Itching when bitten by mosquitoes: how to alleviate the condition of the child. How to relieve itching from a mosquito bite - the most effective ointments, creams and traditional medicine recipes Treat itching from a mosquito bite

Summer is wonderful weather, relaxation and good mood, but one small insect can easily ruin this holiday of life. The question of how to relieve itching from mosquito bites becomes very relevant when your own body itches after outdoor recreation. Itching after a bite, to put it mildly, worsens the quality of human life. In this case, an additional problem arises - a violation of the physical integrity of the skin.

Mosquito bites itch: causes

The school biology course says: "Mosquito bites are the work of" paws "of females of this species." From the blood of a mammal (in this case, a human), the insect receives iron and protein, which are a necessary component of the process of offspring. The mechanism is as follows: the female inserts her proboscis into the skin and injects her saliva there, which plays the role of a local anesthetic. Thanks to her, the insect can get blood and hide before the onset of pain, and because of it, when mosquito bites, infection of the victim with concomitant ailments can occur.

This is what the nose of a mosquito looks like when it bites a person

Birds are the favorite "dish" of the insect, but humans are an easier target (the smell of sweat, cigarettes and food, body temperature), which is why we so often become their target.

Diseases carried by mosquitoes

• Malaria. Spread by mosquitoes Anopheles. Symptoms of the disease: nausea, anemia, fever, convulsions and hemoglobinuria.
• Dengue fever. The mosquito is the carrier of the virus Aedes aegypti. The disease itself is accompanied by: myalgia, rash, inflammation of the lymph nodes, fever, intoxication, and sometimes even hemorrhagic syndrome.
• Polyarthritis. The infectious variation of this disease usually enters the body by the genitourinary route, but there are cases of infection from an insect vector. Symptoms: pain and deformity of the joints, poor mobility of the limbs, local swelling.
• Yellow fever. Transmitted by mosquitoes Aedes aegypti. Refers to quarantine diseases. Symptoms: fever, chills, muscle pain, vomiting, impaired functioning of the kidneys and liver.
• Encephalitis. Mosquitoes carry the so-called "Japanese encephalitis". After a 1-2 week incubation period, the disease develops rapidly: at first, vomiting, loss of working capacity, hand tremor, and drowsiness appear. A little later, a coma occurs, accompanied by fever, conjunctivitis, tachycardia, tachypnea are actively manifested.
• West Nile virus. Carried by mosquitoes Culex pipiens, in most people it is asymptomatic, therefore the full clinical picture has not been studied.
• Filariasis. Infection with specific helminths that multiply in the final host (in this case, a person), which significantly worsens the patient's health.

Itching is the most unpleasant symptom, causing the greatest discomfort. The blisters are very itchy and do not let the bitten person sleep. Irritation is part of a complex allergic reaction, consisting of the action of anticoagulants and the body's fight against infections that were on the paws.

Usually a person notices an insect bite only after some time.

Treatment regimen for adults

In order for the mosquito bite not to itch in the nearest pharmacy, you can choose an effective remedy, focusing solely on the recommendations of the pharmacist and the desired price. Forms of drug release: cream, balm, gel, as well as ointment for mosquito bites.

The female mosquito inserts its stinger under the skin and feeds on the victim's blood.

The following drugs will help to quickly relieve itching from a mosquito bite:

