Mosquito bite relief

sphexx

sphexx

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Seeing a post in WAMT by @JohnC6 about antihistan cream which I was unfamiliar with having only used hydrocortisone creams before caused me to look for it on Amazon where I found it (Morrisons also sells it) but, as usual got all sorts of other recommendations chief of which were these two devices which have a lot of positive reviews (I know!) and wonder if anyone here has tried them out similar:


57,000 reviews, mostly positive. Claims to suck toxins out (also suck out bee stings or splinters). Could work.


942 reviews, mostly positive. Applies heat claimed to destroy toxins, seems a bit unlikely.
 
The best bite / sting relief I ever came across was anything with a high percentage of pyrethrum in it.
"Almost" instant relief
I used to be able to buy it neat, in a very small bottle with a dab pad, but I've not seen it in years.
The pyrethriod equivalents are nowhere near as effective.
 
Our Amah in Hong Kong used to apply Tiger Balm ointment to all my many mossie bites, as a kid. I think the sting from that made me forget about scratching!
 
lindsay said:
Our Amah in Hong Kong used to apply Tiger Balm ointment to all my many mossie bites, as a kid. I think the sting from that made me forget about scratching!
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OUCH!
I use Tiger Balm for muscle or joint pain.
But as you know anywhere near damaged or sensitive skin area's stings like a bitch!
 
Cobra said:
The best bite / sting relief I ever came across was anything with a high percentage of pyrethrum in it.
"Almost" instant relief
I used to be able to buy it neat, in a very small bottle with a dab pad, but I've not seen it in years.
The pyrethriod equivalents are nowhere near as effective.
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Amaybe grow your own though I’ve no idea which varieties have high levels/grow well in Uk.
 
sphexx said:
Amaybe grow your own though I’ve no idea which varieties have high levels/grow well in Uk.
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It's a good idea but I think the processing may be too complicated.
Any of the Chris and the Mum's ( :D ) grow well in the UK As far as I know.
 
Cobra said:
It's a good idea but I think the processing may be too complicated.
Any of the Chris and the Mum's ( :D ) grow well in the UK As far as I know.
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I see Feverfew is mentioned as a source and that grows like a weed. I think you just dry the flowers and water extract. I’m sure there will be instructions on the web. I notice some of the products claim to be “herbal” (Boots I think) so shouldn’t contain synthetic pyrethroids which are optimised to kill insects (bees probably :mad: ).
 
From an Amazon review for another ‘heaty’ thing:

On a recent trip to Thailand I was literally bitten to death …

We should all get one of those if it can bring you back from the dead — perhaps only long enough to write an Amazon review though :LOL:
 
sphexx said:
so shouldn’t contain synthetic pyrethroids
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Sadly that is all that has been available for years :(

sphexx said:
I think you just dry the flowers and water extract. I’m sure there will be instructions on the web.
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As I don't put myself in harms any more, its not really worth me bothering with TBH.
 
lindsay said:
Our Amah in Hong Kong used to apply Tiger Balm ointment to all my many mossie bites, as a kid. I think the sting from that made me forget about scratching!
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Tigre balm cures almost anything.
killy said:
Oh - two finger technique - sounds rude to me - just try with and without tripod and check the difference
Yuo would probably be better off with a string tripod
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sphexx said:
Seeing a post in WAMT by @JohnC6 about antihistan cream which I was unfamiliar with having only used hydrocortisone creams before caused me to look for it on Amazon where I found it (Morrisons also sells it) but, as usual got all sorts of other recommendations chief of which were these two devices which have a lot of positive reviews (I know!) and wonder if anyone here has tried them out similar:


57,000 reviews, mostly positive. Claims to suck toxins out (also suck out bee stings or splinters). Could work.


942 reviews, mostly positive. Applies heat claimed to destroy toxins, seems a bit unlikely.
Click to expand...


That heat unit on amazon probably does work.

I use a very hot tea spoon ( Boiling water) but let the spoon cool a bit. it gives at least six hours relief, often more. Then repeat. It deals with just about any bite or sting.
When I was in the army in Hong Hong in the 50's we used the burning end of a cigarette very close but not touching. worked very well.

Probably the device gives a better controlled heat.
 
Depends what Mrs Nod has in her bag when I notice the itch! One of the First Aid kits has a tube of Anthisan and the other a tube of Hydrocortisone. They both seem to work about the same for me. The ammonia based after bite stick things sometimes work but I'd guess that they work best on acid stings (ants for example) than mossie bites. Tried the sucker and the zapper devices and neither work for me (but I know people who swear by them!)

On holiday, I use Avon SkinSoSoft as a mossie repellent but that doesn't seem to work for Mrs Nod who has had to resort to DEET. I also wear the coily Citronella based wrist bands on both wrists and both ankles when we go out in the evening, although I leave the ankle ones off if I'm wearing real shoes rather than flip-flips or Cr*cs!
 
Nod said:
Depends what Mrs Nod has in her bag when I notice the itch! One of the First Aid kits has a tube of Anthisan and the other a tube of Hydrocortisone. They both seem to work about the same for me. The ammonia based after bite stick things sometimes work but I'd guess that they work best on acid stings (ants for example) than mossie bites. Tried the sucker and the zapper devices and neither work for me (but I know people who swear by them!)

