Bites on the Face: A Comprehensive Guide to Mite and Flea Bites
What are mites, and do they bother humans? How can mite bites affect your health? What are fleas, and what do flea bites look like? Find answers to these questions and more in this detailed guide.
Understanding Mites: What They Are and How They Can Affect Humans
Mites are arthropods, not insects, and are closely related to spiders and ticks. Most types of mites feed on other insects or on dead plant and animal material, such as dust mites that feed primarily on dead skin cells. However, there are a few types of mites that can bite or affect people, including:
- Chiggers
- Scabies
- Rat mites
- Bird mites
- Northern fowl mites
Contrary to common beliefs, home mite infestations are fairly rare and tend to be much less of an issue than people assume, according to Mike Merchant, PhD, a former professor of entomology at Texas A&M University in Dallas.
The Health Impacts of Mite Bites
Mite bites can cause skin lumps, rashes, and occasionally more serious reactions. The most common type of mite that bites people is the chigger, which can produce an intensely itchy red welt. Other mites that can cause issues are those that infest the nests of birds, rats, and mice, and may wander into homes and bite people, leading to itchy skin rashes.
The exception is scabies mites, which infest a person’s skin to lay eggs and feed, and are usually only passed through direct person-to-person contact. Scabies rashes will continue to appear unless the person receives medical treatment, usually a prescription-only skin cream or lotion designed to kill the mites.
Dust mites can also cause allergies in some people, leading to mild, seasonal symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes. Over-the-counter and prescription allergy medications can help manage these reactions.
Eliminating Mites in Your Home
Getting rid of mites in your home typically involves removing the animals and animal nests that are bringing the mites inside, according to Merchant. This usually means calling in a professional pest control expert.
For scabies mites, in addition to medical treatment, you can also take steps to eliminate the mites from your household, such as vacuuming, washing bedding and clothing in hot water, and dry-cleaning or sealing items in plastic bags.
When it comes to dust mites, it’s almost impossible to get rid of them all, but you can limit allergic reactions through frequent cleaning, using HEPA air filters, and purchasing bedding that resists dust accumulation.
Understanding Fleas and Flea Bites
Fleas are blood-sucking insects that live on mammals, often dogs, cats, or other furry pets. While they prefer animals to humans, fleas can migrate off pets and onto their owner’s skin.
Flea bites typically appear as small red bumps that may be itchy and tend to appear in groups of three or more, often on the lower legs, as fleas get into carpets and jump up as people walk by.
Like mite bites, ice and hydrocortisone can help relieve the symptoms of flea bites, which tend to be short-lived, lasting a week or less.
When Bites Require More Serious Attention
While most mite and flea bites are relatively minor and can be managed with home remedies, there are some instances when medical attention may be necessary:
- Severe or persistent itching or rash
- Signs of infection, such as pus or increased redness and swelling
- Allergic reactions, including difficulty breathing or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
In these cases, it’s important to seek medical care to ensure proper treatment and to rule out any more serious underlying conditions.
Preventing Mite and Flea Infestations
The best way to avoid mite and flea bites is to prevent infestations in the first place. This includes:
- Keeping your home and pets clean and well-groomed
- Regularly vacuuming and washing bedding and furniture
- Treating pets with flea and tick prevention products
- Sealing cracks and crevices where pests may enter your home
By taking proactive steps to maintain a clean and pest-free environment, you can help reduce the risk of mite and flea-related issues and keep your family safe and comfortable.
Seeking Professional Assistance
If you suspect a mite or flea infestation in your home, or if you’re experiencing persistent or severe symptoms from bites, it’s best to seek the help of a professional pest control expert. They can help identify the specific pests, provide effective treatment options, and ensure the problem is properly resolved.
Everything You Need to Know About Mite and Flea Bites
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What Are Mites, and Do They Bother Humans?
Mites are arthropods, not insects, and are close cousins with spiders and ticks. (1) Most types of mites feed on other insects or on dead plant and animal material. (Dust mites, for example, feed mostly on dead skin cells.)
But there are a few types that bite or affect people: (2,3)
- Chiggers
- Scabies
- Rat mites
- Bird mites
- Northern fowl mites
Despite what you may have heard or read online, home mite infestations are fairly rare and tend to be much less of an issue than people assume, says Mike Merchant, PhD, a former professor of entomology at Texas A&M University in Dallas. “A lot of the mite stuff on the internet makes it sound like [a mite infestation is] the end of the world, but it’s not,” he says.
