Mosquito Bite Relief - Mosquito Bite Swelling

There can be many reasons why you might get a mosquito bite swelling, however, it is usually an allergic reaction. If you move to somewhere new, you will often get some mosquito bite swellings, but after a few months or longer mosquito bite swelling will not occur. Sometimes it takes a lot longer for your body to build up a tolerance. Eighteen months, if you move to another country.

Mosquito Bite Swelling

Mosquito bites itch because when a female mosquito bites you, she squirts saliva containing proteins and enzymes into the lesion. This saliva has a number of purposes that we know of: it anaesthetizes the area of the bite and makes your blood run more freely (anti-coagulant). It may also contain a weak antiseptic.

However, these proteins and enzymes are sooner or later detected by your body’s immune system (usually within 24 hours) and your body releases antibodies and histamine in an effort to protect itself from the antigens that the mosquito has injected into the lesion. These histamines are the real source of the irritation from mosquito bites.

This is where the hassle begins. Most individuals suffer from a little itching and a small hard bump. This mosquito bite swelling is not what is meant by an allergic reaction, although it is actually an allergic reaction causing the mosquito bite swelling. True allergic reactions are much worse and often require professional treatment. You will realize if you are allergic.

Some individuals go on to become tolerant to mosquito saliva and hardly show any mosquito bite swelling at all. In my experience, this requires 18-24 months of being bitten daily. It is not worth letting mosquitoes bite you in order to attain this condition.

Mosquito Bite Relief

Many people have their own favourite type of mosquito bite relief, but by far the best kind of mosquito bite relief is prevention. Long baggy clothing should be your first line of defence. Tight clothing allows a mosquito to insert her proboscis between the fibres of the fabric and bit you anyway (see the photo above), but baggy clothing lessens the mosquitoes' chances. Wear shoes and socks too if you go out at night. You could wear a light head scarf to protect your ears and neck, if one suits you.

After doing all this, you should use your favourite mosquito bite repellant on all exposed areas of skin and take note of how long the mosquito repellant is effective for. This is typically three to five hours and then you have to reapply it. My favourite is 'Kor Yor' from Thailand.

Then the mosquitoes will bite you anyway, but not in the numbers that they otherwise would have. Mosquito bite relief can be a personal thing, I think. What works for me might not work so well for you.

Here, in Thailand, I you something called 'Green Cream'. It is similar to 'Tiger Balm', which is also very good. Some people here use the inside of a banana skin on all problems to do with the skin. Others use the juice of a fresh aloe vera leaf and swear by them. Bicarbonate of Soda paste works for others in providing mosquito bite relief. Some people apply an ice cube directly to the bite for mosquito bit relief. My wife slaps the bitten area hard with her hand; not to kill the mosquito, but she says it dissipates the pain and the poison.

Shop-bought mosquito bite relief treatments include any antihistamine, hydrocortisone's and calamine lotion.