When the warm weather rolls around, you can’t help but feel good, right? Sadly, that feeling often comes with a tinge of dread, because it means that the nuisance is never far behind. At certain times of the year, all it takes is a gap in the window and those pesky insects can get in and drink their fill! Shortly after comes that annoying itch, but why is that? Why do mosquito bites itch?
Understanding the answer to that question helps you to choose the right products to treat it with. These are both things we’ll be looking at in this article.
So, Why Do Mosquito Bites Itch?
When a mosquito sticks its feeding tube into your skin, it penetrates it of course, but that’s not all it does. The answer to the question – Why do mosquito bites itch? – is that the mosquito also injects its saliva, which contains an anti-blood-clotting agent which triggers your skin’s immune system response, leading to the production of histamine.
This histamine is the reason why your mosquito bite often swells while getting redder and more painful. For many, the reaction caused is mild, resulting in a small itchy bump, whereas others might get it much worse. It can lead to the person scratching the bite and making it a whole lot worse.
How to Relieve a Mosquito Bite Itch
While scratching might be momentarily satisfying, that feeling doesn’t last for long. In fact, it only serves to feed the itch. Instead of scratching, you should try using one or more of the targeted anti-itch treatments available. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Pramoxine Hydrochloride
One of the best ways to get relief is with a product called pramoxine hydrochloride. Typically available in a mild topical anesthetic spray, it temporarily numbs the area. Unlike scratching, which worsens inflammation, pramoxine helps block the itch sensation, allowing your skin to calm down.
Using Glycerin to Prevent Dryness
When your skin becomes dry and irritated, it can make the itching worse, which is why glycerin is a great ingredient for mosquito bite relief. As a humectant, glycerin helps draw moisture into the skin, keeping the affected area hydrated and reducing flakiness or cracking.
Protecting the Skin with Hydrocolloid Bug Bite Patches
Another effective way to stop yourself from scratching the bite is by using hydrocolloid bug bite patches. They create a protective barrier over the bite, helping to absorb excess moisture and shield the skin from bacteria. This not only speeds up healing but also stops unconscious scratching, which can lead to infection. What’s also important here is that once applied, you can no longer get to it with your fingers.
Why Do Mosquito Bites Itch? Who Cares When You Know How to Stop It?
Mosquitoes are pretty devious little critters, as they’re able to drink their fill before you’ve even noticed they’ve bitten you. While you can’t always stop yourself from getting bitten (even with bug repellents on), you can do something about the itching, as we’ve seen here. So, the next time you get that familiar red mark on your skin, don’t suffer. Just pop a bug bite patch on it!
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