What are the best ways to prevent and treat mosquito bites?

Question

What are natural ways you can prevent/treat bites? I'm not a big fan of most repellants, unless you know of a really good one.

Answer 1

The stronger the DEET content in the product you buy the better the mosquito repellent. I was able to attend a military course on insect control and their big recommendation was actually wallmart brand insect repellent. It has the highest percentage of DEET commercially available.

Avon's Skin So Soft is effective in that it is an oil like barrier on your skin in which the mosquitos dont like very much. You may want to see if they make a product with some deet in it. But the Skin So Soft alone is as effective as using baby oil on the skin.

If your going to be out for a long time in the woods spraying your clothes or tent with prometherin is a great product. It has to dry before you let it touch your skin and definantly something you want to do outside. You can pick those up at sporting good stores.

Sorry I dont know of any natural ways. The Army really stands by DEET and prometherin for insect controll. Good luck in your quest

Answer 2

Calamine lotion will take the sting out of the bite. Long sleeves and pants that are snug around the wrists, neck, waist and ankles will reduce skin area available to the mosquito. A hat with mosquito netting will protect the head although that is more black fly territory. Around your own property, do not allow standing water. Dump out bird feeders and keep all containers upside down. Install a fountain or bubbler in any ponds to keep the water moving and if you have drainage problems, make sure to keep the water flowing. This will reduce or eliminate mosquito breeding grounds on your property. If you must venture into mosquito country, the best repellents are the ones with 95% or better DEET.

Answer 3

Some repellents just don't work anymore after you use them for a while. The best way to prevent bites is to wear long (but thin if it's hot out) sleeves and pants whenever possible, and to switch brands of repellent every so often.
Putting toothpaste on mosquito bites reduces itching and redness. Chamomile lotion also helps a lot.

Answer 4

I returned from Nepal and India about three weeks ago and I was just as worried as you are before my trip however I was recommended by my travel doctor to take Doxycycline whilst there. Doxy is an anti-malaria medication, and a good one at that. Malaria being the most dangerous and common ailment caused by mosquito bites. Other diseases from these insects are uncommon. I also used DEET Bushmans Repellent whilst over there, as I do not use it regularly at home, using it for four weeks whilst away is not enough to do any lasting damage and it was strong enough that I did not receive one bite whilst there. If you are still worried you can visit an adventure store like Anaconda and pick up a "mosquito clicker" or some mosquito nets, however I found the mixture of Doxycycline and DEET Bushmans to be more than perfectly sufficient. Hope I helped! Enjoy your trip, it's amazing over there.

Answer 5

Citronella candles are pretty effective. The best is, and don't gag, is to burn old horse manure. Yes, I know that's not practical for most situations but if you're out in the bush working in mosquito infested conditions, it really does work. For bites I use tea tree oil. There are a lot of natural products out there such as StopItch and roll-on essences. Lavender works fairly well and is much more pleasant on the olafactory senses (if you like it).

Answer 6

you must have a clean sorroundings first and foremost to get rid of mosquitos. stagnant water spare tires are perfect breeding places for mosquitos so check out on this places. it is a natural way to prevent mosquito bites.

Answer 7

A small bit of toothpaste (regular white paste) will help take the sting/itch out of a mosquito bite.

Answer 8

i am so mosquito bite prone. to prevent, i use off! lotion. it really works. you can also light citronella candles or nymph leaves. to prevent, avoid wearing dark clothes and fragrances that are so sweet smelling. don't stay in dark and humid, hot places. stay in cool & bright or well lit places. avoid too much outdoor activities. if you have plants inside the house, take them out. and always have a fan handy to drive them away.

for treatment, use caladril or calamine lotion. tea tree lotions work great too.

Answer 9

yes,skin so soft is great. also the store sells brands that are much less harsh than previous years.
get cortizone 10 cream for the itch
remove any standing water if possible as they love water

Answer 10

eating garlic is said to help. i know someone who uses bounce static wipes. there is also a pest control website that uses natural remedies, i forget the name of the site, but you can search for natural pest control and get there.