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How to relieve mosquito bites?

Every year, mosquitoes return for the summer! And where there are mosquitoes, there are mosquito bites, along with the customary itching, redness and other issues. So what can be done to avoid them? How can you treat and sooth mosquito bites? Are tiger mosquito bites different? This summer, our tips can help you say ‘No!’ to mosquito bites! These solutions are easy to implement or you can make them yourself.

UNDERSTANDING WHY A MOSQUITO BITES

Before giving you our tips for avoiding, treating and soothing mosquito bites, our experts answer your most frequently asked questions about mosquitoes.

Might I find mosquitoes around my home all year round?

Yes, you might! Global warming, environmental changes, mass urbanisation, modernisation…: depending on the region, mosquitoes are now present almost all year round!

Why do mosquitoes and tiger mosquitoes bite us?

Firstly, only female mosquitoes bite us. They do it because they need our blood to develop their eggs. Male mosquitoes, on the other hand, gather nectar from flowers and decaying vegetation.

What attracts mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes are attracted to the CO2 we exhale. They are also attracted to the odours caused by perspiration.

Why do mosquito bites itch?

When they bite, female mosquitoes inject their saliva which contains an anticoagulant. This enables them to suck up our blood without their proboscis getting clogged up. It prompts an immediate reaction by our immune system which is responsible for that disagreeable itching.

TREATING MOSQUITO BITES

In a previous article we learnt how to protect ourselves from mosquitoes and how to avoid being bitten. However, there are a lot of mosquitoes and it’s almost impossible to avoid being bitten completely. So what should we do after being bitten by a mosquito? How can we soothe our skin and ease the itching? Here are all our tips and advice!

First of all, DON’T SCRATCH mosquito bites! The more you scratch, the more you’ll want to scratch. That’s not a tip – it’s common sense! We know it’s tempting and hard to resist. But scratching will only make the itching and the pain worse. You’ll create an even bigger wound which might become infected and could leave you with lesions or a scar on your skin.
Before trying to soothe the itching caused by a bite, disinfect the affected area. A little water and some authentic olive oil Marseille soap will do the trick. This stage is essential to avoid infection, particularly if you’ve scratched your mosquito bite.

SOOTHING MOSQUITO BITES

Once you’ve disinfected the affected area, you can soothe any inflammation with several simple, quick and natural home remedies:

Put a mineral water ice cube on the bite. The cold instantly soothes the itching.
Apply a drop of spike lavender essential oil to the bite. It’s known for its soothing and antiseptic properties.
Consider using Aloe Vera gel. It’s recognised for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Some home remedies recommend rubbing the mosquito bite with leaves from soothing antihistamine plants. Don’t! It will make the itching worse!

Tutorial N°1: making a roll-on to soothe mosquito bites

Most roll-ons for soothing mosquito bites are made from essential oils. So, we’ve chosen a roll-on with both spike lavender, traditionally known for its soothing and restorative qualities, and calming and revitalising organic calendula oil, perfect for caring for sensitive or irritated skin.

To make this homemade, 100% natural, soothing roll-on, you will need:

A small rollerball bottsle of your choice. Metal or tinted glass ones are best to protect the effects and properties of the ingredients.
0.5g of spike lavender essential oil
20g of calendula macerated oil
10g of sweet almond vegetable oil
10g of aloe vera macerated oil
0.15g of German chamomile CO2 extract

Try to use organic ingredients (from organic farms).

The process:

Weigh all the ingredients and place them in a bowl.
Mix the ingredients well.
Fill up your rollerball bottle.

To be applied directly to common and tiger mosquito bites.

Warning: the presence of essential oils in the roll-on means that it should not be used by pregnant women or children under 7.

There you have it! You’ve made your homemade, 100% natural, soothing roll-on, perfect for soothing and calming your mosquito bites!

Tutorial N°2: making a balm to soothe mosquito bites for children and babies

Essential oils are very effective but not advised for sensitive skin, pregnant women, children and babies…. So, we have an alternative which doesn’t use essential oils:
a soothing, nourishing and protective, 100% natural balm which is perfectly suited to the fragile skin of the youngest members of your family.

To make this homemade, 100% natural, soothing balm for children and babies, you will need:

A small glass pot of your choice. Tinted glass pots are best to protect the effects and properties of the ingredients.
1 tablespoon of pure organic shea butter
1 tablespoon of avocado vegetable butter
1 tablespoon of olive vegetable butter
1 tablespoon of almond vegetable butter
3 tablespoons of aloe vera macerated oil
2 teaspoons of pure beeswax or plant-based wax
2 tablespoons of calendula macerated oil

The process:

Melt all 4 butters and the beeswax in a bain-marie. Mix it together well.
Take it off the heat, leave it to cool slightly without letting it set, and add the calendula and aloe vera oils.
Finally, poor it into your glass pot. Let it set. It’s ready!

The texture of your balm may change depending on the temperature in the place where you store it. You can use this balm for both common and tiger mosquito bites.

Now you know how to treat and soothe mosquito bites! Would you also like to know how to protect yourself from mosquitoes to avoid being bitten or how to make a 100% natural mosquito candle to repel mosquitoes?