This Sweet Ingredient Can Relieve Itchy Mosquito Bites In A Pinch (But Be Aware Of One Messy Drawback)

When temperatures begin to rise above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, it's time for mosquitoes to emerge and feast. Female mosquitoes look for exposed skin so they can snatch a drop of your blood to produce eggs. As anyone who has been bitten by a mosquito knows, it's not a pleasant experience. When the insect punctures your skin and saliva enters your body, your immune system gets to work and produces histamine. The histamine is what causes swelling around the bite area and the persistent itch.

The itch from a mosquito bite keeps on giving. Even if you applied some calamine lotion or itch spray hours ago, a minor graze of that area can get you scratching again. As unbearable as the itch becomes, you want to keep from scratching a mosquito bite so it doesn't become infected. One home remedy that can relieve a mosquito bite's itch is honey because it has an enzyme that reduces inflammation.

It might seem strange that the vomit from a bee can treat the saliva from a mosquito, but here we are. Honey plays a role in regulating inflammatory proteins, and its antibacterial properties can protect your skin from infection, according to a 2021 article in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. You don't want to slather on the honey like you would calamine lotion because it's likely to cause a mess. It's also not necessary. Rather, dab a small amount of honey onto the mosquito bite and cover it with a bandage. That will cut down on the sticky mess and keep your fingers from itching the bite.

You might also want to choose raw honey rather than filtered honey. Sometimes the heating involved in your typical store-bought honey loses some of the health-promoting substances such as enzymes and anti-inflammatory bee pollen. Raw honey also can be a little thicker, which might reduce the sticky mess when applied to your skin.

When you first notice you've been bitten by a mosquito, wash your hands and the impacted area to prevent infection. If you notice swelling, use an ice pack for 10 minutes. After that, make a paste from baking soda and a little bit of water and dab it on the bite for another 10 minutes to reduce some of the itch. Wipe it off and apply a hydrocortisone cream or other medication for mosquito bites.

If you don't have baking soda on hand, another home remedy for mosquito bites is oatmeal. You can grind a small amount of oatmeal into a powder and add some water to make a paste. Apply for 10 minutes. Chamomile tea can also soothe the itching of your mosquito bite, but don't pour the hot drink on your skin. Steep a chamomile tea bag for about 20 minutes then remove it from the water. Apply the tea bag to the mosquito bite for about 10 minutes, then save the tea bag for later in case the itching persists.