Insect bites - stopping the itch

[damekindness]

After some Ill advised pruning sessions in the garden a day or so ago I now have multiple large insect bites on my lower legs. I have the urge to scratch until I get down to bone - but just about maintaining the ability not to.

I'm trying hydrocortisone cream and anti histamine tablets which just take the edge off. Any one got any other ideas to help stop the maddening itch?

I am a veteran on bites. The only solution is to leave them entirely alone. None of the creams etc or gadgets work. If they are infected then antibiotics from the GP otherwise you just have to wait. Sorry, they’re a bitch.

Use germolene. It has local anaesthetic in it. It is still itching, you just can’t feel it!

Ice?

I've got one on my foot and I have scratched it so much my entire foot at the top is swollen. 'Orangedaisy' you are right about leaving it alone but it is oh so satisfying when I don't :)

I find "tiger balm" is amazing at stoping the itch

@squaresandsquares

I find "tiger balm" is amazing at stoping the itch

Roar

Tiger balm)

Sorry couldn't resist

How about one of those clickers that gives it a tiny electric shock? It feels like you're scratching the itch bit without doing any actual damage.

Hot teaspoon.

Clickers and ice don’t work. They just mess with the area and give very temporary relief, and then it gets worse and lasts longer.

I feel ya OP! I agree with @orangedaisy. The only thing you can do is leave them well alone, the more you scratch the more you itch... the more you itch, the more you scratch. It's so tempting and feels so much better for all of 2 seconds whilst you're scratching then feels awful. I find chocolate helps. DO NOT RUB IT ON SAID BITES! But instead distract yourself with the chocolate bar, a cuppa and something good on TV.

Leave well alone. Or do yourself a favour and scratch the fuck out of it with a Denman hair brush

Ahhhhhhhhhh.......

@NachoNachoMan

I feel ya OP! I agree with *@orangedaisy*. The only thing you can do is leave them well alone, the more you scratch the more you itch... the more you itch, the more you scratch. It's so tempting and feels so much better for all of 2 seconds whilst you're scratching then feels awful. I find chocolate helps. DO NOT RUB IT ON SAID BITES! But instead distract yourself with the chocolate bar, a cuppa and something good on TV.

Yes all this

If it’s really awful and you can’t leave it alone try Bonjella. I’m allergic to mozzie bites and constantly get bitten every year. I find Bonjella is the only thing that stops me scratching overnight.

I suffer badly with mosquito and flea bites. Found the cure on here. Use a hairdryer to blast the bite until you can't stand it (you get a sharp stinging sensation), blast it again and then leave. You may need to do it again a few hours later. By god it really works and has been my saviour for 2 summers now.

The clickers are brilliant, they breakdown the chemicals causing the itch.

i thought vaseline helped the other might. Might be delusion

Hot air from a hairdryer will give you temporary relief.

Hot teaspoon works really well if you can bear it. If not, I find lavender oil stops the itching for quite a long while.

@AuditAngel

Use germolene. It has local anaesthetic in it. It is still itching, you just can’t feel it!

Came on to recommend Germolene as well. Gave me relief a couple of weeks. Ago when I suffered from itchy insect bites.

I react badly to insect bites and have had many years of itching, swelling, antibiotics and cellulitis.

The trick for me is to stop the itching-Lanocaine does the trick for me.

Anthisan cream in the yellow tube works for me - I react badly to bites and I can literally see it getting red and swelling, and then subsiding after I put the Anthisan on. It’s now in my travel first aid kit - good for nettle stings as well as bites.

@Susannahmoody

Leave well alone. Or do yourself a favour and scratch the fuck out of it with a Denman hair brush

Ahhhhhhhhhh.......

Oh boy, I love being on here. I laughed at that

Anthisan or germolene

Your own saliva will stop the itch. Spit on your finger, smear it on the itch and wait till it dries. Absolutely no idea why/how it works but it does. For major swelling - steroids!

THIS STUFF! It's amazing!!!! Stops the itching for 10 hours 👍🏻