Clean the bite with soap and water, apply a cold compress to reduce swelling, and use an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or oral antihistamine to control the itch. Do your best to avoid scratching.
It itches. You’re reading this and you probably have a welt on your arm, or somewhere else, and it’s hard not to scratch. You’re certainly not alone there.
Mosquito bites are one of the most annoying experiences of the summer. And on the Outer Banks, mosquitoes can be worse here than inland. A bad evening outdoors can leave you covered in bites.
The itch itself is a form of allergic reaction. When a mosquito bites, it injects saliva that contains proteins and anticoagulants. Your immune system recognizes these as foreign and releases histamine, which causes the swelling, redness, and itching that you feel. Some people respond more strongly than others, and children often have more pronounced reactions.
This is why a good first step is to start by washing the bite with soap and water. This removes any remaining saliva and reduces the chance of infection, especially if you've already been scratching. Then pat the area dry without rubbing (since that will make it itch worse).
A cold compress is the fastest way to reduce swelling and temporarily numb the itch. Wrap ice or a cold pack in a cloth and hold it against the bite for 10 to 15 minutes. Don't apply ice directly to the skin.
For ongoing relief, hydrocortisone cream (0.5% or 1%) or calamine lotion can both help. If you are dealing with a lot of bites and the itching is keeping you up at night, an oral antihistamine like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or cetirizine (Zyrtec) can help from the inside.
The one thing to avoid is scratching. Scratching breaks the skin, introduces bacteria, and triggers more histamine release, which makes the itch worse. Scratched bites are also more likely to become infected, leaving marks that last much longer than the bite itself.
If you find that your bites become redder with time, warm or swollen, or start to drain, it’s time to see a doctor. Any of these could be a sign of an infection that might require treatment.
For Outer Banks residents who'd rather avoid the bites in the first place, Mosquito Squad of OBX can help. Mosquito Squad provides barrier treatments that help reduce mosquito populations by up to 85-90% on your property. Fewer bites means fewer itchy welts and less time spent raiding the medicine cabinet.