• Psilo Balm. An itch and redness reliever that additionally cools the skin. Suitable for baby. Directions for use: Apply 3-4 times a day. Course: 1-3 days. Price: 150 rubles.
• Rescuer. Based on dexpanthenol. We rub them 1-2 times a day. Course: 6-12 days. Price: 130-145 rubles.
• Bepanthen. The active substance, as well as in the Rescuer, is dexpanthenol. Starts working instantly. Apply ointment 2-3 times a day. The course of treatment is 1-3 days. Price: 450-800 rubles.
• vitaon. Based on mint, chamomile and string. It quickly relieves symptoms, while it is possible to treat wounds without age restrictions. Apply 4-6 times a day. Effective course: 1 day - to relieve symptoms, and 3-4 days - for a full treatment. Price: 160-420 rubles.
• Fenistil. Helps with burning, even when the bites are heavily scratched. Virtually no contraindications. The gel is applied 2-4 times in knocks. The course lasts until the symptoms disappear. Price: 180-270 rubles.
• Zinc ointment. An antiseptic that helps to effectively deal with external symptoms. Ointment is recommended 3 times a day. Course: 2-4 days. Price: 20-30 rubles.
• Soventol. Based on baminipe. The drug relieves itching after bites in the shortest possible time, but is “rich” in contraindications: it cannot be spread on an area exceeding 0.1 m 2, used by pregnant women and a child. It is also effective to anoint the bites with Advantan and Hydrocortisone ointment, while the contraindications and side effects are similar. Permissible use 1-2 times a day. Course: 1-2 days. Price: from 1020 rubles.
• Gistan. The cream is based on betulin and demitikon. If a mosquito has bitten, and the unbearable itching needs to be removed as soon as possible, the drug will be a good helper. In order to avoid an overdose, do not use it more than 2 times a day. Course: 1-2 days. Price: 170 rubles.

How to anoint a mosquito bite to a child

To the question of how to smear children, for many, folk remedies remain an unequivocal answer, but there are good remedies on the pharmacy shelves. So that the wounds of the smallest ones do not itch, spread them with Vitaon baby. It is applied 2-3 times a day in an amount of 1-2 ml. You can simply let the product soak in or apply it under a bandage (compress). Vitaon will help not only when a child has mosquito bites, but also with sunburn, making it an almost universal cosmetic product for a baby and his outdoor activities. The price of the drug starts from 185 rubles.

For older kids, there are many more options than to treat places where blisters appear. From 2-3 years old, Fenistil gel or Gistan cream can be applied to the skin of a child. Neither the dosage nor the course of treatment differ from adult patients.

If the question is how to relieve the itching from multiple mosquito bites all over the baby's body, then it is better to contact a pediatrician. The children's body is very sensitive, the multiplicity of wounds can cause an unpredictable allergic reaction.

How to relieve itching from mosquito bites at home

In this section of the article, we will consider how to get rid of itching after a mosquito bite, according to the folk Aesculapius.

So that the skin does not itch, and remove the blisters as a symptom will help:

• Soda(compress / lotion). The solution is made in two versions. According to the first recipe: pour 2-3 tablespoons of soda with warm water (250 ml), then apply a compress soaked in the solution on the itchy area for 1-2 hours. The second cooking option: slowly add warm water to 2-3 tablespoons of soda until a viscous homogeneous mass is formed. You need to be careful with gruel and do not apply it for more than 3 minutes, then rinse the skin well, as you can get burned.
• Chamomile decoction. To prepare it, you need: pour 3-4 tablespoons of dried chamomile into 0.5 liters of boiling water, let it brew for at least 2 hours in a sealed container. The finished "potion" is used as a compress, which can be applied even at night. The product soothes irritated skin, relieves itching from mosquito bites and relieves swelling. The course of treatment is 4-5 days.
• birch leaves. Their composition is rich in antiseptic and anti-inflammatory substances. In order to treat mosquito bites, a simple application is used. To prepare the cream, the leaves are thoroughly washed, then they are very finely ground to an appropriate consistency. In this form, the substances are much better absorbed by the skin, and the course of treatment is reduced from 5-7 days to two or three.
• Potato. You just need to attach a slice to the site of the bite, but since one bite will not force a person to study remedies for them, we recommend using another method. To do this, grate the potatoes (like potato pancakes) and fix the resulting slurry with gauze on the inflamed skin. The complex of treatment consists of 3 days, one procedure for the evening. Keep a gauze compress on the skin for 15-20 minutes.
• Vinegar. Apply a cotton swab dipped in vinegar 3-4 times a day as a compress for half an hour. An effective course of treatment is 2-4 days.
• Mint Toothpaste. Relieves itching from a bite in 2-3 minutes, but the skin begins to itch again as soon as the paste dries.
• Essential oils of eucalyptus. They are usually applied by mixing 2 ml with 2 ml of tea tree oil and one tablespoon of base oil. The bites are rubbed with this mixture as a balm. The effective course is 3-4 days.

