Dd(17) horsefly bites ( warning pic!) what can we do to ease it!

[Wowijustgiveup]

Dd(17) was at a camp yesterday and came home today covered in what i think are horsefly bites.

we have given her an antibistamine and we are trying to cool her leg but i have no idea how to ease it!. It seems to be multiple bites all over her arms and legs. Ive added a pic of the worst two areas in case im wrong about it being horseflies!

Hydrocortisone cream

I feel for her, I had 4 last week and they were horrendous. I find numbing them with cold helps, so I soaked them with cold water and put a wet towel in the freezer to wrap around them.

Keep an eye on them as I needed antibiotics. They cleared up after about 5 days.

A double dose of antihistamines helps - Cetirizine and Piriton contain two different antihistamines, so they can be taken together

She may need antibiotics for those. Draw a line round the outside of the redness to keep an eye if it’s spreading. I’d seek medical advice for those tbh as you don’t want infection getting worse. A hot hairdryer directed at the bite stops the itching.

Mine always end up with cellulitis, so keep a close eye on the spread.

Oral antihistamines and take regularly; hydrocortisone cream on the bites and keep in the fridge so its really cooling; and bag of frozen peas wrapped in a teatowel over it to stop the itching. Usually takes a good 48 hours to see them start to recede.

Pop to a pharmacy and ask, but I use Anthisan cream or hydrocortisone cream on my bites plus an ice pack.

Poor thing, they look very painful. I remember being bitten on the back of my hand by a horsefly years ago and my hand swelled up so much I couldn't bend my fingers.

What works for mosquito bites is to dip a teaspoon in hot water and then press the outside of the bowl onto the bite for a few seconds. Apparently it breaks down the proteins that cause the itching. However I don't know if it will also work for horsefly bites, although I have used it on flea bites and it worked. Test it on the back of your hand briefly before putting it on your daughter's skin, it should be hot enough to be slightly painful but not hot enough to burn.

Horsefly bites are the worst. As PP have said double down on the antihistamine. I find Piriton good in these sorts of situations as you can take multiple doses a day. Biro around the red area and write the time next to it as it’s difficult to judge by eye how much bigger it’s gotten.

Anthisan or antihistamine cream on it too and whatever she does tell her not to scratch it.

Pp have given good suggestions, I find germolene helps with the itch as it has a mild local anaesthetic.

Another for antisan mine go exactly like this and unfortunately end up with trip to drs

Agree on double dose antihistamines…I use Benadryl.
Agree too on draw lines around the redness, horsefly bites often come with bacterial infection and if the redness spreads, she will probably need antibiotics.

I react like this to horsefly bites

As PP said double dose piriton first dose and then keep taking regularly.
Anthisan cream mixed with a little hydroquartizone cream really helps. I now use anthisan and an antibiotic/anti fungal/steroid cream.
It really helps take the worst of the reaction down if applied regularly. Iceing can help too.

If it keeps getting bigger then go to GP or walk in centre as antibiotics may be needed. Horsefly bites can get really nasty.

Hope she feels better soon!

All the creams, in rotation!

Antihistamine, hydrocortisone, antiseptic and anti itch!

Plus the antihistamine tablets.

Second what everyone says, but I also use bonjela for the pain/itch, it numbs them the same way it does your gums.

Great tips here!!! Do these creams work for mosquito too?

op I hope your daughter is feeling better soon! Ouch 😣

The bonjela does.

Allevia is a new non prescription anti histamine… absolutely great. Plus cortisone cream. I got bit Tuesday and usually react really badly but it’s ok today… still there but ok. Putting heat on does take out the itch but if you do that (I use a hairdryer) put ice on a few minutes after. Well that’s what I did!

We're in the brutal Horsefly/clegg season here now. I had to abandon my usual dog-walk route this morning - I'm so bloody scared of them AND god, the bite itself hurts!!

I once met a dog-water who recommended using hydro-colloid Elastoplast on them. I'm expecting to see a few red swellings by tomorrow so I'm trying this for the first time. (And taking anti-histamines)

Have you seen TreatHay? It’s the same medication (fexofenadine) but cheaper than Allevia. It’s £7 for 30 in my local supermarket.

I got bitten twice by one yesterday. They apparently ‘chase’ you to keep biting. I have been lucky in that it isn’t anything more that a small mark with a white raised border, I’d definitely speak to a pharmacist and keep the anti histamines going. Keep them clean as they get infected more easily due to the way those wankers bite.

Be careful as cetrizine can cause drowsiness.

Not helpful at this stage, but in future if as soon as she gets a horsefly bite she covers the area in a paste made with bicarbonate, it will not react.

Horseflies inject acid into you, the bicarb neutralises it.

I think I was bitten by a horsefly recently and it really hurt. I cleaned it and used Sudocrem and kept an eye on it as it was on my ankle and that swelled. I was told by a farmer friend that using vinegar helps very quickly but it was too late for me by that point. So maybe vinegar is worth a try?

You often need antibiotics for horsefly bites. Horrible things. I'd draw a line at each edge of the redness so you can track if it gets bigger or smaller.

Go to pharmacy as first point for medical advice.

Hot air from a hair dryer also gives relief for a while.