How long should mozzie bites itch for and what the bloody hell can I use to stop the buggers driving me utterly insane?

[AtYourCervix]

Forin mozzies they was.

2 weeks ago the fuckers dined on my sweet tasting blood.
I have tried....

A daily anti-histamine (which I take anyway)

One of those electric clicky things (expensive yet rubbish)

That After-bite pen thing (stinks and rubbish)

Lavendar oil (smells nice but rubbish)

HELP!

They are still raised red bumps with the tops scratched off and they itch like Billy-O

[PersonalClown]

I've been told that abit of clear nail polish on the bit seals them so they don't itch.

(excuse the typos. Got giant Hula hoops on my fingers)

[JollySergeantJackrum]

Calamine lotion?

[Earlybird]

my friend swears by the 'x it and forget it' method. This involves presses the sharp edge of your fingernail down on the bite as hard as you can (without breaking the skin), and then moving around slightly and doing it again. Repeat all the way around the bite so you have a * shape on the bite.

She says it causes the itching 'juice' (poison?) to disperse. You may have to repeat a few times for the worst bites, but I have found this method to work.

Good luck.

[AtYourCervix]

Why Clown?

Don't have clear - would coloured work the same?

2 weeks seems an excessive amount of time for bites to itch for.

[Gay40]

The best thing I have ever had was an ammonia pen from some back street pharmacy in Turkey. It smells like piss and feels like you are ramming a red hot poker down the bite....but within a minute: NADA.
Apparently they do sell them here, but not in the required (probably illegal) strength. Mine is rationed out

[Earlybird]

IME, the nail polish works when it is a tiny insect that has burrowed into the skin. The nail varnish blocks the pores and the small creature can no longer 'breathe' and thus suffocates/dies. Different to mossies (mozzies?).

[PersonalClown]

The itching is a reaction to the 'saliva' they deposit when drinking blood.
As you've scratched the tops off, nail polish will hurt like hell but will seal it from the air which trigger the reaction.
Any colour will do I guess.
(Why do I remember random things from my Human Biology A level?)

And giant Hula Hoops?? because they are nice and I like putting them on my fingers like I did as a kid!!

[Elibean]

Antihistamine cream. I've never used anything else (and am a big Mozzy Bait, must give off lots of carbon dioxide or something ) and it works perfectly well.

Not tablets, cream. You can buy a tube of it from the chemists, lots of different makes.

Sympathies, by the way - I came back from a quick family visit in France recently covered in bed bug bites: they look exactly the same, and itch just as hard.

[AtYourCervix]

ammonia pen is shit.

antihistamine cream is shit.

I ITCH!

[AKMD]

Ice cubes.

Savlon or TCP, applied neat with cotton wool.

You're a midwife right? Epidural to the bite area? :o

[AKMD]

Tea tree oil.

Chilli powder.

[Sidge]

Try Eurax.

Or ask your GP for Eurax-HC, it also has hydrocortisone in it to reduce inflammation.

And next time try Jungle Formula, or Autan insect repellent. Or that Avon Sensual Skin So Soft oil spray stuff which anecdotally is good for repelling mossies.

[follyfoot]

I promise you this will work. Its from a friend of mine (hospital consultant so she knows what she's on about) who lived in the Bahamas and regularly got sand fly bites which itched like buggery.

Put your hairdryer on hot. Point it at the bite. As the area warms up, it will get incredibly itchy, almost unbearably so, but keep at it. When the bite gets too hot to bear any longer, turn the hairdryer off. As the bite cools, it magically stops itching. Sometimes it stops it itching for good, sometimes you might need another go 12/24 hours later.

All the best

[AtYourCervix]

Jungle Formula is also shit.

All this stuff works for about 5 seconds. Then the itching begins again. Particularly at night.

bites are all on upper arms, shoulders and back so epidural probably wouldn't work.

[AtYourCervix]

will try hairdryer.

[Sidge]

Hmm you are tricky bugger.

Vodka? Drink enough and the itching will stop...

[AKMD]

Sorry, I'm all out of suggestions. I got munched on while I lived in mosquito-ridden Florence and the clicky thing + ice cubes + TCP worked for me. Don't scratch!

[Gay40]

I've not found anything in this country to work, in all fairness. But I'm going to give the hairdryer a shot the next time.

[Gay40]

I have, but the USA version. The UK version doesn't work for me.
I will buy an entire boxful the next time I visit. It's also brilliant for mouth ulcers.

[TheLaminator]

oh god, i get bitten to death too. clicky thing is good, but have to repeate. i too had an amonia pen super exrta strenghth, brought back from america - it was great i was sad when it ran out. I recently got a cream from gp called doublebase, parafin based cream, which is lovely and has really helped stop itching at night, combined with clikcky thing.
unfortunatly ive not had my preventative antihyatamunes due to breast feeding.<br /> <br /> so hard not to scratch, i have scars from some over the years :(<br /> im gonna give anbesol & the hairdryer ago, i have 20 odd bites at the mo, on my ankles, backs of knees, baack & hair line :(

bad post sorry, typing in dark gardeen, probably getting bitten.

[Ponders]

according to DS1 those clicky things do work as long as you can use them almost as soon as you get bitten (when the bite is still all white & misshapen) but I realise that doesn't help you (file away for future ref though )

failing that, try spit. (your own if you can reach them, someone else's if not)

[follyfoot]

Have you stopped itching AYC?

Fingers crossed

[timidviper]

Can't believe the thread has got this far without mentioning Hydrocortisone cream. That is what you would be recommended in a pharmacy and it does work well.