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Treatment for chigger bites
what would you suggest to treat chigger bites?
(13 Jun 2006)
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Living in the southern parts of America can get you really familiarized with the tiny microscopic living beings that appear only in the warmer seasons. The larvae of harvest mites, these chiggers look a lot like dog ticks. If you have dense shrubs or tall grasses near your home, chances are you have already suffered their menace.
The adult harvest mites mainly feed on the plants, weeds and foliage. The larvae however, get a little frisky and bite humans. Fortunately, these larvae cannot survive in human blood so they remain close to the skin, just on the surface, and can be treated easily.
When the mites cling to the skin, they don’t waste much time. They start biting and leave behind irritated, itching skin. They can infect the skin and are responsible for spreading skin infections and diseases. Chiggers are known for carrying typhus bacteria which causes rashes and fever. When they are not carrying infection, their bites are irritating and cause inflammation of the skin and other rashes. There is also considerable amount of pain. Young children can especially be traumatized by the overwhelming pains that chigger bites can cause. Since chiggers are only found on the skin, their treatment is usually topical and therefore easy to follow, especially when young kids are involved. The life cycle of chiggers is relatively small and they do not remain stuck to the skin for long periods of time. This indeed is very fortunate. The first thing to do, if you have a chigger attack, is to scrub yourself clean. Maintaining proper hygiene and bathing daily makes sure that these chiggers do not remain stuck to your skin. If possible, use a loofah to scrub the skin. This helps to cleanse off the mites completely from the skin.
Clean your house regularly and change the bed sheets every 5-6 days. If you have long grass or shrubs around your house, mow the grass and trim the shrubs. De-weed your lawn or garden regularly. Use calamine lotion or any anti biotic creams topically if the chiggers have bit you and irritated the skin. The associated restlessness can only be subdued with the help of such ointments. Benzyl benzoate or hydrocortisone are effective against such attacks and can give temporary relief. The only long term solution is however, prevention. Keep yourself and your house clean if you want to stay away from chigger bites.
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answered by M W on 29 Apr 2010, 6:46:27
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An old home remedy for this is to cover the area with clear nail polish. Suffocating the chiggers that have burrowed under the skin kills them. I am sure there are other remedies, though. When I was a child this remedy is what my mother did and it worked very well.
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answered by C F on 7 Jul 2006, 8:37:44
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