Can Mites Be Harmful to Your Health?
Mite bites can cause skin lumps and rashes and, occasionally, more serious reactions, Dr.
Merchant says.
Among outdoor mites, the only type that frequently bites people is the chigger. The word “chigger” applies to a particular species of mite that bites during its larval stage of development, and their bite produces an intensely itchy red welt, Merchant explains. “There are not too many other mite problems outdoors,” he adds.
RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Chigger Bites
When it comes to indoor mites that bite or cause health issues, Merchant says most spring from animal nests. “Some mites will infest the nests of birds and rats and mice, and when they become abundant, they’ll leave that site and sometimes wander into the house and bite people,” he explains. In most cases, the bites of these mites cause an itchy skin rash, which may feature small lumps or pimples.
“The skin might be very itchy or red for a few days, but then that will taper off,” Merchant says of mite bites. Ice and anti-itch creams like hydrocortisone can help control the swelling and itching.
But those symptoms should resolve within a week, he says. (Nearly all species of biting house mites cannot live on human beings, and so they don’t “infest people,” he adds.)
There is one outlier: scabies. These mites infest a person’s skin in order to lay eggs and feed, and are usually only passed by direct person-to-person contact. (4) Like other mites, scabies tend to cause an itchy, pimply red rash. But unlike other mites, those rashes will continue to appear unless the person gets medical treatment, usually a prescription-only skin cream or lotion designed to kill scabies.
Dust mites can cause allergies in some people, but these tend to be of the mild, seasonal allergy variety — stuff like a runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes. (5) Over-the-counter and prescription allergy meds can help quell dust mite allergies.
RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Allergies
How to Get Rid of Mites in Your Household
You don’t need a crazy whole-house treatment or fumigation.
You just need to remove the animals and animal nests that are bringing mites into your home, Merchant says. “Everybody always wants a spray to solve these types of mite problems, but the real solution is getting rid of any animals nesting in your home, and animal-proofing your home,” he says. Basically, call in a home pest pro.
The exception here, again, is the scabies mite; in addition to getting medical treatment, you can take steps to eliminate the mites from your household. Scabies mites don’t survive very long when they’re not on human skin. Vacuum your home the day you start treatment and decontaminate your bedding, clothing, and towels by washing these items in hot water and drying on high heat. You can also dry-clean or seal these articles in a plastic bag for at least 72 hours.
When it comes to dust mites, on the other hand, it’s almost impossible to get rid of them all. But frequent home cleaning and dusting, installing HEPA air filters, and buying bedding that can be washed in hot water and that resists dust accumulation can limit allergic reactions.
What Are Fleas, and What Do Flea Bites Look Like?
Fleas are blood-sucking insects that live on mammals — often dogs, cats, or other furry pets. (6) Fleas are brown and wingless. And while they’re small, usually around an eighth of an inch, they’re big enough to see or even feel with your hand, Merchant says.
While they prefer animals to humans, fleas can migrate off pets and onto their owner’s skin. “Usually flea bites are on the lower legs because the fleas get into the carpet and then jump up as we’re walking past,” Merchant explains.
What does a flea bite look like? Like many other types of insect bites, flea bites produce small red bumps that may be itchy and that tend to appear in groups of three or more. Again, ice and hydrocortisone can help relieve symptoms, which tend to be short-lived — a week or less.
More Serious Health Complications Can Arise if You Have Mites or Fleas
Like all biting or stinging insects, mites and fleas can occasionally cause serious allergic reactions, including problems breathing or a swollen limb or throat.
Those symptoms warrant a trip to the emergency room.
Also, anything that causes itchy skin or open sores can allow in bacteria, which could lead to a secondary infection. (7) If you notice swelling, pain, or a mite or flea bite that seems to be getting worse after a day or two, or if you have a fever or other flu-like symptoms, talk to a doctor. Those could all be signs of a bacterial infection.
