These are my favorite 5 home remedies for mosquito bites to relieve the itch.. Last year I became all too familiar with this subject. Apparently, I’m a bit of a gourmet dinner for mosquitos, they just love to bite me!!!
Obviously, the first choice is to avoid getting bit in the first place, but those suckers are sneaky and quick.
Do all mosquitoes bite?
Nope, not all bite. The female mosquitoes are the ones that bite and draw blood, go figure! The Male mosquitoes feed on flower nectar.
These are not scientific remedies, and I’m not a doctor, these are just some of the ways I have personally used to combat that awful itch.
5 Home remedies for mosquito bites
Ice
Cold temperatures slow the rate of inflammation and is the first thing I do if bitten while at home. Place a few ice cubes in Ziploc bag, or use an ice pack and place over the bite. I have one of those old fashion headache ice bags I use for the ice.
Rubbing Alcohol
Most everyone has a bottle of rubbing alcohol tucked away.
Use a q-tip to dad a little bit of rubbing alcohol directly on the bite. The alcohol has a cooling effect that helps for a while. To avoid irritation of the skin, use just a small amount, a little dab will do.
Aloe Vera Gel
I used this a lot last year when those darn ankle-biting mosquitos were out in full force. Maybe not scientifically proven but it did help to relieve the itch for a while.
Vick’s VapoRub
Growing up Vicks was always in the house and to this day I always a little jar in my nightstand. I dab a little bit on the mosquito bite and let the menthol do it’s work.
Tea Tree oil
I always dilute the tea tree oil to avoid irritation. Mix five to six drops of tea tree oil with one tablespoon of olive oil.. Use a q-tip to apply directly on the bite.
Another remedy I’ve come across is “the bug bite thing”. It looks like a small wine vacuum pump and seems to work similarly to a snake bite kit. I just purchased this and have not used it yet, but it's small enough to easily carry in my purse. What I love about the idea of this product is that I’m not just masking the symptom, it’s actually removing the irritant. Logically, this should work. May sound weird, but I can’t wait to try it out!
These are all topical remedies, however, never use a remedy if you think or know you are allergic to a particular ingredient
Why do mosquito bites itch?
Their saliva from the mosquito contains an anticoagulant and proteins that triggers the body's immune system. The body's immune system releases histamine, a compound that helps white blood cells get to the affected area and it’s the histamine that causes the itch.