17 Ways To Treat Mosquito Bites That You Need To Know

Mosquito bites are a real pain: the mosquito's saliva  causes a histamine response, which in turn creates the itch and irritation. And while we continue to wait for the mosquito sterilization master-plan (a seemingly bizarre process of sterilizing the sperm of male mosquitos) to fully come to fruition and marginalize the population of these deadly creatures, we must have a number of remedies on-hand, especially while enjoying Ontario's great summer outdoors. Below are some unnatural and natural remedies that you can add to your first aid strategy.

Some Medicinal Remedies For Mosquito Bites

1. Deal with the initial itch: Itching is caused by the mosquito's saliva: an anticoagulant that causes the body to produce a histamine response. Scratching will only make the itch more irritated, so try to resist the urge.

2. Treat the area immediately: To reduce the itch, clean the bite area with rubbing alcohol, alcohol wipes, or just plain water. If you have a severe reaction, apply an antihistamine cream or lotion, especially ointments containing a combination of antihistamine, analgesic, and coricosteroid. If an infection due to the bites, see your physician.

3. Select an itch-soothing solution: This may require some shopping based on budget, availability, allergies to certain ingredients, and familiarity with the solution. Always speak to your doctor if you have concerns, or have a history of allergic reactions to certain products. 

Natural Remedies For Mosquito Bites

Below are some natural treatments:

4. Baking soda + warm water: 

• One tablespoon to one pint of water
• Gently apply the affected area. Use your clean fingers, a cotton swab, or popsicle stick to apply
• Leave on for a few minutes, then wash off with warm water. 

5. Baking soda + amonia:

• Mix a few drops of household cleaning ammonia with baking soda to form a paste
• Apply to the affected area and allow to dry
• Remove with warm water.

6. Cider vinegar:

• Soak a cotton ball in apple cider vinegar
• Place soaked cotton ball over the mosquito bites. You can hold it or tape it into place
• Leave it there for a few minutes

7. Cooled Tea: Apply cooled tea to the area as a compress

8. Ice Pack: Put an ice pack on the bite for 20 minutes

9. Clear Liquor: Use neat gin or any clear alcoholic liquor on the bites. This'll cool the skin and stop the itch.

10. Toothpaste: Use any non-gel toothpaste, and rub it on the bite, and leave a glob of it to dry overnight. Wash it in the morning with cold water and mild soap: the toothpaste will dry out the bite and take away any irritation.

11. Mouthwash: Go into your medicine cabinet and pull out the mouthwash and apply onto the bite and leave to dry.

12. Lemon or lime: Cut a lemon or lime into pieces and rub on the affected area or just squirt a bit of juice on it. The acid in the juice as itch-relieving properties.

13. Banana peel skin: Peel a banana or pull out the peels from the garbage and rub the inside of it on the bite. 

14. Raw potato: Cut a potato in half and rub an open side of one half on the bite. The potato sap will dry on the bite and reduce the itching.

15. Finger nail: Use your fingernail to press an 'x' into the bite; this will disperse the protein and stop the itch for a while.

16. Saliva: Place your own saliva over the bite and let it soak in.

17. Copper: Hold a penny or copper coin over the bite. Copper often makes the skin feel better after being stung.