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Treating Chigger Bites
How to repel chiggers and fleas from biting me
( 6 Jan 2010)
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If you’ve spent any time at all in the outdoors you would be familiar with the annoying red and itchy bumps from chiggers. You don’t even need to go into the woods to know what we’re talking about. Simply spending some time out in your lawn, gardening or working on the weeds can expose you to this annoying phenomenon.
Chiggers are generally found in grassy fields, along lakes, creeks and along other water bodies where there is vegetation.
Chiggers are basically tiny red parasitic larvae of the scrub mite or harvest mite, also referred to as red mites. When the offspring hatch they move to tall grass and other vegetation from where they can transfer to their victims more easily. They are a threat to a variety of mammals, humans included. The mites themselves are not problematic but the larvae are parasitic and cause skin and other health problems. They feed on protein from their hosts until they reach the next stage of their growth.
Contrary to popular belief they do not burrow under the skin or suck blood. They instead feed on fluids in the skin cells. To do this they attach themselves to pores or follicles and inject digestive enzymes that form a kind of tube or straw through which they suck the fluids. It is this process and the skin reaction to the enzymes that causes irritation and redness. The discomfort and itchy red bumps can last for several days. Chiggers are so tiny that they are not visible to the naked eye, which is what gives rise to the myth that they burrow under the skin, which in turn gives rise to the mythical remedy of nail polish suffocating them. Nail polish does no such good, but it’s only benefit could be that it prevents you from scratching the area, which could otherwise lead to secondary infections.
The best possible treatment is actually to get rid of the chiggers immediately. This will reduce the severity of the reaction and also reduce the duration of the symptoms. Gently rubbing the skin with a soft towel would suffice to get rid of the chiggers, but the best methods would be to simply have a shower with warm soapy water. The symptoms of chigger bites can then be treated with almost any other remedy for skin irritation. Calamine lotions work very well and can offer instant relief from the itching. There are also over the counter applications specifically for chigger bites that are quite effective.
If by any chance you experience symptoms that are more severe than the usual itch or if the symptoms do not seem to be fading then seek medical assistance as you could be experiencing an allergic reaction.
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answered by a on 6 Jan 2010, 5:40:12
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