If you’re wary about smothering your skin with DEET to ward off mosquitoes, you probably end up with a few too many bug bites. The itchiness can drive you nuts, especially if you’re hot or trying to sleep. Although scratching the affected area might offer immediate relief, it’ll only cause more inflammation, which makes it itch even more. If you’re a magnet for mosquito bites, here are some healthy ways to relieve that annoying itch.
- Alcohol: While pounding a few beers can help you forget about your itchy skin, that’s not the type of alcohol I’m talking about. Grab rubbing alcohol or an alcohol wipe from a first aid kit and clean the infected area as soon as you notice you’re bitten, and it can help prevent severe itchiness.
- Lemon or lime juice: Naturally anti-itch, antibacterial, and antimicrobial, a little bit of fresh-squeezed juice on the affected area can reduce itchiness and prevent infection.
- Ice: To reduce swelling and numb the itch away, an ice pack does the trick. If you have too many bites to count, go for a cold shower or a dip in a chilly lake.
- Baking soda: For an inexpensive anti-itch remedy, make a thick paste with baking soda and water, and apply it to your bites for 15 minutes. Baking soda contains an alkaline compound that may help neutralize the pH of your skin.
- Tea tree oil: A natural anti-inflammatory that can help with acne or poison ivy, this essential oil can also help reduce swelling and prevent infection if you can’t help but scratch.
- Toothpaste: If you don’t mind little white spots all over your skin, apply dabs of peppermint toothpaste for quick itch relief.
- Apple cider vinegar: Diluted in your bathtub, it not only can soothe sunburn, but the malic acid in apple cider vinegar can also soothe your itch……….
See full story on popsugar.com
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Jenny Sugar