How to prevent bites
When wondering what to apply to prevent bedbugs from biting you, you should remember that they cannot stand the smell of alcohol. Therefore, any cologne or perfume will do for protection. Electromagnetic repellers, fish oil, and ethers are also effective. Since bloodsuckers are activated in the evening, before going to bed you can put wormwood, tansy or lovage near the bed. Esters and herbal decoctions can be added to water for washing floors. All these remedies do not destroy parasites, but only reduce their activity and reduce the likelihood of getting bites. Another remedy is a mixture of cologne and edible cloves, which you can smear on to prevent bedbugs from biting open areas of the body.
To completely get rid of the problem, ointment against house bug bites is not enough, it is necessary to disinfect the premises with insecticides. Any chemical remedy for bedbug bites is harmful to the skin, so parasites should be destroyed in the house in the absence of children and animals. Get, Tsifoks, Tetrix, Forsyth, Karbofos are able to cope with the problem. Chalk Mashenka can be used even if there are people in the room, but it is better to remove animals for a while so that they do not lick the poison.
Prevention
It is best to use the services of a special service and remove the insects. If this is temporarily not possible, you can protect yourself in this way:
- Go to bed wearing tight-fitting cotton clothes to prevent bedbugs from getting to your body. Insects are not able to bite through fabric.
- Most insects cannot tolerate strong alcohol odors, so before going to bed, you can apply any alcohol-based product to exposed areas of the body: perfume, lotion, etc.
- Place bags of strong-smelling herbs around the perimeter of the bed: wild rosemary, tansy, wormwood.
- Bedbugs are more likely to attack only in complete darkness, so turning on a night light will scare them away.
Fresh air helps reduce insect activity. The bedroom should be ventilated more often; this method is especially effective in the cold season.
Author of the article: Bespalova Irina Leonidovna
Pulmonologist, Therapist, Cardiologist, Functional Diagnostics Doctor. Doctor of the highest category. Work experience: 9 years. Graduated from Khabarovsk State Medical Institute, clinical residency in therapy. I am engaged in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of internal organs, and also conduct medical examinations. I treat diseases of the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, and cardiovascular system. Bespalova Irina Leonidovna published articles: 503
How to relieve itching after bites
When wondering what to apply to bed bug bites, you should first relieve the condition with cold water. In the future, you can apply store-bought or homemade remedies in the form of ointment, cream, or gel. The main difference between these forms is the concentration of the active substance and the composition of the base.
- The ointment usually has a greasy base, but it takes a long time to absorb. This remedy is effective after bedbug bites, especially on dry skin.
- Creams fall between the other two forms. They are not too greasy, are easier to absorb, and are ideal for flaky epidermis.
- Gels are water-based and quickly absorb leaving a barely noticeable film. This type of product is ideal for itching and for drying wet wounds that itch after a bedbug bite.
Preventive measures
The effectiveness of treatment for bedbug bites will be zero if appropriate preventive measures are not taken to prevent the development of new lesions on the skin. A preventive measure to get rid of bites is not moving out of the apartment, not buying a special cream that would repel parasites, and not even trying to remove bedbugs from the house, but their harsh destruction. You need to make every effort to destroy the parasites, otherwise they will appear and remind you of themselves every night.
Do not trust advertising that recommends special ultrasonic repellers, as this is only a way to avoid becoming a victim of bedbugs one night safely. You can destroy bedbugs yourself using a variety of modern insecticides, but a more effective, albeit expensive, method is to call special services.
See also: Where do bedbugs hide?
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What to smear on a child
Faced with this problem, parents are wondering what to apply to their child for bedbug bites, because many adult medications can harm the baby.
The main thing is not to disturb the child’s biorhythms and hormonal levels.
Before smearing bedbug bites on a child, you should make sure that the child is not allergic to the components of the product. Children tolerate Rescuer ointment quite well, despite the esters and beeswax in the composition. It eliminates itching, irritation, hyperemia well, and has a regenerating and anti-inflammatory effect.
The asterisk can be applied for preventive purposes to repel bedbugs. Vishnevsky ointment is effective as a medicinal product and as a preventive measure, but the downside is its repulsive odor. The product should be applied to the bite sites twice a day.
To prevent penetration, the body can be treated with Advantan. This steroid of synthetic origin has an anti-edema, antipruritic, and soothing effect.
Medicines prescribed by a doctor
All drugs discussed below are available with a prescription or, at a minimum, require consultation. These ointments affect the body's immunity. If the use of other drugs does not provide relief or gets worse, the doctor usually prescribes Triamcinolone. Other similar drugs are Hydrocortisone and Advantan.
