Here’s How To Treat Those Itchy Mosquito Bites

Itchy mosquito bites on girl's legs
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It’s an exciting time when summer rolls around, but with the new season can come its fair share of nuisances — like pesky mosquito bites. Spending time outside is great, but no one likes to get covered in incessantly itchy red spots.

Of course, the best way to avoid the itch and the sting is to prevent getting bitten in the first place by keeping yourself covered and using insect repellant. But if it’s too late and the mosquitoes have already gotten to you, here are some ways to relieve discomfort from your insect bites.

Dad and son use mosquito spray.Spraying insect repellent on skin outdoors
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1. Cold Compress

First, try placing a cold compress or ice pack on your bites. This can help reduce pain and swelling.

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2. Hydrocortisone Cream

Using a hydrocortisone cream is a great way to provide relief for itching. This type of cream has anti-inflammatory effects and not just symptomatic relief.

Man putting Cortizone 10 anti-itch cream on arm
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3. Calamine Lotion

Apply calamine lotion to your bites to reduce itching. The lotion contains the active ingredient zinc oxide, which can help relieve itchiness.

Calamine lotion two-pack
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4. White Vinegar

Make use of some ingredients at home by applying a little bit of household white vinegar. It can not only relieve itching but also act as a natural insect repellent.

white vinegar on the wooden table top
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5. Aloe Vera

Although we usually think of treating sunburns when we think of aloe vera, the plant can also be used for insect bites as well. Aloe vera has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, which can ease itchiness and swelling.

Aloe vera plant and gel in jar
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6. Honey

This dual-purpose home remedy for itchy bites works by using honey’s anti-inflammatory properties on the bite while also stopping you from scratching it, because you won’t want to make a sticky mess after you dab some on the bite!

Honey with honey dipper in wooden bowl
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7. Oats

If you end up with a lot of mosquito bites, try taking a soothing oatmeal bath. Oats have anti-itch compounds that should give you some relief, but instead of tossing some of your instant oats into the tub, you’ll want to use colloidal oats for an anti-itch soak. You can try a pre-made colloidal oatmeal product, like Aveeno Soothing Bath Treatment, or make your own by simply blitzing whole uncooked oats in your food processor to turn them into a fine powder.

Uncooked whole oats in white bowl
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Hopefully, the next time you get a few bites, you’ll already have some of these ingredients on hand at home — maybe even in your kitchen! — to try them yourself.

Health, Life, Science & Nature

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About the Author
Carina Wolff
Carina is a health and wellness journalist based in Los Angeles. When she’s not writing, doing yoga, or exploring mountains and beaches, she spends her time cooking and creating recipes for her healthy food blog, Kale Me Maybe. Carina is also an ongoing writer for Bustle, Reader's Digest, FabFitFun, and more.

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