I react so badly to insect bites

Some people believe that taking vitamin B eg in an oral vitamin B complex preparation may reduce the likelihood of being bitten...

Question

I react badly to mosquito bites. In the past the bites have blistered and sometimes swollen into very hot, itchy spots.

I do take malaria tablets when required. On my most recent trip abroad to Spain, I was bitten again and the bites reacted as usual.

Is there anything I can take before a trip that will stop such an adverse reaction to the bites?

Answer

Insect bites can be very troublesome and if you are someone who frequently gets bitten and reacts badly to the bites it is worth doing all that you can to avoid being bitten.

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Insect repellent spray, and plug-in types of repellent can be very effective and covering up at times when bites are most common (early morning and evenings) is a good idea too.

In tropical places, avoiding bites is even more important because of the risk of catching insect-borne diseases such as malaria.

Some people believe that taking vitamin B, eg in an oral vitamin B complex preparation may reduce the likelihood of being bitten. Apparently the vitamin is excreted in the sweat and puts off biting insects.

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There are no studies that support this claim, but you may like to try this. B vitamins should not be taken long term but taking them for a few weeks at a time would be safe.

Try to avoid scratching any bites that you get as this does make the reaction worse.

Antihistamine medications such as loratadine should ease the itching to some extent.

An antihistamine cream specially designed for use on insect bites is also helpful. When you take a bath keep the water cool as heat will tend to make the itching worse.

One thing that you need to be aware of is that bites do sometimes become infected. For this reason if you notice that the area around a bite is becoming very red, hot or swollen, it is always a good idea to arrange to see your GP or practice nurse so that they can check that this is not happening.

The materials in this web site are in no way intended to replace the professional medical care, advice, diagnosis or treatment of a doctor. The web site does not have answers to all problems. Answers to specific problems may not apply to everyone. If you notice medical symptoms or feel ill, you should consult your doctor - for further information see our Terms and conditions.

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