The best natural remedies for mosquito bites, naturally, involve avoiding the little monsters in the first place. But there are natural mosquito bite remedies that will help reduce the misery, if not get rid of it altogether.
Some insects, like the bee or the wasp, actually poison us which is why they are so painful. Mosquitoes, though, are the vampires of the insect world and simply want a little bit of our blood. [Simply, ha!] But when our blood hits the air, it coagulates and the mosquito doesn’t like that one little bit. So it deposits a protein to keep the blood flowing and this protein frequently causes an allergic reaction which is why mosquito bites get red and itchy.
There are many popular mosquito bite remedies and here are a few of the natural ones:
1. An ice cube will temporarily numb the area. Since this restricts the flow of blood to the mosquito bite, it will reduce the inflammation. Please note, though, that this relief is usually temporary.
2. Another favorite is anti-perspirants. There are “vasoconstrictive substances” in anti-perspirants – which is just a fancy way of saying they restrict the flow of blood to the mosquito bite. Now one of the reasons that anti-perspirants are a favorite weapon against the mosquito is because of the aluminum, which may help the bite to heal. We are 100%, emphatically against anti-perspirants with aluminum. Aluminum is a heavy metal and its presence in our body can only be harmful. Never use products with aluminum.
3. One favorite is to use a fingernail and press down on the bite so that there is a mark; create a another mark at an angle so that you have formed a cross. Supposedly, this will stop the itching- at least for a time.
4. If you use toothpaste with fluoride, you might consider spreading it over the bite. The theory behind this is that fluoride combats allergies. You will not be surprised to learn that we don’t use toothpaste with fluoride.
5. A paste made of baking soda and water will frequently reduce allergic reactions. Use just enough water to make the baking powder stick. If you cover your poultice up with a Band-Aid it will last longer and do more good for the mosquito bite swelling.
6. If you live in an area where there are plenty of mosquitoes and this is a frequent problem, look for creams with camphor in them. Camphor is a waxy substance that comes from the Camphor Laurel tree and it can not only stop the itching but it may even prevent the red, swollen bump from forming in the first place. This is a highly desirable substance — but obviously you need to have it on hand for when the evil mosquito bites.
Due to these sometimes intense itching, people accidentally [or on purpose] scratch the bite until it breaks open and even bleeds. This will allow the poison to drain and thus could be considered a cure of sorts. But obviously this isn’t very wise because it also greatly increases the chances of an infection. An infected mosquito bite isn’t high on anybody’s “to do” list.
Annoying though they are, mosquito bites are really dangerous [unless the victim has a super allergy to mosquitoes] and the misery will only last a day or so. Clearly, mosquito bite prevention is more important than mosquito bite treatment.
Jim says
I have to disagree about how dangerous mosquitos are. The disease that they carry kill a 100 time more people than are killed each year by Aids. In the USA we have the bird flu, enchaplistus and occasionally malaria the big killer world wide. They also carry a host of other parasites that are not all that well known to the public.
I have malaria and it is no walk in the park, there is no cure and it lasts a lifetime. The best way to deal with mosquito bites is not to get them in the first place. If do not want to use repellants then consider wearing long sleeves and staying inside at dusk and dawn.
Sydney Johnston says
Jim, thanks for your insights. I have never been bothered by mosquito bites – annoying, but no big deal – so I really appreciate your concerns. I just read a bit about malaria and I can see that it’s a really horrifying ailment. Hope you don’t have too many outbreaks.
Lady63 says
Dengue Fever is really rampant here in the Philippines. Especially during rainy season like now. These home remedies is a relief. But of course nothing can beat cleaning the surroundings first to stop those mosquito eggs.
Nedra says
I have found toothpaste to be a good remedy. It’s always around, cheap, fast and easy to use. It is also an excellent topical treatment for acne. It seems to bring harder pimples to a head faster. (I do use fluoride kind, though.)
BlissPlan says
Interesting home remedy. I will recommend it for pimples to some of the teenagers I know and see what happens.
k r girl says
mustard can help stop the itching.
BlissPlan says
Thanks for the tip. I’ve never heard of that. Chipotle mustard is my favorite – don’t know if I can bear to use it on a mosquito bite since I love it so much. :-)