topic Re: Mosquito Bites in Wellness

Mosquito Bites

SoCal Bred — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 21:31:15 GMT

Last summer and this summer I have been bitten by mosquitos on my upper arms and legs, the itching is driving me crazy, I have tried After-Bite, Vicks Vapo Rub, Campho Phenique, you name it.... everything just seems to take the itchiness away for a few minutes, then I'm scratching like crazy for at least 3-4 days..

Is there something to take internally to ward off these mosquitos from biting or an over the counter medicine to relieve the itching, open to any suggestions.

Re: Mosquito Bites

SilleeMee — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 21:36:25 GMT

Calamine or cortisone cream might help. Start using some kind of insect repellent when you go outside.

Re: Mosquito Bites

Susan Louise — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 21:36:29 GMT

@SoCal Bred For me, chigger bites are worse than mosquito bites...the need to itch/scratch drives me mad sometimes...LOL

I have found great relief by taking a tablet or two of an antihistamine and rubbing Cortazone 10 on the bite area. I usually start getting relief within about 10-15 minutes.

Re: Mosquito Bites

Shelbelle — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 21:45:55 GMT

Few years ago I started using hand sanitizer on mine. the high alcohol content is great for the itching and if the gel has added Vitamin E or Aloe, that adds moisture, works like a charm.

Re: Mosquito Bites

Group 5 minus 1 — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 21:55:01 GMT

I am so allergic to the bites I use a doctors rx and I avoid going outdoors when M.season begins.

Re: Mosquito Bites

Mistreatedbycs — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 23:00:52 GMT

Rubbing Alcohol, the higher percentage the better.

Re: Mosquito Bites

GSPgirl — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 23:03:48 GMT

@SoCal Bred wrote:
Last summer and this summer I have been bitten by mosquitos on my upper arms and legs, the itching is driving me crazy, I have tried After-Bite, Vicks Vapo Rub, Campho Phenique, you name it.... everything just seems to take the itchiness away for a few minutes, then I'm scratching like crazy for at least 3-4 days..

Is there something to take internally to ward off these mosquitos from biting or an over the counter medicine to relieve the itching, open to any suggestions.

After Bite......not the one that has baking soda in it but the original one that smells like ammonia. It's the only one I can use that I don't have to reapply over and over. Amazon sells it. Read the comments to make sure you get the original one. I also have a friend that uses iodine on her bites. I tried it, but it didn't work as well as the original After Bite.

Re: Mosquito Bites

Toots711 — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 23:06:13 GMT

@SoCal Bred

A doctor once recommended applying Listerine mouthwash to the bug bite. Helped me a little.
Friends told me that hot air from a blow dryer aimed at the bite takes away the itch for them. They are careful not to burn their skin, of course.
QVC sells a device called Bite Helper, to neutralize itch from bug bites. It runs on 2 AA batteries. I purchased it and have not needed it yet.

Re: Mosquito Bites

nevergivesup — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 23:12:51 GMT

When I was a little girl, a hundred years ago, I remember getting bit to pieces by mosquitoes when I went to day camp. My father used to put his Gillette shaving foam on the bites and I always thought it worked like a miracle. Now I’m thinking it probably was just placebo effect lol.

Re: Mosquito Bites

shoesnbags — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 23:14:06 GMT

@SoCal Bred wrote:
Last summer and this summer I have been bitten by mosquitos on my upper arms and legs, the itching is driving me crazy, I have tried After-Bite, Vicks Vapo Rub, Campho Phenique, you name it.... everything just seems to take the itchiness away for a few minutes, then I'm scratching like crazy for at least 3-4 days..

Is there something to take internally to ward off these mosquitos from biting or an over the counter medicine to relieve the itching, open to any suggestions.

@SoCal Bred No one seems to have noticed that you asked for something to take internally. Any over the counter antihistamine will help - Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec, etc. Hope you get some relief!

Re: Mosquito Bites

Shelbelle — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 23:14:46 GMT

After Bite, original, is another good one.

Re: Mosquito Bites

SoCal Bred — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 23:41:39 GMT

@shoesnbag......up until a year ago (around this time) I was taking Alegra (antihistamine) for my allergies then stopped taking it, come to think of it , that's when I started getting these massive mosquito bites. As of today, I will continue with the Alegra and see if it brings relief with the itching.