Alternative medicines can relieve itching from mosquito bites at home without contraindications and side effects. The main thing is to contact the doctor in time if the treatment is ineffective and stop it if discomfort appears.

Children suffer the most from mosquito bites

On the shelves of supermarkets, you can find anti-itch and mosquito bites, which occupy an intermediate position between medicines and cosmetics.

In addition, when mosquitoes bite, wounds can be smeared with drugs from the "Soviet past":

• Tincture of calendula. This remedy for mosquito bites can be made with your own hands, but the treatment methodology will vary. It is quite effective to cauterize wounds with an alcohol store tincture, it is simply applied to a cotton wool and the affected skin is wiped with it. For a baby, such a solution must be diluted with water so as not to burn delicate skin. If you decide to prepare the tincture yourself, then know that the flowers need to be collected in the morning, after which the collection dried in the shade is poured with alcohol in a 1: 1 ratio. Homemade tincture is used as a lotion, it is applied twice a day with a swab or left as a compress.
• Balm "Asterisk". An agent with a very specific smell. The main effect is based on the action of essential oils, which are quickly absorbed by the skin and help at the cellular level. It is applied to mosquito bites 1 time per day, while, most often, the course is limited to this one time.
• Iodine and Zelenka. Good antiseptics. Excellent help to disinfect the bite site, while slightly drying the skin. Iodine should not be applied to open wounds. It is necessary to apply to the skin 1 time, for convenience, you can use an ear stick. These remedies for itching after a mosquito bite contribute to the rapid healing of wounds.
• Ammonia. They lubricate the wounds immediately after the bite, and a quick anti-symptomatic effect is achieved with ammonia and ice, which is applied immediately after treatment with alcohol. It stimulates vasoconstriction, prevents infection from spreading.
• Hydrogen peroxide. A cotton swab is soaked with peroxide and applied to the bite site. This remedy dries the wound and prevents it from swelling. Treating bites in this way is long enough and ineffective.

The best way to protect yourself from itching is to use protective equipment.

Prevention

The question is also acute: "What can be used in nature to prevent mosquito bites."

Use these popular methods:

• Bouquet of chamomile or elderberry. You can hang dry bouquets around the tent or bags with dried flowers (berries) of the plant. They will help repel insects.
• Clove and tea tree oils, eucalyptus. Going on a picnic, treat them to bedding.

To protect open areas, repellents are used (chemically synthesized substances that repel blood-sucking arthropods). They are of the following types:

• DEET. Designed for use by children over 1 year old. The most popular component of mosquito sprays. How to use: products based on it should be sprayed at a distance of 30 cm from the skin. Sprays with it as an active substance: OFF Extreme, OFF SMOOTH & DRY, Gardex Extreme, Moskidoz and many others.
• DMF. It is effective, but with inaccurate use, side effects appear (burning, swelling of the skin, dermatitis), it is better to apply it on clothes. It belongs to the drugs of the extreme group and in high concentrations (30%) is harmful to the skin. Some manufacturers produce products based on it with a DMF content of 7.5% and refer them to the children's group, in particular: Redet for children.
• IR3535. Let's apply for children in concentration no more than 10%. It has very low toxicity, but helps with this for 1.5-2 hours, like DEET-based sprays. Key products on the market: Mosquitall Gentle Protection, Gardex Baby.

In conclusion

If in the conditions of outdoor recreation the use of underwear prophylactic agents is a necessary measure, then at home it is better to refuse to use them. There are many electronic products on the market, such as: Raptor, Reftamid, OFF! and others. Such funds can be used even in the presence of children.

Mosquito bites are well known to everyone. For some, they pass without a trace, without causing discomfort. But in most cases, their consequence is severe itching, which occurs as a local allergic reaction in response to skin injury and contact with insect saliva. Children and people with sensitive skin are especially affected. Combing the bite site brings temporary relief, but you should not get carried away, because this can result in an infection getting under the skin. If itching cannot be tolerated, folk or pharmacy remedies are used to reduce it.

Content:

Choice of method

To relieve itching from a mosquito bite, there are many remedies. It is recommended to start with folk methods, as they are absolutely safe, do not require monetary costs, and can be used for both adults and children. If their use does not give the desired result due to a severe allergic reaction, you can move on to pharmaceutical preparations.

