Does anyone react like this to bites?

[SinkGirl]

Whenever I get bitten by something (whether it’s a mosquito or a flea or whatever else) they go bright scarlet red. With mosquitos bites often turn into a huge bruise after this stage.

DH gets bitten but they don’t go like this. Last time I went on holiday to somewhere with a lot of mosquitos I was covered in giant scarlet blobs, not attractive.

Is it an allergic reaction? Are topical antihistamines better than oral ones for this sort of thing? Will be going to a pharmacist in the morning but may have gone mad with the itching by then.

Yes, mossie bites can get really swollen for me ( like cricket ball size). Oral antihistamine and try some cortisone on the actual bite to stop the itch driving you crazy.

Yes, I react like that too, it's not pretty.

Yes I do, antihistamines and Hydrocortisone cream are the only remedy.

Thanks all, I have some hydrocortisone so will see it that helps and get more antihistamines tomorrow. It’s not so much the swelling as that’s not too bad but the colour is bonkers!

All mosquito bites are allergic reactions - the bump or itchiness is a histamine reaction to a chemical in the female mosquito’s saliva.

By sheer coincidence I read about study on this recently, and scientists identified I think it was six different categories of reaction, and it’s likely genetic which category a person is in.

It looks like unfortunately you just genetically have a more severe reaction. I’m not a doctor but it’s worth trying different kinds of treatments to see what works for you. I don’t react to mosquitos but I have a tube of 1% hydrocortisone cream from Superdrug which works wonders on itchy bites. It’s called “Bites and Stings Relief Cream.”

Plus mosquito repellent?

ME!!!! Sometimes the bits/stings would become ulcerated as well. In the UK the GP gave me a prescription for Fexofenadine Hydrochloride 120 mg for it which helped.

However when I moved to Australia they have an over the counter one (Telfast) which is 180 mg which is better for for itchy skin rash/hives.

So if you can get the GP to give you a prescription push for the 180 mg.

Same here! I don't remember having an issue until I went to Aus for a year and looked like Mr Blobby for months around Queensland! I now get them most summers, worse this year as we do long dog walks and she loves to find water to splash in wherever we go. I found some anti-mosquito soap that I am using - seems to help but second the sprays and antihistamines. I find the sprays sometimes make me feel queasy if I put lots on though, so be cautious.

Do you have the details of the anti-mossie soap please @JeSuisPoulet?
I'm definitely in the "loved by all bitey insects" genetic group!

@SinkGirl I react really badly to mozzie stings too, plus they love me so I can get covered in them. The itching is immense.

However, I saw some daft 'hacks' video come up in some feed on social media, tried the method and it worked! The itching disappeared and the redness decreased a lot.

It was a few months ago now when I did it, but it involved heating up a teaspoon to as hot as you can tolerate (without burning obv). I think I just put teaspoon into a mug of hot water then used it when it was a manageable temp. Then press the heated spoon onto the bite for a minute or three. That's it!

I think the theory is that heat denatures the protein that causes the itching/reaction.

I can't verify the 'science' and I haven't had any more bites since to try it again (no holidays abroad) but I can tell you it was a big, red, ITCHY fella on my elbow and the itching completely disappeared after the application of the heat. The itching didn't return and the bite shrank and cleared quickly.

I honestly felt like I could feel the itching going within seconds of applying heat. Couldn't believe it! In a similar fashion, I believe you can use hairdryers etc to apply heat.

Thank you will try the spoon hack! I didn’t realise hydrocortisone was used for this, we have it for the twins eczema so that’s really helpful.

I do have some severe food allergies so maybe it’s just a part of having bad allergic responses generally? When I was a kid they’d be the typical swelling and redness, it’s only when I hit about 25 that this sort of reaction started. So odd. Weirdly I’ve noticed since I got the bites that that I’m having more oral reactions to things I wouldn’t normally react to (eg biscuits that don’t contain any of my allergens but could possibly contain traces, normally I don’t react to them).

If I ever go anywhere abroad again I’ll ask the doctor about that medication, thanks!

I don't normally react much but in Athens a couple of years ago I had a few on my legs and looked like I'd been machine-gunned. Attractive.

Had a couple of small ones on my ankle over the weekend. Did the teaspoon thing and it does work. No idea why it works although someone did explain it once but I can't remember what they said. Something to do with proteins.

Yep, that's how I react to flea and midge bites, Mozzie bites tend to be bigger and one time I was in the USA and whatever got me caused me to swell up and the bites themselves dripped so much clear fluid I had to cover them with plasters to stop it being too gross!

I never used to get bitten (or at least I didn't react so wasn't aware of being bitten) but I went to Greece a few years ago and the bugs feasted on me, and word seems to have got out since then that I'm tasty.

I'd stick with oral antihistamines so that you can apply a topical steroid. Piriton is generally best for skin reactions but of course can cause drowsiness so might not be suitable. Ibuprofen if you're particularly swollen as well.

Yep, and about three days in I get this dreadful visceral itching that keeps me up all night. It's almost not worth going on holiday 😬

Ooh, I forgot. My BIL gave me these anti-itch plasters to use. They are brilliant. It's a clear, round plaster from Japan that you put on the sting and it stops it itching and makes it clear so much faster!