Thanks to all for your help and wonderful tips, really appreciate it! Have a wonderful summer:

Re: Mosquito Bites

decaf — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 00:42:03 GMT

@SoCal Bred Mosquitos love me, I live in their enviroment, I'm so allergic too that I get welts.

To prevent bites when you're outside wear insect repellant or try wearing Bug Armor Bands Or Buggy Bands on wrists or ankles when you're outside. They're citronella coiled bands at Walmart, very cheap, about 75 cents.

My best tip is this- when I do get a bite, I immediately run for the isoprophyl alcohol (I have 70%) in my bathroom. I slosh it all over the bite area, in five minutes all the itching is gone. For good. It works so well I carry individual alcohol wipes in my purse in case I get a bite when I'm not home.

We did buy a Dynatrap from QVC last year and that is helping to reduce mosquitos in our yard too. HTH

Re: Mosquito Bites

skatting44 — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 01:30:24 GMT

if you are having that much of a skin reaction. I would take benadryl by mouth and cleans the bites with soap & water & use a topical cream as many others have recommended. Keep the bite areas clean or you can end up with an infection and scaring .

I always wear an old cotton shirt or the sunblock Duluth company shirt when gardening as I hate to spray that bug spray on my bare skin . I wear a hat with netting . I do spray my hat and ankle areas with a bug repellent .

Re: Mosquito Bites

Foxxee — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 01:44:39 GMT

@SoCal Bred

I tried everything available on the market. Nothing worked, so I found this on the internet from someone who I'd like to give a big smooch.

He uses a hairdryer and gave explicit directions.

Hold the hairdryer as close as possible over the bite or sting. At first it will itch like crazy. As soon as you feel the slightest bit of pain, remove the dryer. You may have to do that twice initially for large bites.

I used this method many times. My skin turned red while the dryer was over it, but it disappeared within a few minutes afterwards. I was never burned when following directions. You would pull the dryer away before harming yourself anyway.

The itching went away for most of the day and found I only had to do it once or twice a day at first, then once a day until the itching stopped altogether.

Re: Mosquito Bites

VaBelle35 — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 02:03:10 GMT

I am allergic to the bites as well and have been given 2 different prescriptions but what really works for me is ice.

Mine burn more than itch. So plain old ice cubes in a towel help. 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off.

If I take a shower, the hot water gets them going again. Sleeping is a pain too because they heat up under the covers. I have been known to sleep with a towel with ice tied to my arm or leg.

I take Allegra about 10 months out of the year, so that doesn't do anything for me. Advil helps at night along with Benadryl if I have a few or they are really bad.

I'm pretty good about avoid outdoors but sometimes they just get in the house or get me when I'm taking out the trash.

Re: Mosquito Bites

redbird — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 02:05:21 GMT

As soon as I notice I have been bitten I apply aloe vera gel to the area and repeat a few hours later. That seems to stop the reaction in its tracks for me. If time has elapsed then antihistamine and cortaid give the best results.

Re: Mosquito Bites

AngelPuppy1 — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 11:26:05 GMT

I get terrible reactions to these bites. Nothing has helped me so far. A friend told me to use the After Bite and swore by it. It did nothing for me. I would say take an over the counter allergy pill daily and once you get bit, take a Bendryl to get to sleep. Make sure to clean with soal and water and alcohol and then apply a cortosone cream. Also, cover your body as much as possible. Wish I could definitively help, but nothing has really helped me.

Re: Mosquito Bites

Natureluvr — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 11:37:01 GMT

For preventing bites when I don’t want to use repellant with deet, I use Johnson’s baby creamy oil with aloe & vit E. It’s in a green tube. Miraculously, this seems to work! For times when I don’t have any repellant on and get bit, I read to put something with adhesive over the bite. I cut the sticky part of a bandaid in a small square and press it right in the bite. Not sure how this works but it takes the itching away!!

Re: Mosquito Bites

CelticCrafter — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 12:03:01 GMT

Supposedly Avon Skin So Soft works to prevent bites.