The Best Way to Deal with Itchiness From Bug Bites

How To Deal With Painful or Itchy Bug Bites

Many of us are excited to spend time outdoors after spending a full day inside for our work. Heading to the park or on a weekend vacation always sounds like a great idea until you come back home with painful bug bites all over your body. This article will give you some tips on how you can deal with bites and reduce some of the itchiness they cause.

Don’t Scratch!

As difficult as it is, try not to scratch your bug bites. If you break the skin near the bite open then it will take longer to heal and there is a higher chance of scarring. Additionally, if you scratch your bites with unwashed hands then you could cause an infection and make the situation worse. 

Apply Ointment

Most bug bites will go away on their own in about a week, but applying some ointment can help speed up the process and reduce the itchiness a bit. The most effective ointments to use are topical steroid creams, such as hydrocortisone cream. You can additionally rely on some oral antihistamine medications or apply an icepack to help alleviate some of the pain from your bug bites.

Prevention is Best

The best way to deal with bug bites is to try and avoid getting them altogether. While they are sometimes unavoidable, it is always a good idea to bring bug spray when you go outside during the early morning and evening hours, as these are times many insects are most active. Be especially conscious of having bug spray on hand if you plan to spend time near a forest or other areas that will be home to many bugs.