Apply local remedies (gels, ointments, creams), which are applied to the bite site several times a day until the condition is relieved. They include antiseptic, healing, regenerating, antihistamine and soothing components.

The most effective for itching are local remedies with hormones containing glucocorticosteroids. They give fast results, but have many side effects and contraindications. They are not suitable for children or are used only in extreme situations after consulting a doctor.

If, as a result of constant scratching of the bite, there is a secondary bacterial infection, which manifests itself in the form of suppuration, the formation of ulcers, weeping eczema, treatment with local antibiotics is prescribed.

Folk methods

Folk methods for getting rid of itching after mosquito bites involve the use of available products that can easily be found in the house of any housewife. The most effective of them are the following:

1. Honey. Well relieves itching, redness, has antibacterial activity. It is applied to the problem area in its pure form several times a day.
2. Table vinegar. It is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 1. The resulting liquid is soaked with a cotton pad and applied to the bite site. With multiple bites all over the body, take a bath with the addition of 500 ml of vinegar.
3. Toothpaste with menthol. It has a cooling, drying effect, relieves puffiness, soothes inflamed skin.
4. Baking soda. Helps with bites not only of mosquitoes, but also of any insects. Quickly removes itching and has a disinfecting effect. Use it in the form of applications, lotions, solution for rubbing the skin. For applications, soda is mixed with a small amount of water to a paste consistency and applied for 10 minutes to the bite site. Soda solution for lotions and skin treatment is obtained in a proportion of 1-2 tbsp. l. for 200 ml of boiled water.
5. Chamomile, dandelion, plantain, mint, celandine or calendula. A decoction or infusion is prepared from herbs and rubbed with disturbing places several times a day. They have an antiseptic, decongestant effect, relieve irritation.
6. Ice. An ice cube is wrapped in a cloth and applied to the bite site, due to the cooling effect, swelling disappears, the skin calms down, becomes less sensitive to allergens, and itching disappears.
7. Tea. Make compresses from tea leaves or apply a steamed tea filter bag. Tea leaves are rich in tannins, have astringent and anti-inflammatory properties.

Tea tree, lemon, clove, basil, and eucalyptus essential oils are also effective in combating the effects of mosquito bites. They must be used with caution, pre-diluted with base oils (shea butter, grape seed). The oily composition is applied pointwise to the bite site.

Good tar soap helps. It stops the inflammatory process, prevents the penetration of infection, stimulates the healing of the skin. Based on it, a soap foam is prepared, applied to the problem area for a quarter of an hour, and then washed off with cold water.

Pharmacy funds

Depending on the severity of the condition, various groups of local drugs can be used to relieve itching from mosquito bites: antihistamines, antiseptics, anti-inflammatory drugs that improve tissue nutrition, and others. They are available in the form of a gel, ointment or cream. The gel has a light texture, is perfectly absorbed, leaves no residue. Ointment and cream have a viscous composition, have a longer effect.

Bepanthen

Bepanthen's active ingredient is dexpanthenol. When it enters cells, it is converted to pantothenic acid and acts as vitamin B5, which plays an important role in cellular metabolism. The drug enhances the restoration and regeneration of damaged tissues and mucous membranes, relieves inflammation, soothes the skin.

It can be used at any age, safe even for newborns.

Balm Rescuer

Rescuer is a preparation of natural origin, contains purified milk lipids, sea buckthorn oil concentrate, beeswax, tea tree and lavender oil, turpentine, echinacea extract, vitamin E.

It has a regenerating, softening, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, analgesic, resolving effect. Relieves irritation, soothes the skin. Can be used for children and women during pregnancy and lactation. A contraindication is an allergic reaction to the components that make up the drug.

Psilo Balm

Psilo-balm belongs to the group of antihistamines for topical use. The active substance is diphenhydramine hydrochloride. Available in the form of a gel. When applied to the skin, it blocks H1-histamine receptors, has a local anesthetic and analgesic effect, relieves itching, swelling, and redness.

