I've been midged to high hell and back again

[explodingwatermelon]

By thousands of the little fuckers.
My fault really, I've been living on the west coast of Scotland for long enough to know what going out in shorts and sandals in summer minus bitey bastard repellent is a bad idea. Or a good idea if you're my DC3 and wants to play dot to dot. Dc1 told me it was my fault and dc2 told me I was embarassing. Thanks kids.

So far I've tried:
Eurax cream, anthisan cream, dc3's eczema moisturising cream, an ice pack. And have had some loratadine, cetrrizine and fexofenadine (NOT all at once).

Does anyone have any good ideas to kill the itch because right now the scrubbing brush is looking very inviting.

Have you ever tried After Bite? Don't think I've tried it on midge bites but it really helps for mosquitoes.

Don’t know if they work on midge bites but have you tried one of those clicker things that zaps the bite like [[https://www.boots.com/boots-bite-relief-click-it-10234814]]

I react to bites quite badly and bought a gel in Portugal a few years ago called Fentisil
Heals bites up really quickly and is also good on other skin complaints

Amazon sell it, not cheap but in my opinion well worth it and lasts for ages x

Argh link fail
www.boots.com/boots-bite-relief-click-it-10234814

Once, many moons ago after baling out of a camping trip in Glencoe because of the little bastards, I was so bitten I felt sick. This was in the 90s and Avon had a potion called 'pore refining treatment'. It was supposed to help blackheads. Anyway, I lathered myself in the damn stuff and it did take the itch away, almost like sucking out the histamine. Don't know if they still do it. Avon Skin so Soft has been known to stop them biting in the first place.

I am in the south and I am covered in mossie bites, another 5 last night. WTAF can I do about it? - I haven't even been out - these little bastards are coming into my house! They leave DH and have a bloody good chomp on me. Sorry! Following for hints, tips and information

Having a shower and then holding a hot hairdryer over bites is supposed to help.

From the NHS website: Relieving the symptoms of an insect bite or sting

If you have troublesome symptoms after an insect bite or sting, the following treatments may help:

For pain or discomfort – take over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen (children under 16 years of age shouldn't be given aspirin).

For itching – ask your pharmacist about suitable treatments, including crotamiton cream or lotion, hydrocortisone cream or ointment and antihistamine tablets.

For swelling – try regularly applying a cold compress or ice pack to the affected area, or ask your pharmacist about treatments such as antihistamine tablets.

See your GP if these treatments don't help
They may prescribe stronger medicines such as steroid tablets*

www.nhs.uk/conditions/insect-bites-and-stings/treatment/

NHS Scotland advice, which is pretty much the same as the above.

www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/injuries/skin-injuries/insect-bites-and-stings#treating-insect-bites-and-stings

Caveat - no idea if this works or not (sorry!) - my Mum always gets eaten alive by them but SWEARS that since she started eating Marmite, they leave her alone.

Preventative rather than cure I know, but maybe worth a try.

I get bitten by absolutely everything, and nothing works for me re repelling them (might as well set fire to a 10euro note every week) so I just have to grit my teeth.

However, I had a particularly bad time the other day and was going insane with the pain.

I found a tube of Boots, own brand, pain relief gel in the drawer.
OMG the pain went away.

I am guessing it isn't a good idea to completely cover yourself in it on a regular basis, but it is definitely working for me.

Just need to source a local equivalent (we are not in the UK)

Wrap area in dish towel soaked with water as cold as possible..repeat as required (fellow sufferer)

I recall one hideous night where I don't think I could have been midged more. Was so hot & humid so I foolishly opened a window.

Counted over 200 bites the next day Itch was indescribable. I think the only thing I had to hand was Sudocrem which really helped.

I have it on good authority that the SAS swear by Dove body lotion to stop midges biting in the first place. At various times of year, you can't buy it anywhere they practice their manoeuvres apparently...

(The image of lots of macho, heavily kitted-out guys looking hard-as-nails but smelling absolutely lovely makes me smile...)

Elvis my DH says the same!

Germolene to kill the itch

Works for me on midge bites and also mozzie bites

I can sympathise OP.
I usually find I get bites in May/June and react badly but didn’t this year and was feeling pretty smug about it until four weeks ago when I was bitten on my hand. The itching eventually stopped and the swelling went down after four days, and two days later I found a bite on my other hand. Again, four days of itching and two days of relief before another bite appeared on the same hand.
Last Thursday I found a cluster of bites on the back of my left leg and another on my knee. I mentioned to my husband yesterday that they’d finally stopped itching...and came back from last night’s dog walk with three bites on my right leg and one on my hand.

Re the ones on my legs, I’ve been wearing jeans so they’ve bitten through those.
I’ve tried various repellents, Avon’s Skin So Soft. To stop the itching, over the years, I’ve tried calomine lotion, Sudocrem, Germolene, TCP, hydrocortisone, Boots skin allergy cream, tea tree oil, toothpaste, Lanacane ointment, medicated powder, After Bite, Antisan cream, the little electronic clicker...absolutely nothing has worked. The only thing that’s helped a bit is an ice pack.