Finally, both fleas and mites can transmit some potentially serious diseases to humans — namely types of typhus and spotted fever — though these transmissions are very rare. Symptoms include headaches, fever, rashes, and delirium. (8)
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Tips for How to Avoid Getting Mosquito Bites in the First Place
To minimize your bite risk, try to stay indoors at dawn and dusk — times when humidity often peaks. “The higher the humidity, the better for mosquitoes, so dawn and dusk are times when they tend to be active,” Day says.
He explains that mosquitoes are fragile insects, and their bodies dry out quickly if they’re exposed to arid conditions or extended stretches of bright sunlight (which is another reason they prefer hunting at dawn and dusk, as opposed to midday). They’re also weak fliers, he says, so any kind of breeze or fan-generated wind tends to keep them at bay. If you can find a place that’s exposed to wind, or you have a strong fan handy, both can prevent mosquitoes from biting you.
Long pants and shirtsleeves — especially tightly woven synthetic fabrics such as the types used in so-called athleisure garments — tend to keep mosquitoes off your skin. Repellents also work well, Day says. The CDC suggests looking for products that contain DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and oil of lemon eucalyptus, or p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD). (6) Apply these products to your ankles, wrists, forehead, elbows, and all the other knobby, bony places where the blood is up near the surface of the skin. Mosquitoes love to feast at these sites.
Also good to keep in mind: Mosquitoes are attracted to both the carbon dioxide humans exhale and the natural odors our bodies produce — stuff like sweat and foot odor. If you’ve been exercising, you’re likely to be both sweaty and producing higher amounts of carbon dioxide. Better to cool off and shower up indoors before heading outside. (7)
Follow all these precautions, and you can largely dodge mosquito bites all summer long.
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Margarita Gekht, Leading Dermatologist, Butterfly Children Charitable Foundation, Lecturer at the Skill for Skin Online Academy of Skin Problems
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- How to identify a mosquito bite
- Why does it itch
- What to do after being bitten
- How to relieve itching
- Possible complications
- Repellents
- Medical treatment
What does a mosquito bite look like?
Female mosquitoes have a long proboscis with which they pierce the skin, inject saliva through it and suck in blood.
The human body reacts to saliva with blistering and itching.
Some people react to the sting lightly, others more severely, and may experience large swelling and painful redness at the site of the sting.
General symptoms of a mosquito bite:
- blister that appears on the skin a few minutes after the bite;
- edema;
- redness of the skin;
- itching.
If the bite is in an area close to the capillary network, dark spots that look like bruises may appear in its place.
Sometimes under certain circumstances, more often due to the peculiarities of the immune system, in addition to the general symptoms, more severe reactions can develop, which lead to the following symptoms. They can be isolated or included in the structure of Skeeter’s syndrome:
- large area of swelling and redness;
- subfebrile or febrile fever;
- swollen lymph nodes.
Skeeter syndrome refers to a severe allergic reaction to mosquito bites.
It is based on an allergic reaction to proteins contained in mosquito saliva. Most people have little reaction to mosquito bites, but people with skeeter syndrome are very sensitive to them and may develop a fever. In Skeeter’s syndrome, the blisters at the site of the bites tend to swell to a very large diameter, leading to swelling of the skin along with the fever. Usually the reaction builds up within a few hours.
Why itching develops after a mosquito bite
The causes of itching in mosquito bites are not well understood, but scientists have put forward hypotheses about three mechanisms. They are based on the assumption that the itch that occurs after a bite is associated with the components of the saliva of the insect.
According to the first hypothesis, mosquito saliva components cause an allergic reaction when they enter the skin. This is because one of the main components of mosquito saliva is the biologically active substance histamine, which is responsible for allergic reactions, including swelling, itching and redness.
As a result, the classic picture of itching develops.
The second hypothesis is based on an IgE-dependent hypersensitivity reaction to salivary gland components. This means that certain people have special receptors on their own antibodies that are turned on during the introduction of the allergen (mosquito saliva). These proteins are called IgE. They are the first to bind to mosquito saliva proteins, transmit an impulse to mast cells of the skin, which in turn release histamine, resulting in itching.
Proponents of the third hypothesis believe that salivary gland components modulate the inflammatory response independently of IgE proteins.
© Shutterstock
How to get rid of mosquito bites
The first step is to apply mosquito repellent to any potentially exposed skin area. This measure ensures that there are no more bites. The alternative is to install a physical barrier for the mosquitoes, such as a mosquito net, or return indoors.
