Insect bites: is there anything I can do?

[Roisin]

There is an insect locally that I react very badly to.

I got bitten yesterday evening, twice; both bites have swollen up - patches of hard, red, hot skin around 6" in diameter! Very painful. It happened a few weeks ago too and the GP gave me antibiotics because it was so bad and she thought it might be infected, but it disappeared completely after 36 hrs, so just an allergic reaction I think.

I take antihistamine immediately after bite and apply hydrocortisone cream.

But I've never seen the insect, so I don't even know what it is!

I react in a similar way to bites, and tea tree oil seems to work well for me. I use the oil as a deterrent (just a few drops around the body/clothes) and then a tea tree cream for bites.

You can buy anthisan I think that's the spelling, very good stuff. I react badly to cleg bites usually end up on antibiotics with them. Antihistamine is good cetrizine is fastest acting I think it's the strongest formula.

My skin also reacts badly at insect and mosquito bites, I used Cortisone Cream and it really helps a lot, the swelling effect, itchy and redness easily get rid of.

I have found tea tree oil is the only thing that helps

I use a clicker to stop the itching. www.boots.com/en/Boots-Bite-Sting-relief-Click-it_8212/ which reminds me that I need to take it with me next week when I go on hols - thanks OP.

Also, I heard the other day that if you get a mozzie bite, get a teaspoon and hold it in very hot water; then put the spoon on the bite. The hot metal kills the protein that makes it itch. lifehacker.com/use-a-hot-spoon-to-instantly-relieve-itchy-bug-bites-615912899 - I tried it and it absolutely works. Genius.

When I go on holiday I take a clarityn type antihistamine for 2 weeks before hand and during the holiday if I get a bite that reacts I also take piriton. This is the only thing that stops me getting huge blackened swollen ankles.