Does Peeing on a Jellyfish Sting Really Work?

Among the weirdest (and grossest) of the old beach myths, peeing on a jellyfish sting is up there. It’s been depicted on multiple TV shows, and it’s a great idea for comic relief, but you’ll be happy to know you don’t need to get your BFF to pee on your leg if you have a run-in with a jellyfish.

In fact, peeing on a jellyfish sting could make things worse. So, what should you do instead?

Thankfully, if you need to treat a jellyfish sting, you’ve got a few options.

First, remove the tentacles from your skin. Using water from the ocean will make it easier to get them off so they’ll stop releasing toxins into your skin. Just make sure to use water straight from the ocean and never used bottled water, as it can actually release more toxins into your skin.

Peeing on a jellyfish sting does the same thing. Urine is mostly water, so peeing on a sting will allow the tentacles to release even more painful venom….And it’s nasty.

Once the tentacles are removed, you can alleviate some of the pain with rubbing alcohol or apple cider vinegar. Later, you can use warm water to soothe the area even more, but only after all of the barbs and toxins are completely removed.

The burning sensation from minor jellyfish stings should last about one or two hours, but you might experience a red mark for a few days or weeks. You can keep the discomfort at bay by applying calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream.

So if you’ve got a beach vacation planned this summer and think you could have a run-in with a jellyfish, be prepared. And no—don’t have a friend willing to pee on you.