Home Remedies to Treat a Mosquito Bite

Mosquitoes are by far one of the worst things about summer. Getting bitten by a mosquito is so annoying and you don’t want to spend all day or night scratching.

Thankfully, we’ve developed a few tips and tricks for handling mosquito bites over the years. It’s time we settle this once and for all. Does the “X” thing really work? By inflicting some minor pain, you interrupt the “itch signal.” As if you’re distracting your brain from focusing on the bite and recognizing the mark you just left on yourself. However, it’s only a temporary fix and apparently isn’t a great idea because if you break the skin, you actually open your self up to an infection, which would be worse than a bug bite.

So, what other remedies are best? According to Southcoast Health, common first aid can be used to treat a minor bug bite. “Generally, cold compresses, hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion, and antihistamines help alleviate the itch or sting of a bug bite.”

One listener said that her child’s pediatrician told her to keep a spoon in the freezer and apply it to a big bite. That’s an excellent thing to have handy all summer long. We heard everything from witch hazel on a cotton ball, aloe, toothpaste, tea tree oil, and tiger balm. I’m surprised Windex didn’t make the cut.

I was intrigued by this recommendation from Cheri Petitpas. “The Bug Bite Thing is a clinically proven tool used to immediately eliminate pain and swelling from a bug bite or bee sting without the use of chemicals, lotions, or battery-operated devices." For only $26.99 on Amazon, it could be worth a shot.