# Insect bites not healing **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037 "2005-01-04T15:17:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/1 "2005-01-04T15:17:58Z")
And they frigging itch. Anyone got home remedies or over the counter medicines to help heal my owies? Some bug has injected me with alien blood or something so I’ve had itchy little holes in me for weeks and I want them gone. I don’t know the culprit was but we don’t have any noxious insects or poisonous spiders round here, probably just a mutant mosquito ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Brendan\_Donovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bbce88/32.png) [@Brendan\_Donovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brendan_Donovan)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/2 "2005-01-04T15:21:57Z")
Do you scratch it? If you do then stop. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/3 "2005-01-04T17:34:44Z")
> [@Small Clanger](#): > > And they frigging itch. Anyone got home remedies or over the counter medicines to help heal my owies? Some bug has injected me with alien blood or something so I’ve had itchy little holes in me for weeks and I want them gone. > > I don’t know the culprit was but we don’t have any noxious insects or poisonous spiders round here, probably just a mutant mosquito ☹ Weeks? Weeks you say? Pick up phone. Make appointment with doctor as quickly as you can. Do this NOW. ---
**Author:** ![myrnajean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@myrnajean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myrnajean)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/4 "2005-01-05T00:33:50Z")
Do you have pets? The only thing that gets me like that is fleas. Flea bites itch like crazy, and if they are in your carpet, you will keep getting bit over and over. Mosquitos don’t even bite me, or if they do, I’m not allergic, but fleas… eeesh! I’ve ripped layers of skin off scratching them. If you do have fleas in your vicinity, you need to either bug-bomb your house or get that powder you put in the carpet and then vacuum up. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/5 "2005-01-05T00:55:57Z")
Scabies or chiggers perhaps? A doctor visit may be in order. I got rid of these buggers rubbing Off Skintastic on the bumps though. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/6 "2005-01-05T01:06:10Z")
You definitely need to get to a doctor. Preferably a dermatologist. Normal insect bites do not last for weeks. You could have any number of conditions, and you could be spreading it to your family or coworkers. Do this as soon as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/7 "2005-01-05T09:26:35Z")
> [@myrnajean](#): > > Do you have pets? The only thing that gets me like that is fleas. No pets, and I know all about flea bites after staying with friends who have cats. Cat flea bites also took ages to heal but what I’ve got now are different. > [@trublmakr](#): > > You definitely need to get to a doctor. Whoa! Thanks for the concern but check my location, we really don’t have anything more dangerous than woodlice here and I’ve had similar trouble with cat flea bites. I don’t think I’m in danger from three or four itchy bumps. The only allergies I have, cat fleas and mutant mosquitos. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/8 "2005-01-05T13:39:08Z")
Ohmigod! It’s leprosy! No, probably not. 😃 If you’re determined not to see a doctor (although to cover my own ass I’ll tell you to go see a doctor) there are a few things you can try: 1. Baking soda mixed with just enough water to make it a paste. Slap it on and let it dry. Leave it alone until it flakes off. 2. Lavender essential oil. Can be applied directly to your bumps. It’s numbing, plus antibacterial and antiviral, so if you’ve infected it with scratching, lavender will help fight the infection. 3. Plantain. It’s a plant that grows in most of the world. (I have no idea where you are, but if you have mosquitos and wood lice, you must have plantain.) There are several forms, none of which grow large bannana looking fruit. I’m talking about _Plantago spp._, specifically _Plantago major_ or _Plantago lanceolata_. Chew on a leaf until it’s smooshy and then slap it on the bump. Let it dry until it falls off. 4. Nettles internally. Eat cooked nettles, or take it as capsules. _Urtica dioica_. 5. Licorice root, or even real licorice candy (_Glycyrrhizae glabra_), Violet whole plant (_Violae tricolor_) and Rehmannia root (A Chinese herb) are all good for skin lesions caused by your own body’s processes, as opposed to bug bites. They can be taken internally and applied topically. [Insert standard herbal disclaimer here: Check with your doctor before taking any herbs, even though she likely hasn’t studied any of them and wouldn’t know her Angelica from her Wild Yam. For informational purposes only, because your health is your issue until you start paying me to worry about it. Have a nice day. Void in Canada.) But seriously, if it doesn’t go away, or if it starts looking infected, do consider a quick visit to the clinic. It could certainly be chiggers, and scabies are no fun, and quite common. ---
**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/9 "2005-01-05T14:43:52Z")
Something is itchy = apply calamine lotion. It doesn’t always work, but when I get an “itchy”, calamine lotion is usually one thing I try. ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/10 "2005-01-05T16:40:07Z")
