PM

Panzerman. I did some googling on that bug you said you have on ya.

It's a nasty one. You be sure to kill it complete.

Panzerman · 05-01-2006, 12:29 AM

They nuked the shit out of it with antibotics. They gave me a couple really horrible shots in the ass, three types to take by mouth for ten days, some wierd ointment to stick up my nose, and this stuff to scrub my skin with. Seems to have worked...I probably could have purified the Tijuana river with all the stuff they pumped into me.

Grimmy · 05-01-2006, 12:33 AM

good to hear. If you half ass it you just end up with a med resistant stain growing in ya.

Panzerman · 05-01-2006, 12:36 AM

Yeah, the treatment played havoc with my digestive tract. Was a bitch to keep taking all those pills, but I know what can happen if you don't.

Grimmy · 05-01-2006, 12:52 AM

other than that, how's things going?