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Thank you so much, DDM. It's eased off again, but the fact that it started again says the fragment is probably quite small and often dormant. It surprised the heck out of me, leaving me wondering if there was any way to reach it and get rid of it by this time. Hope surgical removal isn't needed. I still have the slight discoloration in the area right next to the part that recently acted up. Coral can be incredibly persistent!
Lois,
If you are having repeated flareups of this over time, you definitely need to be seen. If you're ever at a point where your immune system is compromised, the infection could spread. A GP should be able to remove it in the office if it's just a superficial fragment.
I got back from traveling, and the bleach thing worked...the stuff fell off in about 4 days.
As to the "coral man" reference, the doctor in question has an ironic sense of humor that I saw as obvious, and that I thought would be obvious to others as well. I"ll also note that I have this "magical" ability to do this thing called "reading on the Internet," so yes, I think everyone involved (even me, wow) knew that "tree man" had HPV...the non-humorous/ironic point of the reference was that weird things happen even with common ailments like HPV. It reminds me of something one of my attorney friends says, "You have to be kinda' stupid to think that anyone is that stupid." Not quite true, but it makes a good point. Anyway, if the "tree man" and "coral man" cases were not relatively famous, I'm sure that someone with that affliction could post something on a medical board asking point-blank if it was HPV, and some doctors would say: "No way in heck, go to the Mayo clinic man!" Anyone hear of Planet Vulcan?
Facts:
1. The abrasion on my skin was not very deep, and there didn't appear to be any place for a piece or coral to be lodged.
2. From the area of the abrasion, a pattern identical to the pattern of Brain Coral began to grow. It was not there the first few days, but appeared about a week later.
3. The pattern had a kind of furry and calciferous texture...just like live coral...oh, and it was the same color too. Maybe it was "radioactive coral." (That's sarcasm by the way for those who have difficulty noticing it in print.)
Anyway, if someone can give a "scientific" explanation for why it would be impossible for coral to grow on skin...have at it, and book me a flight to Planet Vulcan while you are at it.
Moral of the story:
I don't really know what that was on my knee...but the bleach seems to have worked, and it's gone...which makes me a happy camper.
Anyway, if someone can give a "scientific" explanation for why it would be impossible for coral to grow on skin....
Hi Dude,
In general, corals need a number of conditions to grow and survive, including constant bathing in water within a range of salinity/pH, an adequate supply of algae/zooplankton and dissolved nutrients, and the host bacteria (zooxanthella) needed to assist in nourishment and, along with calcium carbonate saturation, in the formation of their colonial body structure. Most zooxanthella, and hence corals, also need sunlight.
This constellation of requirements is unlikely to exist on or within the normal human body.
Facts: 1. The abrasion on my skin was not very deep, and there didn't appear to be any place for a piece or coral to be lodged. 2. From the area of the abrasion, a pattern identical to the pattern of Brain Coral began to grow. It was not there the first few days, but appeared about a week later.
1. These fragments don't have to be very large (and certainly not visible to the unaided human eye), in order to cause a large, continuing hypersenitivity reaction. A shallow abrasion is entirely sufficient.
2. It's not clear to me exactly what "a pattern identical to the pattern of Brain Coral" looks like on the human skin, but in such a scrape it wouldn't be unusual for mottled areas and welt-like raised ridges on the skin vaguely reminiscent of "brain coral" to develop.
Anyway, if someone can give a "scientific" explanation for why it would be impossible for coral to grow on skin...have at it, and book me a flight to Planet Vulcan while you are at it.
Dude.... no need to book a ticket. I think you're already there
In general, corals need a number of conditions to grow and survive, including constant bathing in water within a range of salinity/pH, an adequate supply of algae/zooplankton and dissolved nutrients, and the host bacteria (zooxanthella) needed to assist in nourishment and, along with calcium carbonate saturation, in the formation of their colonial body structure. Most zooxanthella, and hence corals, also need sunlight.
This constellation of requirements is unlikely to exist on or within the normal human body.
Regards,
DocVikingo
Besides the physical factors, we have an immune system and cell soldiers in our blood and tissue that recognize foreign cells and kill them most of the time. The war goes on all the time with bacteria and parasites trying to enter. However you can get infections and abscesses from foreign bodies even when the cells have been killed.
I was bit on three fingers coming out of the Cathedrals lava tube, in Lanai HI, and was pushed into the rocks coming out by the current. I had to push off with my hand, on what I thought was bare rock.
If felt like electricity across three fingers, the next day the swelled with visible "holes". Similar to bad mosquito bites, except that it travels under the skin and spreads.
After nearly two months, I have on one finger a "moving" sore spot that comes out, heals, and maybe a week later, a new location. I am allergic to insect bites, btw.
I'll be diving with gloves in my BCD pockets from now on.
I got back from traveling, and the bleach thing worked...the stuff fell off in about 4 days.
As to the "coral man" reference, the doctor in question has an ironic sense of humor that I saw as obvious, and that I thought would be obvious to others as well. I"ll also note that I have this "magical" ability to do this thing called "reading on the Internet," so yes, I think everyone involved (even me, wow) knew that "tree man" had HPV...the non-humorous/ironic point of the reference was that weird things happen even with common ailments like HPV. It reminds me of something one of my attorney friends says, "You have to be kinda' stupid to think that anyone is that stupid." Not quite true, but it makes a good point. Anyway, if the "tree man" and "coral man" cases were not relatively famous, I'm sure that someone with that affliction could post something on a medical board asking point-blank if it was HPV, and some doctors would say: "No way in heck, go to the Mayo clinic man!" Anyone hear of Planet Vulcan?
Facts:
1. The abrasion on my skin was not very deep, and there didn't appear to be any place for a piece or coral to be lodged.
2. From the area of the abrasion, a pattern identical to the pattern of Brain Coral began to grow. It was not there the first few days, but appeared about a week later.
3. The pattern had a kind of furry and calciferous texture...just like live coral...oh, and it was the same color too. Maybe it was "radioactive coral." (That's sarcasm by the way for those who have difficulty noticing it in print.)
Anyway, if someone can give a "scientific" explanation for why it would be impossible for coral to grow on skin...have at it, and book me a flight to Planet Vulcan while you are at it.
Moral of the story:
I don't really know what that was on my knee...but the bleach seems to have worked, and it's gone...which makes me a happy camper.
Dude,
Glad the bleach worked. Hopefully it stays gone. Doc has already given you a good explanation as to why you can't have coral growing on you, so no need to reiterate, but with your internet reading ability perhaps you could have done sufficient research on your own and discovered this for yourself. A couple of examples from a cursory search:
Don't forget that YOU came HERE looking for advice, we didn't seek you out, so to come back with insults and sarcasm is uncalled for. I was trying to give you as complete an answer as possible. There are a few adjectives that could probably be applied to me, but "stupid" isn't one of them.
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