3 Tips to Help with Mosquito Bites

During my #ETLUSA adventures I am finding that I am getting a number of large bites on my legs and arms. 

Image: We Heart It

When looking around on health sites and Trip Advisor Forums, I found that the reason we get bit is so that the female mosquito (males don't bite) can nourish her unborn eggs and can sniff out your blood from 50 meters away. Bluegh. 

But on a serious note mosquito bites can lead to irritating and even fatal consequences such as Malaria.

An obvious choice when going to a country that has mosquitoes is to check with your hotel or to pack a mosquito net that you can hang over your bed.

Note: When travelling in Thailand, these were pretty standard in all of our hotels/hostels. 

But, here are 3 helpful health tips that I have found to help prevent and treat your mosquito bites

Sprays and Ointments 

If you head into any cosmetics store (Boots or CVS), pharmacy or supermarket you are sure to find an aisle dedicated to insect repellent sprays, wall plugs, ointments and candles.

But what about when you are actually bit?? Well personally I recommend Boots own brand insect bite stick! Usually around £5 it's saved me from an itching frenzy more than once.

If you prefer creams or ointments then there are plenty available. You can find more information on insect repellents and bite creams here.

Fans 

According to medical research, mosquitoes are attracted to a body that gives out high levels of cholesterol or perspiring bodies.

Mosquitoes are repelled by air that circulates in a room, such as a fan. In addition to this, mosquitoes are also attracted to your blood when your body temperature is relatively high and/or sweating. 

So by keeping the fan on in your travel accommodation or by sitting near a fan at a restaurant, bar, museum etc...not only will your body be kept cool, but the circulating air will help to keep them at bay.

Natural Resources 

My grandma swears by a Aloe Vera body cream by Avon cosmetics for when she goes away to a hot country that has mosquitoes. Then there's the Guinness beer remedy, which may appeal to some people, but not so much to others.  

I think that we can all agree that most people will have some kind of "natural" remedy to help prevent getting bit by mosquitoes. 

However, when researching around on the Trip Advisor Forums, a common re-occurrence of a natural remedy that came up was lavender candles, spray or dried out lavender that should be placed into a hanky and carried around.

Another popular choice upon this thread seemed to be Tiger Balm White oil, which personally I had never heard of, but is a popular remedy in South East Asia - in particular Thailand.

So there you have it. I hope this helps you all and I'd love to hear about your ways of coping with those dreaded mosquito bites!