Approved for use in children over 2 years of age, pregnant and lactating women are not prescribed due to the lack of sufficient safety data.

Fenistil gel

This antihistamine contains dimethindene maleate, which blocks the action of histamine at the level of H1-histamine receptors. When mosquito bites, it has a cooling, antiallergic and antipruritic effect, reduces skin irritation. The field of application of the gel effect occurs within a few minutes.

For children under 2 years old, it can be used to combat itching only as directed by a doctor. During treatment with this drug, prolonged exposure to sunlight on the affected areas should be avoided. Fenistil-gel can not be applied to large areas of skin, scratches, wounds.

Zinc ointment

Zinc ointment is a simple and affordable remedy with zinc oxide. It has an astringent, adsorbent, antiseptic, drying effect, reduces the manifestations of inflammation and irritation of the skin with mosquito bites.

Zinc ointment is approved for use in children, including newborns. Contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to the active substance, purulent-inflammatory skin diseases. Of the side effects, hyperemia, itching, rashes are possible.

Soventol

Soventol is produced in the form of a gel; according to the mechanism of action, it belongs to H1-histamine receptor blockers. The active substance is bamipine lactate. The drug is effective in reducing itching of any etiology, including mosquito bites and other insect bites. It has cooling, antiallergic, decongestant and healing properties.

The product should be applied pointwise. When treating large areas with gel, side reactions are possible: burning of the skin, skin allergic manifestations, anxiety, increased fatigue. Not recommended for young children and pregnant women.

Hydrocortisone ointment

It is a hormonal drug for topical use, contains hydrocortisone acetate. After application to the skin, the therapeutic effect develops quickly. The ointment relieves itching, reduces swelling and redness at the site of the bite, relieves inflammation.

It can only be used as prescribed by a doctor, as it has many contraindications and side effects. Not suitable for pregnant and lactating women, children under 2 years.

Advantan

Advantan is a hormonal agent with methylprednisolone aceponate. Available in the form of ointment, cream and emulsion, suitable for all skin types. The drug has an anti-inflammatory effect, effectively eliminates redness, rash, swelling, itching and burning.

It should be used with caution after consulting a doctor. Ointment is contraindicated during pregnancy, for children under 4 months old, with kidney and liver diseases, viral infections.

Precautionary measures

When using pharmaceutical products to eliminate itching from insect bites, you must first carefully read the instructions and make sure there are no contraindications. It would also be useful to conduct an allergy test for the selected drug.

Special care must be taken if a mosquito has bitten a child. Children have increased skin sensitivity, so the reaction to a mosquito bite is more pronounced in them than in adults. Because of the obsessive itching, babies become capricious, their quality of sleep worsens, sores and blisters can form at the site of combed bites. Which remedy is best for a child in this case, you need to find out from the doctor. With an intensely severe allergic reaction and multiple bites, the pediatrician may additionally prescribe an internal intake of antihistamines in the form of drops or syrup.

Video: Simple and quick ways to relieve itching after a mosquito bite

Allergists-immunologists tell you whether an allergic reaction to a mosquito bite can occur and how dangerous it is if you are still bitten by an insect.

Why do mosquitoes bite people

Elena Antsiferova

There are more than 3,000 species of mosquitoes. To prolong the genus, their females need high-quality protein food - blood (erythrocytes or red blood cells). To search for prey, the mosquito uses more than 70 olfactory receptors. Insects are attracted to our body heat, the smell of sweat, exhaled carbon dioxide and active movement. Scientists have found that, for example, alcohol intake and human genetic characteristics (blood type 3) increase our attractiveness to mosquitoes.

With the help of a complex proboscis, the mosquito seeks out a full-fledged blood capillary under the skin and pierces it. So that a person does not slam him immediately, he injects an anesthetic component into the blood. In addition, mosquito saliva contains a substance that prevents our blood from clotting. This provides blood thinning at the site of the bite and easy flow into the abdomen of the insect.

Why is there an allergic reaction to a mosquito bite?

Olga Gurskaya

A normal reaction to a mosquito bite is reddening of the skin and local swelling of no more than 1-2 cm, which may be accompanied by itching and disappears a few hours after the bite.

