# Dealing with insect & mosquito bites **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 3, 2015, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-insect-mosquito-bites/716697 "2015-04-03T09:29:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lilyrose\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lilyrose\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lilyrose_1)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-insect-mosquito-bites/716697/1 "2015-04-03T09:29:28Z")
I have an array of mosquito bites and midgy bites on my arm… and yes they have got the better of me. Unfortunately i have scratched the skin of and it is on the verge of being a little infected. other than the obvious treatment… has anybody got any advice on how to manage this kind of condition…😕 ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-insect-mosquito-bites/716697/2 "2015-04-03T12:05:53Z")
Antibiotic ointment? ---
**Author:** ![jezzaOZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@jezzaOZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jezzaOZ)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-insect-mosquito-bites/716697/3 "2015-04-03T12:11:15Z")
> [@Lilyrose\_1](#): > > I have an array of mosquito bites and midgy bites on my arm… and yes they have got the better of me. Unfortunately i have scratched the skin of and it is on the verge of being a little infected. other than the obvious treatment… has anybody got any advice on how to manage this kind of condition…😕 I got prescribed Polaramine for tick bites. It may work for your bites. It’s usually over the counter from a drug-store without a prescription. You could also try a weak cortisone cream like Hydrazole. Again no prescription required. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-insect-mosquito-bites/716697/4 "2015-04-03T13:10:21Z")
Try to avoid too much scratching. I had a bad medicine reaction a few years ago, that caused intense itching. I wound up scratching off almost all the hair follicles on both arms. ---
**Author:** ![dstarfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dstarfire/32/5762_2.png) [@dstarfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dstarfire)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-insect-mosquito-bites/716697/5 "2015-04-03T18:29:25Z")
For treatment of the bites, an over-the-counter lotion or cream containing Aloe Vera, or a synthetic analgesic will reduce the itching for a time (Benadryl makes such a cream, and often has generic equivalents). I’ll second the suggestion of antibiotic cream for the current situation of badly abraded skin. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-insect-mosquito-bites/716697/6 "2015-04-03T20:35:56Z")
Calamine is supposed to be good for insect bites. I have not had any luck with that. The OTC hydrocortisone sounds like it may help. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-insect-mosquito-bites/716697/7 "2015-04-03T21:12:44Z")
One way to prevent the bites from itching in the first place is to heat them up. Supposedly, insect venom that causes the reaction breaks down when it’s heated up. Soon after you get bit, warm the bite using a hair drier on a medium or low setting. You don’t need to burn your skin or anything. Warm it up until it starts to feel warm or just starts to feel hot. This [Therapik](http://www.therapik.com/) is specially made for this purpose, but I find the hair drier works easier (provided I’m near the house). It might work on existing bites. Try it out and see. Just don’t burn yourself in the process. ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-insect-mosquito-bites/716697/8 "2015-04-03T21:43:55Z")
I use a blow-dryer on mine too. Heat it up right to the point of pain and the itch goes away for 30 minutes or more. It’s because pain and itch share the same nerve pathway, and pain will block the itch signal temporarily. Same reason scratching a hole into your skin relieves the itch. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2015, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dealing-with-insect-mosquito-bites/716697/9 "2015-04-03T21:49:18Z")
> [@yoyodyne](#): > > I use a blow-dryer on mine too. Heat it up right to the point of pain and the itch goes away for 30 minutes or more. It’s because pain and itch share the same nerve pathway, and pain will block the itch signal temporarily. Same reason scratching a hole into your skin relieves the itch. I think in the case of bites, it can actually break down the venom and then your body won’t react to it. My daughter gets huge welts when she’s bitten. But if we heat them up right after the bite, the welt and itching doesn’t develop.