What could have caused this bite? What to do?

[flaskofcoffee]

My son (18) has this huge bite on his shoulder. Any idea what could have caused it? He also has three smaller ones. I’ve put antihistamine cream on it and marked with a pen to see if it gets bigger. Not had bites before so was wondering if there is anything else I should do?

Could be anything. My DH is getting bitten to death at the moment. Lots of bugs about.

I am allergic to mozi bites and they come up huge on me with a blister. I had one on my forearm for example and the bite was the length of my forearm! It’s got a name -Skeeter syndrome - if you want to look it up.

The best thing I’ve found is witch hazel gel or liquid. Reapplied regularly as needed. Dries it out and helps with itch. And a hot spoon (careful not to burn) on the bites very soon after they come up as this neutralises the poison.

I’ve tried loads of other remedies and they don’t work well ime.

Oral Antihistamines may also help if the big one is an allergic reaction. Likewise steroid cream but I haven’t personally had any luck with either.

If the bite is hot and red and spreading then that might indicate cellulitis. But you seem to be aware of this and checking for spreading. Tracking lines is also indicative.

Hope they go down soon. The itching can be horrible especially in the heat!

Thanks @mylovthat’s really useful advice. Just hoping it’s not fleas as that would mean treating the whole house! (We have no pets)

That looks like a Horsefly bite to me.

Does your DS remember being bitten? The way in which a Horsefly gnaws into your skin means that you often know immediately when they have bitten you.

Keep an eye on it and if you suspect an infection (spreading or tracking) you might need to see a GP for antibiotics.

Otherwise antihistamines can help.

FWIW that doesn’t look like fleas to me.

They tend to favour lower limbs, ankles and wrists and very rarely bite as a single. You normally get a cluster of bites.

I have had loads of horse fly bites in the last two weeks and two have blown up like this. You do feel them bite. They are absolute fuckers. The others have been nasty bites but each time only one has reacted crazily

Horsefly. I react like this. The itching makes it worse. Topical cream is not enough. I doubled up on OTC antihistamines one in the morning one at night but I don’t recommend this (I am an ex HCW and I often tweak drug guidelines for myself). My latest bite I was even contemplating getting stronger antihistamines from the GP but then it improved. See your GP if OTC oral antihistamine does not alleviate the itching you need to get the itching under control. They can prescribe stronger antihistamine.

4 weeks later mine was still itching so I shaved off the outer layer of hardened skin. It’s much better now and no more itching. Again I don’t recommend doing this. Just highlighting the itching is the worst and prolongs healing.

Oral antihistamines.

you can also get hydrocortisone cream from a pharmacy which helps. Lanacaine cream will help with the itching.

i also cut my fingernails immediately so can’t scratch it. I also put a dressing on it which holds the cream in place.

I react badly. I've had horsefly and mozzie bites come up and needed antibiotics for them in occasion. Looking at that though, it looks like when I was stung by a wasp last year. Though he's know when it happened if it was that.

Definitely don't think it's fleas.

I also have skeeter syndrome. I end up on antibiotics due to a bite at least once a year.

Antihistamine twice a day. Hydrocortisone cream 3 times a day. Try not to scratch. Look up mosquinto patches they have been very good for me.

I went to the pharmacist yesterday to ask her to check on a nasty insect bite and she said she was happy it wasn’t infected but gave me hydrocortisone cream to help with the itching and to stop me causing an infection by scratching and breaking the skin further. You could ask your local pharmacist to take a look?

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Very reassuring to know it’s not fleas! (Huge disruption and expense when we had an infestation a few years ago)

Another vote for horsefly and hydrocortisone cream. There are so many of them about this year.

I would take him to the Dr , bites seem to be strife this summer , I myself was bitten all over my legs which were very itchy and painful , over the counter antihistamines & steroid cream didn’t touch it
I went to the Dr and she prescribed a stronger antihistamine and steroid cream which done the trick .

I find that putting antihistamine or steroid cream on horsefly bites make them much much worse!! The skin around them blisters and weeps and then gets infected so I only use aloe vera gel that's been in the fridge or a cold flannel/ice pack to try and reduce the heat in the area. Have been known to put an impressive bandage over ones on my legs or arm to stop myself scratching in the night but they are horrible things.

I also think it's likely to be a horsefly. They are everywhere this year. I had a bite four week ago and its still there. Fucker literally chased me around the garden (they are known to do this so I'm not going mad..)