Top Ten Tips - Treating And Preventing Mosquito Bites
By Tip Diva | Jul 02, 2008
Categories: Behavior, Clothes, Clothing, Difficulty, Doctor, Garden, Health, Illness, Outdoors, Personal Hygiene, Pests, Shopping, Stores, Tips, Websites
Ahh, summer. The sun is warm, the water is cool, the flowers are blooming, and unfortunately, the bugs are biting. The worst offender of them all is the mosquito, carrier of pain, itching and possible diseases like West Nile. Here’s how to treat and further prevent bites:
- Try Not To Scratch - If you have a mosquito bite or bites, do your best not to scratch them, which may irritate the bite even more, or worse, cause an infection. Instead…
- Try Popular Remedies To Stop The Itch - Apply calamine or Benadryl lotion to the itch, or try rubbing some toothpaste on it (odd, but works!) The bee-sting treatment of baking soda/water paste also helps relieve the itch, and cool water compresses will bring down the swelling.
- Take An Oatmeal Bath - If the itch is unbearable, try the ol’ chicken pox treatment of an oatmeal bath. Tip Diva loves Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment, or just try some rolled oats from your pantry.
- Pay Heed To Large Welts - If your welts are large, red and inflamed or infected, see a doctor right away. You might have a bad allergic reaction or it could be a spider bite.
And to prevent bites in the future:
- Wear Light Clothing That Covers Your Body - Linens and light cottons are cool for the summer and keep the mosquitos away from your skin. Further repel them by wearing light colors and avoiding bright or flowery prints.
- Use Bug Repellent Spray Or Lotion - There are a lot of bug sprays and lotions based on your needs and preferences. If you’re nervous about DEET, which has shown to be an effective repellent, visit your nearest natural food stores for some great natural remedies.
- Avoid Fragrances - Mosquitos seem to be attracted to body odor and fragrances, so lay off the perfume and take a shower after sweating.
- Stay Indoors When Mosquitos Bite - Mosquitos are most active after it rains and in the early morning, evening and night. And make sure your window and door screens are in good repair so mosquitos don’t follow you inside!
- Make Sure To Remove Stagnant Water Sources - Stagnant water sources are breeding grounds for mosquitos. Make sure to remove them from around your home - they can even collect in old tires, garbage pails, and gutters.
- Light Some Citronella Candles - Mosquitos hate the smell of citronella, so that why so many repellents have that musky, lemony scent. You can buy citronella candles (or coils) at most home improvement and outdoors stores, as well as grocery stores during the summer months. Put a few candles around where you’ll be sitting.
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