After applying protection, the bite area can be treated with ice or cream/gel with an antihistamine component.
Itching will likely continue, but every effort should be made to avoid scratching the bite as this will cause further irritation.
Finally, look for any potential symptoms of illness such as fever, joint pain, or headache. This is to make sure you don’t get an infection.
Folk remedies for mosquito bites
- Soda. Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with enough water to make a paste. Apply it on a mosquito bite, wait ten minutes and wash off.
- Oatmeal. Grind oatmeal to a floury consistency. When mixed with water, a colloidal suspension will be obtained – it is this part of the oatmeal that must be added to the bath (it should also be part of creams). Fine particles of colloidal oatmeal settle on the skin, retaining moisture and relieving itching.
- Basil. This fragrant herb has a dual function. First, it repels mosquitoes. Therefore, it can be planted on the windowsill. Secondly, according to some studies, basil soothes the itching from a bite.
Crush a few leaves and rub gently into the skin. - Aloe Vera. The sticky, clear gel found inside the aloe vera plant is used to treat many ailments. It has also been proven to be an effective remedy for itching.
- Chamomile. This herb is used to relieve anxiety and insomnia. It is believed that applying a decoction of chamomile to the skin can soothe rashes and irritations. However, there is no exact data on the effectiveness of chamomile. Also, if you are allergic to ragweed, you may also have a reaction to chamomile. Be careful – in the composition of creams, chamomile is called “azulene”.
- Menthol. Menthol products cool the skin, which may temporarily relieve itching.
Crush a few leaves and rub gently into the skin.© Shutterstock
Complications of mosquito bites
- Impetigo. Local bacterial infection. May be caused by scratches at the site of the bite. More common with itchy bites.
- Cellulite . In this case, the bacterial infection spreads to the skin. It looks edematous, becomes hot and painful to the touch and looks like an orange peel.
- Lymphangitis. This bacterial infection spreads through the lymphatic channels. Visually looks like a red line going up the arm or leg. This case is more serious because the infection can enter the bloodstream and cause blood poisoning (sepsis).
In this case, the bacterial infection spreads to the skin. It looks edematous, becomes hot and painful to the touch and looks like an orange peel.When to See a Doctor
If mosquito bites are accompanied by more than just redness and itching, but fever, headache, body aches and other signs of infection, see a doctor.
Mosquito bite prevention
- Treat clothing and equipment with permethrin repellent.
- Choose long-sleeved shirts and trousers when choosing clothes. Mosquitoes cannot bite the skin if it is covered with a dense cloth.
- Choose closed shoes.
Another way to stop mosquitoes from biting
Mosquitoes need water to lay their eggs.
Once a week, empty and wipe, turn over, cover, or discard items that contain water, such as paddling pools, bird baths, flower pots, or trash cans.
Mosquitoes are also attracted to body heat and body odors caused by sweat and lactic acid.
How the active ingredients of repellents work
DEET
N, N-diethyl meta-toluamide (DEET) is one of the most commonly used mosquito repellent chemicals. Research shows that it is one of the most effective. DEET affects insect receptors that detect carbon dioxide and body odor, causing mosquitoes to stop recognizing humans. It comes in a variety of forms, including liquids, sprays, lotions, and wristbands.
Picaridin
Picaridin is a new type of insect repellent. It works in a similar way to DEET, preventing mosquitoes from recognizing their prey, but contains fewer potentially toxic substances, making it considered a safe protection option for babies under six months of age.
Eucalyptus and Lemon Oils
Eucalyptus or Lemon Oils are a good option for those who prefer a natural, chemical-free repellant.
© Blanchi Costela / Getty Images
Medical treatment of mosquito bites
Topically:
- Apply specialized gels and emulsions containing antihistamines two to three times a day.
- For severe redness and itching, a cream or emulsion containing 1% hydrocortisone can be used once or twice a day for two to three days. If symptoms persist or worsen, a doctor should be consulted.
- Calamine and zinc oxide products can be used for children under two years of age. From the age of two, a lotion containing menthol, zinc oxide and calamine is suitable.
Oral:
- First generation antihistamines may be used in acute inflammatory reactions.
- For subacute stage and mild itching, 2nd generation antihistamines.
Both generations are available in both drop and tablet form.
