What are the effective home remedies for chigger bites? Chiggers are called red bugs and are originally tiny larvae members of the arachnid family. In spite of their tiny size, they pack a powerful punch while biting. You won’t notice when they jump from the blades of grass to your body because of their tiny size. But these bites cause itches and irritation in your body and can be treated by chigger bite home remedies.
Chigger mites infect humans when they come in contact with vegetation. These chiggers migrate in search of optimal feeding areas. While on your body, chiggers insert their feeding structures in the skin and destroy the host tissue by injecting an enzyme. After that, the destroyed tissue is consumed by the chigger larvae. As they can continue feeding for a few days, if undisturbed, washing your skin with soap and water is the very primary stage of home remedies for chigger bites.
Let us have a better look at the symptoms of chigger bites and how to provide home remedies for chigger bites if such a situation arises and how to treat one who is suffering from painful rashes and blisters for a long time caused by these bites.
Tendency:Â The chiggers can latch onto a person for a few days. So the possibility of getting bitten by more than one is very high. Chiggers like to bite in the folded areas of skin like ankles, waist, armpit, crotch, groin areas or behind the knees. Chiggers also like to bite at the places where clothes fit tightly, like shirt sleeves, pant folds, collars etc.
Home remedies for chigger bites include answers to all these problems that can lead to a chigger bite.
Contents
What Are The Symptoms Of Chigger Bites?
A chigger bite in itself is not noticeable. After the chiggers feed on the host cells of your body, you may experience the following symptoms:
- The most problematic symptom is prolonged itching and the desire to scratch.
- The bitten area may be red, raised or flat and appear similar to a blister or pustule.
- When a chigger falls off the skin, you will find reddish bumps at the bitten place. These bumps may look like blisters, welts, pimples or hives.
- The skin lesions’ complete resolution may take up to two weeks.
- Chigger bites on the penis can cause swelling, severe itching and painful urination.
If you think a chigger has bitten you, you must check your body minutely to find tiny red dots attached to your skin or move quickly.
The first step of home remedies for chigger bites is washing off the chigger that might still be on you. For this, you must take a shower or bath immediately and scrub your skin with soap and water.
The next step involves treating your wounds with some over-the-counter anti-itch ointments or creams. Using antihistamine pills or cold compress can also give you instant relief.
OTC medicines for chigger bites
Some anti-itch ointments that can be used for chigger bite home remedies are:
- Calamine lotion and corticosteroid creams to reduce itching
- Oral antihistamines medicines like Benadryl
- Menthol lotions or ointments
Generally, after applying a home remedy for chigger bites, the bites heal naturally, but your wounds may give you problematic itches and irritations even after a few days. In the itching persists, you should consult with your doctor as you may need steroid shots to calm your itch and swelling. He may also prescribe you antibiotics if your wound has become infected.
Misconceptions: Some people believe that chigger bite home remedies include specific items like:
- Nail polish
- bleach
- turpentine
- alcohol
People believe that these items are helpful to suffocate the chiggers, but this is generally a misconception because the chiggers do not actually reside within the skin. Hence the home remedies for chigger bites that have been found to be most effective are:
- Cool showers or baths
- Bathing using medicated soaps
- Colloidal oatmeal baths
- Cold compress
5 Prevention Tips For Chigger Bites
You can avoid chigger bites by doing the following:
- Wash your body with water and soap after coming outdoors
- Washing the clothes worn during being outdoors with hot water
- Avoiding low vegetation
- Using insect repellants
- Wearing long pants and long sleeves along with high boots and shoes while outdoor
4 Useful Home Remedies For Chigger Bites
Some household items have their use as chigger-bite home remedies. They are:
1. Bleach
Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup bleach to a full bathtub (with enough water to cover your body where the chiggers have bitten) and soak the wound. The bleach dries out the bite, kills any leftover critters and tames the itch. Therefore it is a good home remedy for chigger bites.
2. Baking Soda
The baking soda immediately senses coolness in the affected areas, and the itching begins to diminish. The itching (and swelling around each of the hundreds of bites) is gone within a day. Hence, Baking soda acts as a good factor for chigger bite home remedies.
3. Colloidal oatmeal
Colloidal oatmeal is a skin protectant that also helps reduce itching and inflammation. For ages, colloidal oatmeal has been used as a very effective home remedy for chigger bites. Bathing products like soaps or after-bath moisturizers containing colloidal oatmeal can benefit chigger bites.
4. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is great for preventing chigger bites. Put vinegar in a small spray bottle, and spray the legs and arms. This will act as one of the home remedies for chigger bites.
When diluted with carrier oils or moisturizers, some essential oils are good chigger-bite home remedies. These oils are:
- Tea tree
- Rosemary
- camphor
- lavender
- basil
Conclusion
Getting chigger bites is common if you are in the habit of wandering in moist and grassy areas like forests and lakesides. And these bites can sometimes be very painful and cause prolonged irritation and itching. But, as we have already discussed, there are effective home remedies for chigger bites. Even if the wounds do not heal completely after applying these remedies, you may consult a doctor, but this has the possibility of happening once in a blue moon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How can I make chigger bites heal faster?
You can use anti-itch ointment or lotion, like menthol, calamine lotion, antihistamine pills or using a cold compress.
Q2. Is baking soda good as a home remedy for chigger bites?
Yes, baking soda produces an immediate sensation of coolness in the affected areas.
Q3. Does hydrogen peroxide help chigger bites?
Yes, hydrogen peroxide dries out the wound but delays healing.
Q4. What is a natural home remedy for chigger bites?
Colloidal oatmeal is a skin protectant that helps in reducing itching and inflammation.
Q5. Is baking soda good as a home remedy for chigger bites?
Yes, baking soda is a good home remedy.
Q6. Does apple cider vinegar help in being a home remedy for chigger bites?
Yes, apple cider vinegar acts as a good home remedy for chigger bites.
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