Insect bites

[Thomzo]

Help please. I have been hedge trimming and am covered in insect bites. I have over 30 of them (not counting the ones where there are several bites in the same place) and they are huge and really sore.

I am taking antihistamine tablets for hayfever anyway and have reacted badly to the antihistamine creams in the past so I don't really want to use a commercial anti-histamine cream.

I have tried tea-tree oil cream and vinegar. Both work for a bit but don't last long and I keep waking up in the night scratching.

Any ideas please?

Cheers
Zoe

[StripyPixieSocks]

I know this sounds crazy but wet a bar of soap and rub in onto the spots leaving a slight film... stops itching in seconds... did for me anyway.

OR

Mix Bicarb of Soda to a paste and apply to the bites, I usually cover with a plaster for a while but 30 bits is a bit of a huge area... bandage perhaps?

Hope they subside soon

[Thomzo]

Thanks, guys. I am now sitting here with soap on one leg and bicarb on the other. I'll see which works best. At the moment, the bicarb seems to be winning.

Cheers
Zoe

[Loobyloo]

I had four horrific mosquito bites on my shoulder a few weeks back, they were really swollen and horrible, I just put loads of lavender oil on and was quite pleased that they seemed to heal up sooner than usual and didn't leave any scarring as I have had before. Also I was really strict with myself and didn't give in to scratching even though it was driving me MAD!

[Clara]

IME if you want anything to work you have to get it on immediately (I'm one of those people insects love), so perhaps best to carry whatever you find that works with you at all times. I'm having really good results with EO of Lavendula latifolia (spike lavender) rather than the regular Lavender (angustifolia) that you find on the shelves (note: if a brand doesn't list latin name of essential oil it's probably best to avoid).

I also found that one summer I went dairy free for a few weeks to clear up my daughter's eczema (BFing), the bites I got came to nothing, they were just little red marks, no itching, no swelling. Unfortunately somewhere in my poor little mind it obviously seems more important to drink milk than save myself from the irritation, but I just thought I'd pass that on.

[Clara]

Thanks, guys. I am now sitting here with soap on one leg and bicarb on the other. I'll see which works best. At the moment, the bicarb seems to be winning.

Cheers
Zoe

I'm in love with bicarb at the moment, off to experiment with this...

[Thomzo]

I've heard that vit B can put them off so have since been eating loads of Marmite (well, I had some on my toast this morning) wonder if I'll remember to keep it up

Cheers
Zoe

[Green Aura]

If you have any peppermint essential oil, put a couple of drops, neat in your hand and rub over the affected areas. Cools, anti-itch and anti-inflammatory.

And before people get up in arms about neat peppermint - it's fine, in small quantities and not used on tiny children - OK?

[Millymollymandy]

Aren't garlic capsules supposed to help ward off insect bites? My mother said she'd started taking them and didn't get any bites when she was staying with us, and everything always bites her. I looked for some here but they didn't have any, probably cos the French just eat loads of garlic anyway so it'd be like taking coals to Newcastle or something.

[Green Aura]

My FIL told us, on a recent visit, that he used to work with a chap from South Africa. He reckoned the best mosquito repellent was rum and coke.

I have no idea if it works, but I'm willing to be a guinea pig in any research...

[boboff]

We get allot of horse flies here, and they are just awful. The OH and daughter come out in big lumps. I, having taken some advice from a Service Man eat allot of Tabasco, they still come and annoy me, but bite my shirt rather than last years favorite my elbows!

I think spit is a good idea with bites, your own preferably.

[becks77]

We always use a dab of neat basil oil or indeed rub a basil leaf on the bites works wonders instantly and smells beautifully of aniseed

[ellie12022]

I'm afraid I resort to anti histamines when I've been bitten but as a repellant I have found that lavender oil seems to work quite well (well I get bitten less!) - you can use it neat as a deodorant. People seem to like the smell. Not sure what lavender I have at the moment but I have had the spike lavender, maybe it is more effective -as I have some bites on my ankle at the minute, but it depends what you can get.

When I was in Romania I got bitten to death when I first moved in but interestingly by the end of the 9 months I was obviously less tasty for some reason.

Some interesting ideas to try out though re bites.


Zoe, I hope you're feeling better by now - any progress?

[Thomzo]

Well the bites have stopped itching now and I don't seem to have had any more but then the weather has largely kept me out of the garden. The main problem is that I don't know I've been bitten until some hours later so it's difficult to do anything straight away.

But thanks for all the ideas. I will try a few of them and see if they help.

Cheers
Zoe

[wolfsong]

What type of hedge was it?
I did ours a week ago, first I came out in a rash, so I put trousers and a jumper on to minimise exposure (which was LOVELY in 37 C in full sun ), but a couple of days latter I had huge... spots on my hands full of puss that wouldn't go away with antibiotic cream or disinfectant. They've now just about gone, but may scar.
just wondering if your problem was the same? I don't think it was bites, more likely the 'orrible sap.

But for insect bites, a korean friend used to use Dragon Balm, it was a pretty good cure all, and have just googled it... there is a company in Wales that makes it!