SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — When it comes to avoiding mosquito bites, the standard advice applies. Wear pants and long sleeves, use plenty of bug spray, and avoid going out when mosquitoes are thickest at night.
But even with these precautions, we are still likely to get bit. There are so many mosquitoes this summer that it’s hard to avoid.
Craig and Lori VanPeursem of Sioux Falls, are two proud grandparents. Today, they are taking care of… “Emalyn, she’s our first granddaughter,” said Craig.
They brought Emalyn to Sertoma Park to get some sun and fresh air. Like everyone else, they are trying to enjoy their summer while avoiding mosquito bites.
“We haven’t been out a whole lot because of the mosquitoes, but we thought we would try it and see how bad they are today,” said Lori.
For those who venture out this summer, mosquito bites are inevitable. Avera’s Dr. David Basel says once you do have bites, you can do things to feel better and stop the itching. The first thing to do is wash the area with soap and water. Mosquitoes leave behind saliva that causes irritation.
“Over the next day or two, it becomes more of an allergic reaction as the body’s immune system comes in and starts releasing things like histamines,” said Dr. Basel.
That’s where topical treatments like cold compresses, calamine lotion, and topical antihistamines like Benadryl can be very helpful. You can even take allergy medicines like Allegra and Zyrtec to calm the body’s allergic reaction to mosquito bites. One thing you definitely want to avoid is scratching those itchy bumps. It feels good at the time, but it just makes things worse.
“So you get immune cells that come in like mast cells that when you scratch you actually cause them to release more histamine which causes more itching, which causes more inflammation, which recruits more mast cells more immune cells which then you scratch which releases more histamine so you get in that vicious scratch cycle,” said Dr. Basel.
What does this doctor put on his own children when they get too many mosquito bites?
He uses topical Benadryl and Calamine lotion. Dr. Basel adds a warning: you should avoid taking oral antihistamines and topical antihistamines at the same time because you can get an overdose. He says topical Cortisone can also help ease itching for some people.