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How to get rid of mosquito bites: symptoms, treatment
Contents:
➦ Why mosquito bites itch
➦ Symptoms of mosquito bites
➦ Mosquito bite treatment
➦ Home remedies for mosquito bites
➦ What home remedies should not be used
➦ When to see a doctor?
➦ How to prevent biting?
➦ Popular means
The long-awaited summer has finally come with its wonderful warm evenings, rest in the country, near the river, in the forest. And only a disgusting squeak near the ear prevents us from enjoying it all for real. Bite, itching, redness, pain… Mosquitoes become a real problem in summer! Why are they biting us? How to get rid of itching and how to prevent bites? All answers in this Phytoblog article.
Why do mosquito bites itch?
As with wasps and bees, female mosquitoes are responsible for biting humans.
The blood of mammals is a source of protein to feed her eggs. After mating, the female goes hunting for such a food resource. The volume of collected blood in this case ranges from 5 to 10 mm3. One bite is more than enough to cover the protein requirement of eggs.
Forty-eight hours after ingestion of this food, fertilized females lay their eggs on the surface of stagnant water (pond, stream, puddle, etc.).
During the bite, the female not only bleeds, but also injects saliva containing an anticoagulant that neutralizes platelets so that the blood remains liquid and does not block the insect’s proboscis. It is the saliva of the insect that is the cause of itching and inflammation at the site of the bite. Being a foreign substance, it causes an immediate reaction of the mast cells of the immune system located in the lower layer of the skin.
These cells – the first line of defense – explode on contact with foreign elements and massively release histamine – a neurotransmitter that causes redness and itching known to us.
Other immune agents are then recruited, causing a small red pimple to appear. In no case should this swelling of the skin be pierced, otherwise an infection can be introduced. This all lasts about 30–60 seconds, peaking at 2–3 minutes and disappearing after about 10 minutes.
Thus, itching and pimples from mosquitoes come from an allergy to his saliva. At the same time, in some people, for unknown reasons, the body does not consider it harmful and the allergic reaction goes almost unnoticed, while in others, everything can end in anaphylactic shock.
Why do we feel better when we scratch the bite? To understand this phenomenon, consider what happens to the skin at this moment.
The skin has many sensors that can interpret external stimuli. These sensors are connected to sensitive fibers that transmit information to the brain that the body is in danger (burns, cuts, squeezing). In the case of a mosquito bite, sensory fibers transmit the detected inflammation, and the brain causes itching.
Pain is transmitted in the same way as itching, but not by the same neurons.
Thus, information about pain and information about itching move side by side without mixing. However, some interactions are still possible. For example, pain can suppress itching through communication between their nerve pathways in the spinal cord. The sensory information received from scratching overrides the itch message, so the action of scratching brings relief: rubbing causes a little pain, which alleviates the uncomfortable sensation of itching.
However, the more you scratch, the more it itches! What is the reason for this phenomenon? In fact, the mechanical action of scratching activates nerve endings and releases histamine molecules, which in turn cause itching. The circle is closed.
Conclusion: you should try not to scratch the bite site, so as not to cause even more itching and not to bring an infection through the skin.
Symptoms of mosquito bites
Mosquito bites usually cause itching, redness and sometimes mild pain, which subsides and disappears after two to three days.
If bitten by mosquitoes, the following symptoms may occur:
➤ White-reddish soft bump on the skin after a few minutes.
➤ Hard brown lump that appears within a few days, usually as a result of scratching
➤ Blisters
➤ Black spots that look like bruises.
➤ Urticaria, mild fever, swelling and redness in case of sensitive skin.
But there are certain signs that should alert you
! Painful edema. Is a type of allergic reaction. You can treat it with antihistamines, and a piece of ice will help relieve inflammation and swelling.
! Anaphylactic shock . The most severe and rare variant of the mosquito bite symptom. It appears on the face as swelling with a risk of suffocation. You need to go to the emergency department immediately.
Young children are most affected by the blisters and bumps that result from the severe stings of these pesky insects and may present with symptoms ranging from hives to pathologies such as dengue fever.
Mosquito bite treatment
Although mosquito bites are mostly harmless, statistics show that mosquito bites kill almost 3 million people worldwide every year. This occurs as a result of the transmission of diseases such as dengue fever or malaria.
