Mosquito Bites: Fending Them Off and Treating Them

When you go to a place where insects that bite abound, you should arm yourself with the necessary paraphernalia that will help you safeguard your skin from these creatures’ itchy pricks and prevent acquiring potentially fatal diseases like dengue fever, West Nile virus, and malaria.

Prevention

To reduce the possibility of getting bitten, avoid staying outdoors during the early hours of the day or at dusk as these are the times when mosquitoes are plentiful. Be careful with those which are carriers of the dengue virus as they are active even during broad daylight, as opposed to other species. Apply insect repellent lotion on exposed areas of your skin and do so every couple of hours especially if you have been sweating a lot or are exposed to water.

Use long-sleeved shirts and tops, trousers, and socks when you go outdoors or take a hike through woody areas. Make sure your garments are not dark coloured as mosquitoes are attracted to such apparel.

Treatment

If, unfortunately, you have been bitten and are feeling the itch on the affected area, wash the spot with water and soap. Then, apply ice or a cold compress in order to keep the bite from swelling. You can also use calamine lotion to soothe the irritation. Avoid scratching it as it can wound your skin and even trigger infections. Just reapply itchiness anymore.

In case you develop a more intense reaction, do take anti-allergy medications like antihistamine with diphenhydramine such as Tylenol and Benadryl, or those with chlorpheniramine maleate.

Some people cannot notice right away that they have been bitten. They only realise they were when they see little red bumps on their skin that were not there hours ago. Sometimes, these telltale signs appear after two days. For those with sensitive epidermis, the affected areas may cover a larger area.

So, when you find yourself in Thailand or some other part of Asia, observe the abovementioned precautions and make your sojourn a healthy and fun experience.