But there are also pathological reactions to a bite (kulicidosis):

1. generalization of edema (a rapid increase in the bite site in size, more than 2-3 centimeters, severe redness and an increase in body temperature in this focus);
2. systemic allergic manifestations - the addition of symptoms of rhinitis (nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose), conjunctivitis (eyelid itching, lacrimation), bronchial asthma (shortness of breath, shortness of breath, suffocation), urticaria, Quincke's edema;
3. anaphylactic shock (a sharp drop in blood pressure, dizziness, loss of consciousness).

Pathological allergic reactions can occur in people:

1. with a genetic predisposition to an allergic disease (with sensitization to proteins that are part of mosquito saliva);
2. in patients who have chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, helminthiases, secondary immunodeficiency (associated with the presence of untreated chronic foci of infection).

Elena Antsiferova

When bitten, a person receives a whole cocktail of protein substances. More than a dozen polypeptides have been found in mosquito saliva. They are what trigger the immune response.

When bitten, microdamage to the skin occurs, blood thinning, the release of histamine and other biologically active substances characteristic of allergic reactions. This leads to tissue edema, capillary expansion and damage, and itching. Outwardly, it may look different and depends on the strength of the allergic reaction: a dense tubercle, blister, swelling, soft tissue hardening, redness.

Severe itching contributes to scratching, which is especially true for children. In babies (and also in people with high sugar levels, with low immunity, with venous or lymphatic circulatory failure), scratching can lead to the rapid addition of a pyogenic infection. In this case, there is a brighter redness, hardening of the soft tissues, yellow-golden crusts.

Vladimir Bolibok

Immediately after a mosquito bite, itching occurs, associated with irritation of the nerve endings of the skin by the components of the saliva of the mosquito and the injury itself - a puncture of the skin. This is a non-allergic itch that can last from several minutes to several hours, and a blister (papule) may appear on the surface of the skin. Often the papule is combed and an infection is introduced into the skin, then a secondary infection of the skin occurs. Redness, itching, induration, and sometimes suppuration can disturb for several days.

To proteins - components of mosquito saliva - an immune reaction develops. Normally, so-called blocking antibodies (classes IgG, IgA, IgM) should develop, which protect against inflammation during subsequent bites. Everyone knows this - in the spring and early summer, mosquito bites form large papules with severe itching, and at the end of summer the bites occur almost without a trace, redness and papule appear in just a few minutes, there is almost no itching. This suggests that a normal immune reaction has passed and immunity has developed on the saliva of the insect.

But sometimes the immune response fails, then instead of protective antibodies, sensitizing antibodies are produced and an allergy to mosquito bites occurs. When allergic to mosquito bites, a particularly large papule occurs, sometimes a vesicle (vesicle) forms in it, as with a burn or herpes. Such a papule is very itchy and lasts for several days, since protective cells, lymphocytes accumulate in this place, lymphatic edema develops. This is a very dense swelling around the bite site, which can be several centimeters in diameter. Sometimes even the body temperature rises.

What to do after a mosquito bite

Vladimir Bolibok

After a mosquito bite, if severe itching occurs, it is recommended to anoint the bite site with Fenistil Gel, and take the most banal suprastin inside. With the development of allergic papule and lymphatic edema, hormonal ointments are used for treatment. In the absence of medicines at hand or in case of inaccessibility of a pharmacy, you can apply a cold wet compress (but not ice!).

It can be checked whether or not there is an allergic sensitization to mosquito bites. To do this, you need to take a blood test for the presence of IgE immunoglobulins to mosquito allergens.

Elena Antsiferova

When itching, the bite site should be washed with cold water. A slurry of soda with water soothes the skin well. Severe edema, itching, anxiety are indications for taking first-generation antihistamines (suprastin, tavegil, and others.). We must not forget that these pharmaceuticals are incompatible with alcohol. Subsequently, each patient gradually selects his drug, which helps him. It can also be second-generation antihistamines - cetirizine, loratadine, desloratadine and others.

If this is not enough, the bite site is very swollen and itchy, you can use specialized ointments with antihistamines, herbal ingredients, and hormones. Severe reactions require injections of antihistamines, possibly even corticosteroids.