As you know, under our nails there are thousands of pathogenic bacteria that can penetrate the skin at the slightest wound.
To prevent dangerous infection immediately after a bite, you need:
- wash inflammation with soapy water
- treat the bite with an antiseptic
- apply a topical antihistamine (cream, gel or lotion) to the skin
- take a sedative to reduce itching
- to eliminate the risk of suppuration of the wound after bites, lubricate it with ichthyol ointment or Vishnevsky ointment.
- If you feel unwell and have a fever, take paracetamol.
Cooling cryo-gel Reanimator / Reanimator will help to get rid of redness and relieve the bite.
It will relieve itching, reduce inflammation and pain.
Cooling cryo-gel Reanimator / Reanimator 50ml for first aid and treatment of mosquito bites
An effective all-rounder that we recommend to have in your first aid kit. Due to the cooling effect, cryo-gel relieves itching and pain when bitten by mosquitoes, prevents an allergic reaction, and also has an anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect.
Synergy of 15 active ingredients (patented SimRelief complex), different in mechanism and direction of action, allows to achieve a prolonged effect to solve a wide range of skin problems.
Home remedies for mosquito bites
Quickly remove the effects of mosquito bites at home can:
✓ Cold compress or ice cube. Cold is effective for scabies, although not for long.
✓ Hot compress or hot tea bag. Heat soothes inflammation and pain.
✓ Essential oils with soothing properties.
Peppermint, lavender, clove, eucalyptus and chamomile will help reduce the bite. Apply one to two drops of essential oil to a tissue and then place on the mosquito pimple.
✓ Menthol gel. Due to the cold will remove scabies. Foot products, which usually contain menthol, may be used. Test it on your hand before applying it to a mosquito bite to make sure you’re not allergic to it.
✓ Rubbing alcohol. It evaporates quickly, providing a short-term cooling effect that relieves itching. However, do not overdo it with the amount, so as not to get burned or irritated.
✓ Hydrocortisone cream. May reduce bite by blocking histamine and other mediators of allergic reactions. However, it is used with caution in young children (after consulting a doctor).
✓ Ointments containing lidocaine or benzocaine. Relieve itching with a numbing effect.
✓ Plants with soothing and antihistamine properties .
Rub bite marks with plantain, mint, lemon balm, parsley, and even dandelion gruel. You can also prepare decoctions based on them.
✓ Infusion, basil essential oil . May be one of the most effective home remedies for mosquito bites. A publication in the journal Experimental and Applied Acarology showed that this plant had repellent properties against certain species of these insects. You can simply wipe the bite with basil leaves. Its anti-inflammatory properties are excellent for red spots, sores, and other unpleasant symptoms.
✓ Antihistamines. They block histamine receptors to reduce the itching, redness and swelling associated with bites.
If there is absolutely none of the above at hand, so that the bite does not itch, try to deceive the brain. By pressing hard on the wound, you can cause a temporary pain effect that will help fight itching. Another option is to pat the bite site. This is similar to combing, but less traumatic.
Which home remedies should not be used
Not all popular homemade mosquito repellents used in traditional medicine actually work in practice.
Due to inefficiency or even harmful effects, doctors do not recommend using fairly well-known home methods. They can only hide the bite, but they cannot cure it.
Get rid of the bite will not help :
– honey compress
– oatmeal baths
– aloe vera gel
– garlic gruel
– baking soda
– lemon or lime juice
– toothpaste
– vinegar
When to see a doctor?
Fortunately, mosquito bites usually do not cause serious complications and go away on their own after a few days. However, sometimes they can cause a severe allergic reaction and lead to anaphylactic shock.
It is important to see a specialist if any of the following symptoms occur:
- Difficulty breathing.
- Nausea.
- Urticaria or swelling.
- Vomiting.
- Dizziness.
In addition, mosquitoes can also transmit diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, chikungunya and the Zika virus.
All these pathologies have their own symptoms, such as fever. Thus, medical attention should be sought immediately if abnormal manifestations occur several days after the bite.
How to prevent biting?
First of all, it is important to note that there is no 100% way to prevent the bite of these annoying insects. However, certain steps can be taken to reduce the chance of being bitten.
The first thing to do is try to avoid mosquito breeding areas. Stay away from standing water as these small insects are known to love heat and humidity.