On holiday, I use Avon SkinSoSoft as a mossie repellent but that doesn't seem to work for Mrs Nod who has had to resort to DEET. I also wear the coily Citronella based wrist bands on both wrists and both ankles when we go out in the evening, although I leave the ankle ones off if I'm wearing real shoes rather than flip-flips or Cr*cs!
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I’ve tried the Avon stuff after hearing it extolled by anglers but it doesn’t work for me :(.
 
Shame - it smells far better that DEET! (Mind you, I apparently smell like a tart's ar5e after application!!!)
 
We lived in HK for a few years and mozzies were a problem, but most guys found San Mig (San Miguel beer) worked pretty well, taken in sufficient quantity ...

Of course, for South African mozzies you substitute Castle lager, and the old Boer remedy for many things, brandy and coke.
 
Cape Smoke, applied internally?
 
Nod said:
Shame - it smells far better that DEET! (Mind you, I apparently smell like a tart's ar5e after application!!!)
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DEET is also pretty nasty stuff. For example, it will dissolve most cameras.

The second product applies "patented heat". I saw a tip the other day that involved getting a tea spoon hot using hot water and then applying it to the bite. I would expect it to work at least as well as "patented heat" for a lower cost. Also, easier to source if you forget to carry your magic device.

Lots of the the discomfort from bites can also be alleviated with anti histamine - the same thing you buy for hay fever.

When histamine is released, fluid leaks from your blood vessels into your skin, which leads to swelling, a rash, itching, and other symptoms of an allergic reaction. Antihistamines block histamine to relieve the itch and bring down swelling in your skin.
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Your supermarket will have something containing cetirizine hydrochloride for about £2.
 
JonathanRyan said:
DEET is also pretty nasty stuff. For example, it will dissolve most cameras.

The second product applies "patented heat". I saw a tip the other day that involved getting a tea spoon hot using hot water and then applying it to the bite. I would expect it to work at least as well as "patented heat" for a lower cost. Also, easier to source if you forget to carry your magic device.

Lots of the the discomfort from bites can also be alleviated with anti histamine - the same thing you buy for hay fever.


Your supermarket will have something containing cetirizine hydrochloride for about £2.
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The teaspoon was recommended by @Terrywoodenpic above and also a cigarette!

I’m not currently taking antihistamines (though topical should be OK) since I’ve started betahistine which, although nobody agrees how or if it works, is an agonist of histamines so it seems recommended to avoid them :(.
 
I got absolutely slaughtered by Chiggers one year in France.
I'd never heard of them.
My relation in Oz recommended the hot tea spoon as "everyone" out there does it.
Sadly for me the moment had passed by then.
 
Cobra said:
I got absolutely slaughtered by Chiggers one year in France.
I'd never heard of them.
My relation in Oz recommended the hot tea spoon as "everyone" out there does it.
Sadly for me the moment had passed by then.
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I had to g**gle them and wished I hadn't! :puke:
 
Cobra said:
The best bite / sting relief I ever came across was anything with a high percentage of pyrethrum in it.
"Almost" instant relief
I used to be able to buy it neat, in a very small bottle with a dab pad, but I've not seen it in years.
The pyrethriod equivalents are nowhere near as effective.
Click to expand...
Exactly, Savlon made a spray then a company called Nelson did. My latest one came from Amazon or perhaps eBay, good for nettle stings too.
 
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It is a good few years since I used Avon Skin so Soft as a midge repellent. It worked for me but I found its effect did not last long.

IMO DEET based repellents are very good and probably the best. However, as mentioned above DEET based products are unpleasant. I find it stings in the eyes, numbs my lips and melts some plastics, which is bad news for cameras, binoculars glasses. I now use Smidge which I find just about as good as DEET products but without the unpleasant side effects.

Smidge also good a repelling clegs, or rather I found. preventing them from landing and biting. They still fly around very close which can be very annoying.

Dave
 
Apart from mozzies, I sort of remember having a sandworm (hookworm larva) burrowing around in my left arm when I was a kid. I probably picked this up on the beach in Durban, but it only made itself known when we were back in the UK and our local doctor was puzzled, so he sent us off to a specialist in Edinburgh. IIRC, the treatment included some purplish, very cold, muti spread on my arm and my mother attempting to squeeze the little blighter out. I do remember that bit hurt though ...
 
MartynK said:
Apart from mozzies, I sort of remember having a sandworm (hookworm larva) burrowing around in my left arm when I was a kid. I probably picked this up on the beach in Durban, but it only made itself known when we were back in the UK and our local doctor was puzzled, so he sent us off to a specialist in Edinburgh. IIRC, the treatment included some purplish, very cold, muti spread on my arm and my mother attempting to squeeze the little blighter out. I do remember that bit hurt though ...
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Hookworm (aka “Old Friends”) are claimed to be very good for the immune system. You can buy the eggs to swallow to avoid having to hang about barefoot outside public toilets in Africa as someone has done it for you. :)

eg: https://asm.org/Articles/2019/April/Helminths-and-Health-Finding-Purpose-in-Our-Old-Fr
 
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Vicks vapour rub mixed using a teaspoon with a good pinch of salt applied to the bite gives huge relief and stops the itching.
 
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