In the summer, people tend to wear less clothing, coupled with the abundant breeding of mosquitoes, making it easy to get bitten. These bites often result in redness, swelling, and itching, causing discomfort. So, are there any simple methods to alleviate the itching?
According to the American mosquito repellent product manufacturer “Mosquito Magician,” when a mosquito bites you, it pierces your skin with its slender proboscis to feed on blood, injecting a small amount of saliva into your skin at the same time.
Since the mosquito’s saliva contains proteins that your body perceives as foreign substances, your immune system releases histamine in response. Histamine is a chemical that causes inflammation and itching. This is why mosquito bites itch.
Apart from itching, symptoms of mosquito bites also include raised red welts, swelling, pain, a small amount of blood or fluid. In some cases, you may also experience fever, headache, muscle aches, or chills.
These symptoms usually appear within minutes or hours of being bitten. Itching and swelling may persist for several days, but the welts typically subside within a week. If you experience redness, pain, or fever, see a doctor as these may be signs of a more serious infection.
You can take the following simple measures to alleviate itching and prevent infection after being bitten by mosquitoes:
– Cold compress: Applying a cold compress is a simple and effective way to relieve itching. The low temperature it generates helps constrict blood vessels in the skin, thereby reducing swelling and itching. Cold compress also numbs the skin, quickly alleviating the persistent itch from mosquito bites. This numbness helps prevent scratching, which can exacerbate itching and potentially lead to more severe infections if the skin is broken.
– Oatmeal bath: Soaking in cool or warm water with oatmeal helps alleviate itching and irritation from mosquito bites. Oatmeal contains a compound called Avenanthramide, known for its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, aiding in relieving itching and swelling from mosquito bites.
– Baking soda paste: Mixing a tablespoon of baking soda with water into a thick paste and applying it directly to the itchy area can provide relief. The alkalinity of baking soda helps neutralize the acidity at the bite site, thereby reducing itching and swelling caused by mosquito bites.
– Honey application: Honey can alleviate mosquito bites due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Honey, especially raw honey, contains an enzyme called Glucose oxidase, which produces hydrogen peroxide when applied to the skin – a well-known antiseptic. This process helps cleanse the bite site, reduce the risk of infection, and avoid further irritation.
– Hydrocortisone cream: Hydrocortisone cream is an over-the-counter topical medication commonly used to relieve itching from mosquito bites. It is a corticosteroid that acts similarly to the hormones naturally produced by the adrenal glands. When applied to the skin, this medication can reduce redness, itching, and discomfort.
– Calamine lotion: Calamine lotion, another over-the-counter remedy, can be used to relieve itching from mosquito bites. Its primary ingredient is zinc oxide, known for its skin-soothing effects. When applied to mosquito bite sites, calamine lotion can immediately alleviate itching and discomfort.
– Itch relief cream: Over-the-counter itch relief cream helps alleviate itching. In addition to hydrocortisone cream and calamine lotion, creams containing Lidocaine and Lanocane also have itch-relieving effects.
– Topical alcohol, witch hazel, and tea tree oil: Topical alcohol has potent disinfecting properties, witch hazel can reduce inflammation, and tea tree oil promotes natural healing while preventing bacterial infections. Therefore, they can effectively prevent itching from mosquito bites and minor wounds, and prevent potential infections.
– Lemon balm cream: Lemon balm cream contains Eugenol, a compound known for its antibacterial and muscle-relaxing effects, which helps alleviate discomfort from mosquito bites. This cream is also rich in tannins and terpenes, natural astringents with antiviral properties that help relieve itching and redness from mosquito bites.
– Avoid scratching: Do not scratch mosquito bite wounds, as it actually helps alleviate itching and promotes faster skin healing.
Sometimes you may wonder why mosquitoes only bite you and not others around you. This is because mosquitoes have preferences when biting people, related to their breath, body temperature, odor, blood type, and even clothing color. Try changing something about yourself, and maybe the mosquitoes won’t target you.
Six types of people easily targeted by mosquitoes include those with blood type O, large lung capacity, alcohol drinkers, high body temperature, heavy sweaters or strong body odors, and those wearing black clothes.