How to Use Natural Remedies For Mosquito Bites

The intense itching from mosquito bites can ruin an outdoor barbecue or interrupt a good night’s sleep. The body’s natural allergic reaction to a mosquito’s saliva results in swelling and itching. Children often have a more severe reaction than adults do but anyone who is scratching at bites knows it’s miserable. Luckily, there are natural remedies you can use to reduce the itch and promote healing.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Vinegar
• Tea bags
• Tea tree oil
• Ice cube
• White willow bark
• Lavender
• Basil
• Plantain
• Baking soda
• Lemon or lime juice

1. Add 2 cups of white vinegar to hot bath water. Run the water as hot as you can comfortably stand it and soak for twenty minutes. The heat plus the vinegar helps reduce the itch. In addition, you can moisten a cotton ball with vinegar and dab it directly on the bite.

2. Save your used tea bags to use as tiny poultices and place a damp one directly on a mosquito bite, allowing the tannin in the tea leaves to counteract the allergen.

3. Use tea tree oil to soothe even the itchiest bites. Found in health food stores, on the Internet, or even in some grocery stores, tea tree oil acts as a powerful antiseptic and topical antibiotic to reduce itching or stinging.

4. Ice the bites with a cube from the freezer. Not only does the cold temperature temporarily numb the bite, it restricts the effect of the histamine deposited by the mosquito under your skin. Icing a bite early and often may reduce or eliminate most of the itch.

5. Break off a green branch from a white willow tree and mash the stem, separating the fibrous strands and chopping a small amount into little pieces. Add a little bit of boiling water and allow it to steep as you would a tea. After the liquid cools, dab it on the bites with a cotton ball. White willow bark contains salicin and acts as an anti-inflammatory on the bite.

6. Make natural poultices to soothe the itch with lavender, basil, or plantain leaves. Dampen and crush the leaves slightly and pack on mosquito bites, securing it with an adhesive bandage or a wrap.

7. Form a paste by adding a little water to some baking soda and place a dab on the mosquito bite. Allow it to dry and leave it on.

8. Try natural lemon or lime juice to take the itch out of a mosquito bite.

Tips & Warnings

• Give your body a little bit of time to react to the natural remedies. Sometimes it takes an hour or two to calm the effect of the histamine under the skin.

[DreamgoatAnnie]

on 12/30/2008 Nice article and some really helpful tips. Thank you for posting this to eHow. :o)

[amylaine]

on 7/24/2008 great info