The only thing worse than having an itchy mosquito bite — is having multiple itchy mosquito bites. How many times have you brushed your skin against something and your bug bite immediately started itching for the next few hours? Rather than scratching until it hurts, be smart about how your treat your mosquito bites.
Why Mosquito Bites Itch
The reason why mosquito bites are infamously itchy isn’t because of the blood they suck out of you — it’s because of the saliva they inject into you (yes, we’re serious). Mosquito saliva contains proteins that are foreign to the body, which will trigger the immune system to release a histamine compound. The histamine is what causes mosquito bites to become inflamed and itchy.
How to Stop Bites From Itching
- Ice the bite to reduce blood flow and numb the affected area.
- Without scratching or being too rough, apply hydrocortisone cream.
- If you catch a mosquito biting you, run to your medicine cabinet and apply rubbing alcohol to the area. Rubbing alcohol feels cool to the skin when it dries, preventing the bite from itching too much.
- Head into your kitchen and grab a jar of honey. Since honey is an antiseptic and antibacterial, it will reduce inflammation and help prevent the skin from breaking or becoming infected. However, do not go outside as the sweet honey will attract even more mosquitoes.
- Since a high concentration of histamine is what causes the itchiness, take an over-the-counter antihistamine. Apply an antihistamine lotion or take it orally to help lower the histamine count in your body.
Don’t let your itchy (and annoying) mosquito bites ruin your summer, use these remedies to help stop the itch fast! When there are summer pests infesting your home or property, contact the pest management professionals at Knockout Pest Control. To learn more or to schedule an inspection, give us a call at (800) 244-7378.
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