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Mosquito Bite Remedies

Take at least one of these mosquito bite remedies with you on your next family camping trip to soothe the pain and itch of mosquito bites.

If you have ever been bitten by a mosquito, you know that the itching can be overwhelming. For some people, the itch is accompanied by redness and swelling.

Scratching a mosquito bite just makes it worse - but try telling that to a small itchy child!

It's best to avoid being bitten in the first place - but that’s easier said than done. If you do get bitten, you’ll want to know how to get rid of the itching and swelling.

Fortunately, there are lots of treatments for mosquito bites.

Over the counter mosquito bite remedies

A quick trip to the drugstore will provide lots of options.

Calamine Lotion

Calamine lotion, with its bright pink color and distinctive smell, can be very effective at relieving itching. It can be messy to apply, though.

Here's a tidier alternative. Aveeno Anti-Itch Lotion contains not only calamine but also an analgesic. It relieves the pain and itch of mosquito bites, poison ivy rashes and chicken pox rash.

Ammonia

Applying ammonia directly to the skin reduces itching very effectively - but liquid ammonia can be unpleasant to use: it's smelly and messy.

Here's an easy way to apply ammonia for instant relief. AfterBite is 100% ammonia, in a convenient applicator.

Benzocaine

Benzocaine is one of the more effective mosquito bite remedies. It relieves pain and itch, and can be purchased without a prescription. It is not recommended for use for children under age 2.

			Benzocaine is the active ingredient in the StingEze stick, which also contains an antiseptic. Many reviewers report instant mosquito bite relief: "like magic".
	Chiggerex ointment is effective for soothing all types of insect bites. It contains benzocaine, aloe vera and chamomile.

Lidocaine

If you are one of the people who are sensitive to benzocaine, you might want to try using lidocaine as an alternative. It too relieves pain and itching.

Here's a convenient mosquito bite itch remedy: an individual wipe, moistened with lidocaine. Keep a few of these in your travel first aid kit, just in case!

Natural Ingredients

There are lots of mosquito bite remedies that use only natural ingredients.

			Burt's Bees mosquito bite itch remedy is convenient to use - and it smells good!
	The Boo Boos and Bites stick from Clean George contains an essential oil (Ylang Ylang) that soothes itches.

Heat

Most insect venom - including that of mosquitoes - is sensitive to heat. Applying steady heat to the bite can magically remove not only the pain and itching, but also the swelling!

Therapik

This little battery-operated device delivers a safe and steady supply of heat that neutralizes mosquito venom and eliminates itching and swelling.

Home Remedies

In their quest to vanquish the pain and itch of mosquito bites, human beings have been very inventive! They have rubbed just about anything on their skin in the hopes that it will soothe the misery. Some of those items actually work!

I have not tried most of these home remedies for mosquito bites, so I can’t comment on their effectiveness. The good news is that even if they don’t work, they won’t do any harm either.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Moisten a cotton ball with apple cider vinegar and swab it over your mosquito bites. If it doesn't work, no harm done! Use the rest of the bottle to make salad dressing!

Toothpaste

Those who swear by this method say that peppermint toothpaste works best for mosquito bite relief.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera works wonders on not only mosquito bites, but also minor burns and skin irritations. My mom keeps an aloe vera plant in her dining room for minor emergencies. She just snips off an end, squeezes out the goo, and applies it to any affected skin for instant relief.

If you don't want to take care of a plant, you can buy bottled aloe vera gel. Be sure to look for 100% gel; some brands contain chemicals and coloring.

Lemon

Rubbing a cut lemon directly on a mosquito bite is said to reduce the itch.

Baking soda

I've tried this one! Make up a paste of baking soda and water, and apply the paste to the itchy area. It really does work - but the paste soon dries and falls off. You'll need to keep reapplying it.

Saliva

Some people say that licking a mosquito bite reduces the itch. I think I'd prefer to try the toothpaste or the lemon! I suppose that the advantage of saliva is that you always have some handy.

Other mosquito bite remedies

The "Itch Go Pocket Soothe"

This little device is small enough to fit in a pocket. According to the package information, it is a "natural kinetic treatment" that "contains quartz crystals which when clicked produce a low intensity electrical current to relieve symptoms".

Does it really work? According to one reviewer, "It doesn't really take away the itch, but it kinda helps."

There are many options for relieving the pain and itch of mosquito bites.

It would be even better, though, not to get bitten in the first place - especially since some mosquitoes carry diseases! Read this page about mosquito bite prevention and don't get bitten at all!

Now that you know about mosquito bite remedies, learn about more basic first aid instructions for camping.

Before you pack for your next trip, be sure to visit The Camping Family home page for lots of helpful information.