Heal Mosquito Bites

Mosquito bites itch because you have a slight allergic reaction to the saliva the mosquito injected into your body before she bit you. The female mosquito's main source of food is the blood of her victims; therefore, most mosquitoes feed off of several different donors throughout the day. Male mosquitoes do not bite. Though mosquitoes can transmit serious viruses, most bites cause nothing more than minor irritation.

Steps

Medically Recommended Advice

  1. Wash the affected area with soap and water after. This will remove any irritating saliva that still remains on your skin and help the bite to heal without infection.
  2. Ice the mosquito bite as soon as you are aware that you have been bitten. Most mosquito bites do not hurt, and so you may not detect them for several hours. Icing the area helps control pain and swelling.
  3. Soothe the area by applying a calamine lotion or an over-the-counter medication designed for use on insect bites. Follow package directions to apply the medication.
  4. Add either colloidal oatmeal, baking soda or Epsom salt to a bath and soak in the tub to help control the itch.

Home Remedies

  1. Try a home remedy for relief from the pain and itching.
    • Add just enough water to some baking soda to form a paste. Apply the paste topically to the bite.
    • Use a meat tenderizer, such as Spice Cargo, that contains the enzyme papain and mix with a few drops of water to make a paste. Applied topically, this mix may help control itching and swelling.
    • Crush an aspirin and add a little water to create a paste. Aspirin applied topically may help with the pain.
  2. Ingest an over-the-counter pain medication, such as aspirin or acetaminophen. Follow package dosing instructions.

Tips

  • Try using alcohol wipes. It'll both cool it and treat.
  • Use citronella, linalool, and geraniol candles when relaxing outside. All of these products are known to repel female mosquitoes. The majority of mosquito bites occur around dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
  • Avoid mosquito bites by covering all your exposed skin with an insect repellent when going outdoors.
  • If you mix crushed Tums and water into a paste and apply it to the bite, it soothes it. Also, calamine spray works wonders.
  • Do not itch or make your bite bleed it will look horrible if you do and they make take longer if you make them bleed. Put an itching cream and a band-aid on the bite.
  • Solid stick deodorant (unscented) can help the itching stop. Apply directly on bite as you would under your arm.
  • Use rubbing alcohol on the bite. Take a Q-Tip, dip it in the alcohol, and apply to the infected area.

Warnings

  • Avoid scratching or picking at the mosquito bite, which will cause further irritation and could lead to scabbing or scarring.
  • It is possible for a mosquito to transmit serious diseases from one donor to the next, such as malaria and West Nile Virus. Early symptoms of West Nile Virus include fever, headache, body aches and pains, and swollen glands. If you have symptoms of the virus, see a doctor immediately for treatment.

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Sources and Citations

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