Two months ago I suffered with 38 bug bites from some type of unknown insect. At the time…I could not feel myself getting bit…nope, not at all. We had spent 30 minutes walking through a botanical garden while on vacation. I felt nothing biting or stinging me. Later that evening my skin errupted with 38 bug bites all itching and on fire!!!
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The first thing that I did was get a shower and washed myself with plain soap and water. Gently toweled dry and put on lose fitting clothes. I then called a doctor who was working at the local Urgent Care Center who recommended the following:
Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Topical Cream – This is an over-the-counter cream that you can pick up from the local pharmacy or grocery store. You apply it 3-4 times a day to help stop the itching and inflammation.
Benadryl – You can buy Benadryl in tablet form or in a liquid. He recommended that I take 2-3 oral doses of Benadry to help with the severe itching and to help stop the allergic reaction my body was having to all of the insect bites. This is over-the-counter and can be purchased at a local pharmacy or grocery store.
Cool Damp Compresses – The doctor recommended taking hand towels and/or wash cloths and soaking them in cold water from the tap. Get it nice and wet…wring them out and apply the cool compresses to the areas that are red, swollen and/or itchy. These worked really well for the few that were located on the side of my face.
Ice Packs – You can make your own ice packs at home or buy a package of disposable instant ice packs. I like using the disposable ones that are made for athletic injuries. They’re light-weight, portable and easy-to-use. The ice pack helps to reduce swelling, redness and itching.
If you’re experiencing any severe symptoms like breathing difficulties, fever, chills, swelling, etc. you need to be medically treated as soon as possible. You could be experiencing a severe allergic reaction.
You want to keep the areas clean! Don’t use harsh soaps, lotions, cosmetics, make-up, etc. on any skin areas that have bites. Those type’s of products can cause additional itching, swelling or induce an infection. ONLY use gentle, unscented products on your skin until the areas are all healed up.
Once my areas scabbed up and started healing…I applied Aloe Vera Gel to help with the healing process. In addition, Alloe can help reduce any type of scarring. You can buy 100% aloe vera in a bottle or tube. I personally used the organic Aloe Vera from one of my houseplants to help speed up the healing process.
Disclaimer: Please consult a medical professional for medical advice. The writer is ONLY sharing his/her opinion with the readers of the TCC blog. This post contains affiliate links.