(no subject)

[ramtops]

a word of warning ...

should you go walking round a lake, make sure you protect yourself against insect bites. I have some wonderful repellant that I bought in Ireland, called (delightfully) Badger Anti Bug Balm - it contains tea tree oil, rosemary, eucalyptus, citriadora and sandalwood, or so it says.

and I do so wish I'd remembered to put some on at the weekend; I have two bites, which I think are horsefly bites, on my left hand; one just on the knuckle of my thumb where it joins the back of my hand, and one on the heel of my hand. They are both incredibly itchy, and the latter is causing real pain, as I keep catching it. I'm putting anti-histamine cream on (great stuff that I got at Rite Aid in the States (why can't we have US-style pharmacies and over-the-counter meds?)), but I don't think it's helping much. I'm also applying tea tree lotion to ease the itching, but if anyone has any other ideas, I'd be delighted to hear them.

yours bittenly

Comments

[thewingedteapot.livejournal.com]

No ideas, I'm afraid, but a great deal of sympathy! Horsefly bites are bad, bad, bad.

[ulygan.livejournal.com]

A similar natural repellent is available from Scotland - <a href="http://www.bitefree.co.uk/>Eureka</a>. They also do an after-bite soother. I use a product called After-Bite. It's an ammonia based pen applicator that stings like cra(my *ed key has topped working!)y for a while but is really soothing after that. I think it came from Boots. Other than that I can only recommend rubbing it with an ice cube. Only brief relief from that I'm afraid.

[gmul.livejournal.com]

Don't know if it's related to the pen applied thing mentioned in another comment but I just caught up with this from a couple of weeks ago on a mailing list:

"This being notional (sic) insect week I thought I might remind those of you who have shown interest in my insect bite clicker thingie that they are now available in Boot's chemist shops; indeed there are 2 varieties. They are to
be found with the travel stuff or the insect bite creams."

[marypcb.livejournal.com]

lavender oil can be very soothing. Weleda does a great post bite and burn gunk with echinacea and nettle in that helps take down the swelling. if you keep knocking it, a plaster over the cream could minimise the ouchies