Despite all your defenses, a wily mosquito will find a way past your defenses. A bee, wasp or hornet will give you a shot of painful venom. A spider can bite with a vengeance. Then there are the fleas that hop onto a goddess and bite. These stings and bites can be itchy and miserable and leave big ugly bumps and blotches. Since these bugs have no respect for a goddess that cares about the appearance of her skin. This post is how to make the itchy and sometimes painful stings and bites go away.
Why do insect stings and bites cause itchiness and bumps?
The simplest explanation is that the insect has injected venom or other substance into your skin that causes an allergic reaction. Usually, the allergic reaction is small and harmless, but in some cases, it can be severe and need immediate treatment.
Take the itch out of bug bites quickly using this simple recipe.
To soothe and relieve itching, this is a great recipe!
Homemade sting and bite spray recipe
½ tsp lavender essential oil
½ tsp tea tree essential oil
5 tsps aloe vera gel (or 1 2/3 tablespoons)
5 tsps rubbing alcohol
Majestic Pure Lavender Essential Oil, Therapeutic Grade, 4 fl. Oz.
Amara Organics Aloe Vera Gel from Organic Cold Pressed Aloe, 8 fl. oz.Majestic Pure Therapeutic Melaleuca Alternifolia Tea Tree Oil, 4 fl. Oz.
Mix the aloe vera gel and alcohol in a small spray container. Add the lavender and tea tree essential oils and shake gently to mix. That’s all there is to it. Your homemade remedy is ready to use. You may want to increase the amount you make so you can have one at the office, one at home and one in your camping gear.
Note: to test for sensitivity, mix 1 drop lavender and 1 drop tea tree oil into 10 drops aloe vera gel and 10 drops rubbing alcohol. Apply a small amount to the inside of your arm. If no rash occurs within 12 – 24 hours, you’re not allergic.
A word about allergic reactions to stings and bites
Insect bites can be a lot more than painful itchy experiences if you are allergic to them. They can be dangerous. If you notice significant swelling beyond the site where the bite occurred or other unusual symptoms you may be having a reaction and then it’s time to see a physician right away. S/he will prescribe a medication (usually epinephrine) for you to use when the bad bug bites. Sometimes you can develop an allergy to stings and bites that you didn’t previously have. This can catch you off guard, particularly if you’re hiking or camping in remote areas.
If this happens and it’s a bee remove the stinger by scraping it out with your fingernail. Don’t try and squeeze it out as this will inject more venom. Apply cold compresses and raise the body part. Carry liquid Benadryl with you just in case. If you are prone to allergies, it’s a good idea to get checked. Better to be safe than dead.
How to avoid stings and bites
The best treatment for stings and bites is to not get them in the first place. There are precautionary measures you can take and they are as follows:
- Wear protective clothing such as long pants and long sleeved shirts when working or playing outdoors. Tuck pant cuffs into socks so the little suckers can’t get at one of their favorite spots, your ankles.
- Nix the perfumes and sweet smelling lotions outdoors. They make you smell like a food source to some bugs.
- Use a good insect repellant. This can be in the form of a product you put directly on your skin and clothing or in
candles that keep the bugs at bay. You can make your own repellant (check out the post Homemade Mosquito Repellent or buy one. Essential oils with a reputation for repelling insects include Neem oil (Azadirachta indica), Citronella (Cymbopogon spp.), Clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) and Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus). Remember to mix these oils with jojoba or other carrier oil before applying to your skin. - Burn candles or a diffuser high in geraniol (a candle made with rose geranium essential oil is high in geraniol). These are good at deterring mosquitoes and other insects.
- If you’re out hiking and stumble find yourself near a hive, slowly back away. Sudden jerky motions can provoke an attack.
- Make sure you have screens on open windows.
- Keep garbage cans covered, don’t leave dog and cat food sitting out and get rid of any standing water where mosquitoes might breed.
Conclusion
We here at SpaFromScratch want all of our goddesses to have loads of fun in their lives. We want them to be happy, healthy and bug bite free. After all, it doesn’t look all that beautiful to put on that awesome new swimsuit when your legs are polka-dotted with red bumps and sores. We think insects that want to dine on our goddesses should find their meals elsewhere. That’s what we think and we’re sticking with it.
Now go have fun and relax.
Related articles
Colloidal Oatmeal – A Really Really Simple Bath for Dry Itchy Skin
Yesterday evening my husband and I were relaxing out on our deck when we were attacked by no-see-ums. Both of us woke this morning with a myriad of itchy bug bites all over our arms.
This morning I made this recipe and applied it with my fingers to the bug bites. It itched mildly for about 30 seconds, then, to my delight all of the itching went away. Needless to say, I am very happy with the results.
NOTE: When I combined the ingredients a thick solution was created. I had trouble getting everything mixed together well, so I used a stick blender. It worked perfectly.