You can pee on the wound. Or is that just for a jellyfish sting in a _Friends_ episode? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/11 "2005-01-05T16:58:03Z")
> [@Greenback](#): > > You can pee on the wound. Or is that just for a jellyfish sting in a _Friends_ episode? It’s supposed to be especially effective on taking the sting out of a jellyfish sting. If you’re in the middle of the woods (or the desert or pretty much anyplace except the mall) with no clean water nearby, urine makes a great sterile wash for any wound, and it’s probably safer to use than free flowing water on a deep wound. It’s also supposed to help with the itch of poison ivy, if you pee on yourself right away. I suspect this may simply be because it washes the poison ivy oils off you before they cause harm, but what do I know? ---
**Author:** ![NutMagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@NutMagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NutMagnet)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/12 "2005-01-05T18:24:33Z")
White vinegar is supposed to relieve the itch. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/13 "2005-01-06T00:51:11Z")
Location doesn’t have anything to do with whether you should see a doctor or not. I work in a dermatology office, and you could have any number of things going on- scabies, staph, eczema… you said “holes”… not bumps. Anything that lasts for weeks could need prescription medication. If it’s staph, you’re not only endangering yourself, but anyone that you live or work with. Take my advice or not, but I think a doctor is in order. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/14 "2005-01-06T01:49:33Z")
I don’t know anything about Milton Keynes, but is it so posh there that you think you are too good for scabies or something? Scabies thrives all over the world, in any climate, and effects every socioeconomic class. Your location doesn’t mean dick! At the very freaking least, you should go ask a pharmacist!!! If the UK is like the US, then every grocery store and many corner stores (Ekards, Walgreens…) will have a pharmacist. It doesn’t take an appointment to just go ask the person if he recognizes your ‘condition’. He’ll also be able to recommend a good OTC remedy!! A pharmacist is the person to ask. He’s a trained professional, and it takes no appointment and costs you nothing to go ask him a question. Plus, he is able to look at you and look at your rashes. We can’t do that here!!! Asking us is so freaking ridiculous, it’s not even funny. And here’s WHY!! If you had something like a fungal infection, and you just described it as a rash, some person here might tell you how well hydrocortisone worked on his rash. And that you should go right out and get some!!! The only problem is hydorcortisone (a steroid) makes the the fungal infection GROW. Just like a person on steroids, the fungus gets BIGGER, ITCHIER, and MEANER!! So you would end up completely screwing yourself over by listening to such advice!!! Regardless of how good the intentions of that doper. … Anyway, the whole point is that no one can see what you have and accurately identify your problem. Without an accurrate identification, no “cure” is going to work for you. Other than by luck maybe. But remedies that cure one thing, might make something else a lot worse!! (example above) So you’d be taking your chances there!!! Anyway, if you want to be stuborn, then whatever. But you’re wasting your time on this message board. There is nothing any Doper can do for you. You need to go see someone who knows what they’re doing, and who can visually inspect your rash. If you dont want to go see a doctor or a dermatologist, then fine. Whatever. But AT LEAST go ask a pharmacist! Even if he doesn’t recognize the rash, he’s still the best person to ask about “remedies”. Not us! But I bet he’ll recognize it. If he doesn’t recognize it, he’ll tell you to go see a doctor!! If he does recognize it, I’m betting it’s something that needs a prescription anyway(4 Weeks? WTF!), so he’ll identify the rash and tell you what drug you need for it. Then he’ll tell you to go see a doctor so you can get the prescription you need. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/15 "2005-01-06T10:04:29Z")
Steady on there. If I thought I had any sort of medical problem I would get to the doctors immediately. I wouldn’t come to this board for serious help (unless they were jellyfish stings). These are just little insect bites, honest. Some have cleared up already, a couple that get rubbed against clothes are taking longer. I may try one of **WhyNot** ’s suggestions, I think it’s a bit early to got to the hospital for an amputation. Can we let it lie now please. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/16 "2005-01-06T14:21:23Z")
Nobody suggested “get to the hospital for amputation”… why, if this were the pit, I’d really let you have it. You came on here asking for medical advice, something that’s not cool in the first place, then, when a couple of people wisely suggest a doctor, you become sarcastic and defensive. Maybe they’re horrible, staphyloccus-filled festering boils, and now your arms will fall off. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insect-bites-not-healing/283037/17 "2005-01-07T00:28:19Z")
If you want medical advice, here it is: See a doctor.