Second summer reflex: apply repellant to your skin before going outside or at bedtime with the window open. Choose a product that lasts several hours, is suitable for all geographies, and is recommended for both outdoor and indoor use. Non-toxic natural products are preferred, such as lemon eucalyptus essential oil, geranium, or fresh melissa leaves.
The choice of clothing is also important. Prefer light and fairly loose clothing, as tight mosquitoes easily bite through.
Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers when you go out into dense vegetation. Spray clothing with permethrin. It has been established that color also matters: mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors.
Finally, to protect against flying insects in homes, mosquito nets hung on windows, in doorways and around beds remain a preventive solution.
Popular products
Going on vacation, many people ask themselves: what kind of mosquito repellent should I choose for effective protection? It mainly depends on your requirements for the product and the type of mosquitoes that exist in the area. Temperate repellents are great in our area, but if you’re going to tropical areas where mosquitoes tend to be more aggressive and carry various diseases, you’ll need different formulas.
In addition, the choice of protection depends on the age (infant, child, adult) and on your condition: not all mosquito repellents are recommended for pregnant or lactating women.
Consider the most popular products that can prevent or reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes.
Repellenti
Mosquito repellants are able to repel these harmful insects to avoid their bites. Thus, they avoid the discomfort and itching caused by bites and provide protection against all diseases transmitted by mosquitoes.
Insect repellent products differ in active compounds. Some repellents combine several molecules. Only a few substances have proven their ability against mosquitoes in the laboratory. It is important to pay attention to the concentration of the active molecule. Too high concentrations are not recommended for children under 12 years of age, infants and pregnant or lactating women. Forms of repellents also differ in the method of application and the type of use (outdoors or at home).
The most commonly used in mosquito repellent formulations are:
➦DEET. The most effective synthetic molecule to date. This ingredient may have undesirable health and environmental effects, but remains the most effective against insects in tropical areas.
However, keep in mind that this active substance reduces sun protection by about 30%. So stock up on a high-level sunscreen (preferably SPF 50).
➦IR 3535 or 35/35 . Synthetic molecule used in temperate and tropical areas.
➦ Permethrin . Mainly used to impregnate clothing or mosquito nets due to some adverse reactions on skin contact.
➦ Icaridin . An alternative to DEET, mainly used in the fight against the malaria mosquito.
➦D (p-menthane-3,8-diol). A naturally occurring molecule found in most organic mosquito repellents. It is the most effective natural molecule. It is obtained from the essential oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Mosquito spray
This repellent product provides better protection by spraying the active molecule directly onto the skin to prevent stings. It can also be used to impregnate clothing, mosquito nets or any other textile. Aerosol packaging makes it easier and faster to apply.
Aerosols
Aerosol sprays are designed to repel flying insects (mosquitoes, but also flies, wasps and horseflies) away from the home. They are often flavored.
Creams and lotions
Creams and lotions provide longer lasting protection but may have some unwanted effects. They penetrate deep into the skin and can cause reactions in people with sensitive skin. Such a product is easy to apply and can be used on any part of the body that needs protection.
Bracelets
Protective solution for wearing on the wrist. They are impregnated with a synthetic or natural anti-mosquito solution to repel insects from humans. These products are one of many innovative mosquito repellent solutions.
Fumigators
These funds are plugged into the outlet, after which they begin to release active substances that can scare away (or even kill) “unwanted guests.” These products are especially recommended for use at night to avoid the annoying sound of a buzzing mosquito near the ear, not to mention the multiple bites found upon waking up.
Essential oils
Essential oils have excellent mosquito repellent and bite prevention properties. The most effective in the fight against them are the essential oils of Javanese Lemongrass, Lemon Eucalyptus and Bourbon Geranium, which contain geraniol and citronella molecules. They can be sprayed or applied directly to the skin (2-3 drops), repeating the operation every 4 hours.
Contraindications:
– pregnant and lactating women
– allergic to the product
– children under 3 years
– asthma patients
– possible drug interactions.
In case of irritation of the mucous membranes, tears or coughing, the use of essential oils should be discontinued.
To keep the repellant active throughout the day, use it 3 times a day. It can also be applied to areas protected by clothing to minimize the risk of bites in these less vulnerable areas.
In summer, it is important to apply the product over sunscreen to optimize protection.