best cure for itchy insect bites.

[madcat]

Ive been bitten again,in several choice spots and boy do they itch.A week on theyre still madly itchy and driving me mental,the ghost of every recent bite reacts as well.What can you all suggest as a cure?

I dont know anything about anti histamines but must not take anything that will make me drowsy as I need to be awake to drive.

Help please before I go mad

[OldGoldy]

Ive been bitten again,in several choice spots and boy do they itch.A week on theyre still madly itchy and driving me mental,the ghost of every recent bite reacts as well.What can you all suggest as a cure?

I dont know anything about anti histamines but must not take anything that will make me drowsy as I need to be awake to drive.

Help please before I go mad

 

Not a cure, but provides almost instant relief:-

 

Cold water/ice cube, but not whilst you're driving!

 

Seriously, try it

 

(this was a recommendation when I was in hospital with eczema in the 80s - still use it when I need to)

[Mrs Tawny Owl]

Try and get hold of a cream called Anthisan, works a treat and won't make you drowsy cos you just put it on the bite.

 

My Tube was very popular tat the Lapworth Banter with those who were most popular with the little critters.

 

Sue

[soldthehouse]

Ive been bitten again,in several choice spots and boy do they itch.A week on theyre still madly itchy and driving me mental,the ghost of every recent bite reacts as well.What can you all suggest as a cure?

I dont know anything about anti histamines but must not take anything that will make me drowsy as I need to be awake to drive.

Help please before I go mad

The cures Ive used abroad always smell strongly of ammonia if thats any good, you could google it obviously and produce your own.

[Guest]

The cures Ive used abroad always smell strongly of ammonia if thats any good, you could google it obviously and produce your own.

 

Stuart - surely you are taking the piss...

[soldthehouse]

Stuart - surely you are taking the piss...

No just spread it on the skin in the affected places

[Guest]

No just spread it on the skin in the affected places

 

I know - that was the point....

[soldthehouse]

I know - that was the point....

Left in the sun to evaporate some of the water off concentrates the elixir and strengthens the constitution. At this point some will be doubting the advice while the more astute will benefit from lifes hard won experience!!

[Amduck]

Ive been bitten again,in several choice spots and boy do they itch.A week on theyre still madly itchy and driving me mental,the ghost of every recent bite reacts as well.What can you all suggest as a cure?

I dont know anything about anti histamines but must not take anything that will make me drowsy as I need to be awake to drive.

Help please before I go mad

 

I second the Anthisan suggestion, but not all oral anti-histamines cause drowsiness and these could also help

[Guest User]

Benadryl cream ... it works a treat in soothing itchy bites

[Guest]

Left in the sun to evaporate some of the water off concentrates the elixir and strengthens the constitution. At this point some will be doubting the advice while the more astute will benefit from lifes hard won experience!!

 

Yeah but you do know it stings like hell...and allows a nice dry crust to form which you pick off and the whole thing repeats -

 

I've still got scars and scabs from France three weeks ago..

 

I swear if the French had un-leashed their Mossies on the Nazis as they invaded they would have never have got any where near occupation...

[Keeping Up]

Try and get hold of a cream called Anthisan, works a treat and won't make you drowsy cos you just put it on the bite.

 

My Tube was very popular tat the Lapworth Banter with those who were most popular with the little critters.

 

Sue

Strangely I seem to be allergic to Anthisan, it brings me out in a rash - which rather defeats the object of using it.

[Guest User]

Reading off the packet of Benadryl cream next to me ... it contains diphenhydramine hydrochloride, camphor and zinc oxide as the major ingredients. Don't know if that's any different from Anthisan, but it is very soothing.

[Searcher]

Reading off the packet of Benadryl cream next to me ... it contains diphenhydramine hydrochloride, camphor and zinc oxide as the major ingredients. Don't know if that's any different from Anthisan, but it is very soothing.

A cream called polaramine is excellent but as I bought this in Spain I don't know if you can buy it here .Surgical Spirit is worth a try too.

[Smelly]

Another vote for.Anthisan, which has the same active ingredient; diphenyramine (?) as t'other one mentioned.

 

You can.buy a bite pen from Boots that contains ammonia that I find very effective on fresh bites but less so on old ones.

 

Cetirizine tablets are guaranteed non drowsy and available over the counter.

 

Finally, if.they're a week old and still bothering you a trip to the quack and.a discussion about anti biotics is in order. I've had.2 nasty infections from bug bites in the last couple of years and would not hesitate to preach caution; the."how to spot meningitis" conversation last year was enough to leave me in-hesitant to seek m3dical advice.

[PhilR]

I reckon the electronic zappers are the best. They give a spark like a piezzo (spelling) gas igniter. I have no idea how they work, but they do relieve the itchiness. If you can resist the temptation to scratch/rub the bites you won't spread the poisons into the blood stream.

 

I'm probably talking a load of carp ........ but it works for me.

[twocvbloke]

I have no idea how they work, but they do relieve the itchiness.

 

They damage the nerves in the area it is used on, so the itch is still there, but the nerves are not able to transmit the feeling. It's like if you shocked yourself accidentally while working on a live cable (especially after thinking you pulled the right fuse too!!!), that buzzing or tingling feeling afterwards is basically the same thing, though it's a thoroughly bad idea grabbing live wires just to relieve an itch...

[ymu]

Have you used an insect repellent recently? I always ignored the odd insect bite but one day, in my far off youth, someone insisted on spraying me with the stuff. I'd never been bitten so badly, and like you, all my old bites seemed to come back to life and wreak havoc. I assumed it was a bad reaction and have steered clear ever since.

 

Camomile lotion was the thing back then, but there are better suggestions above.

[Woollymishka]

If using creams etc give you cause for concern - raid the kitchen and find some soda bicarbonate - mix into a gooey paste and then spread on the bite - a bit messy but can help

It works for me!

[seaandland]

If sitting out on boat at night having a G n T and those midges are nipping, take the lemon out and rub it on your skin, they hate the citric smell, maybe love the gin, but hates the lemon

[kiki]

If you have no access to shops, dab on some softened soap - proper soap not washing up liquied. Alakalie neutralises the acid in the sting.....advice from an African Immigrant - continent of the very big man eating mosquito !!

[XAlan W]

I have tried various anti histomine creams but find that TCP works the best for me, over here in FRANCE on the 747 type mossie`s, trouble is I have to get friends to bring it from the UK as you cannot buy the exact recipe over here & the equiv doesn`t seem to work as well for me

[carlt]

HC45 hydrocortisone cream is what I use.

 

Instant relief and the swelling disappears, too.

[madcat]

Ive fallen foul of anthistan cream,it made me itch too. TCP seems to have helped and also surgical spirit but all these things seem to only offer tempory relief.I have put spots of citronella oil on my work jeans to deter flying stingers but then a neighbours westie had a sniff of my ankle and peed on my leg!!!!!!! .Still using citronella but avoiding dogs,have got Boris to spray the house with a spray from pets at home thats meant to see off cat fleas etc [we had ants but not anymore]so will spray the boat as well.I think I will have to resort to antihistamines if I get badly bit.Memo to self,buy Avon skin stuff the squaddies use and hope for the best.

Thanks for all the replies.

Boris is not my favorite person just now,he suggested I wear a flea collar!!!

[Amduck]

I have put spots of citronella oil on my work jeans to deter flying stingers but then a neighbours westie had a sniff of my ankle and peed on my leg!!!!!!! .