These antiallergic ointments contain hormones. During treatment, strictly adhere to the doctor’s recommendations. A careless attitude to instructions may result in the development of complications. Hormonal ointments cannot be used by everyone without exception. The restrictions apply primarily to pregnant women and young children. For some diseases they are also contraindicated.
Sometimes bedbug bites provoke the development of complications. When scratching itchy areas, infection gets into the wounds and inflammation begins. Antibacterial ointments are prescribed: erythromycin, syntomycin or tetracycline.
A strong anti-allergic agent – “Elidel”. Not used for first aid, but used for atolic dermatitis or eczema. It is also prescribed for children after three months. It is not recommended if the wound becomes infected.
The use of preparations with propolis requires caution. Some people are allergic to products produced by bees. Before applying the product, make sure that there will be no complications.
Effective drugs
When starting drug therapy for bedbug bites, it is important to choose the right medicine. In addition to individual characteristics, the selection of remedies is based on the severity of the pathology. For mild and moderate reactions, Spasatel, Psilo-balm, and Fenistil Gel are used.
A serious condition can be recognized by the appearance of:
- Severe swelling and swelling.
- Hyperemia with a bluish tint.
- Shortness of breath.
- Dizziness, fainting.
If loss of consciousness and shortness of breath are observed, then it is necessary to call an ambulance and take the first measures to improve the condition. For severe itching and rash, the affected areas are lubricated with Advantan or Hydrocortisone.
The presence of ulcers and purulent discharge as a consequence of bedbug bites may indicate infection in the wound. In this case, therapy should include antibacterial agents such as Erythromycin and Tetracycline ointment.
Fenistil
The main component is dimentindene. This antihistamine helps with skin diseases and allergic rashes.
Relieves itching, swelling, soothes the epidermis, resists infection, relieves pain.
A noticeable effect appears 20-30 minutes after application.
The medicine can be used in pediatrics from an early age. Contraindications include glaucoma, individual intolerance, prostate hyperplasia, age under 1 month. It is well tolerated, sometimes dryness, itching and burning in the area of use may be observed.
Psilo balm
The active ingredient is diphenhydramine hydrochloride. The balm has antiallergic, analgesic, anti-edematous, and soothing effects. It is used for chickenpox, skin rashes, insect bites, and sunburn. The drug is applied three times a day for 5 days. During treatment you need to give up alcohol and driving. It should also not be used by pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Elidel cream
Elidel bedbug bite cream contains pimecrolimus, which helps stop the allergic reaction on the skin after exposure to parasites. The drug can be used from 3 months. It relieves irritation and itching, treats eczema, atopic dermatitis. Contraindications include chronic pathologies of the epidermis, malignant processes on the skin, the presence of a bacterial infection in the wound, intolerance. Side effects include pigmentation, burning, itching, and hyperemia. Can be applied twice daily.
Bepanten
The active ingredient is dexapanthenol. The product is approved from the first days of life, has an anti-inflammatory and regenerating effect, moisturizes, relieves itching and soreness. Bepanten is applied several times a day. Itching and urticaria occur very rarely. An analogue is Dexpanthenol.
Other ointments
To prevent insects from biting and to eliminate existing wounds, use Hydrocortisone ointment for bedbugs. This is a hormonal drug, so it should be used with caution. The medicine is contraindicated for nursing and pregnant women. Also, it should not be used for oncology, acne, immediately after vaccination, for children under 2 years of age, for renal failure and diabetes. Side effects sometimes include burning and hyperemia. Hydrocortisone is applied several times a day. The ointment eliminates inflammation, eczema, and treats infected wounds.
Afloderm is presented on pharmacy shelves as ointment and cream. This is a glucocorticosteroid. The main component is aclomethasone dipropionate. The product has anti-allergic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory effects. The drug is used 2 times a day. You cannot use the drug for a long time, otherwise the functionality of the adrenal glands is inhibited.
Erythromycin ointment has a local antibacterial effect. The epidermis heals after 3-4 days of use. The ointment also relieves itching, swelling, and redness. The product should be applied several times a day.
Tetracycline ointment is used not only in dermatology, but it is also effectively used in ophthalmology. The drug is contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation, in children under 7 years of age, and in case of individual intolerance. The drug should be applied up to 4 times a day; it can be used for 1-2 months without interruption.
Traditional methods of treatment
For mild bites, traditional medicine, such as dandelion flowers and foliage, can help soothe the itching and relieve irritation. They need to be mashed to a pulp and applied to the bite sites.
Freshly squeezed juice of mint, garlic or onion will help cope with severe itching. A cotton swab is moistened in it and applied to the damaged skin. It is recommended to keep the compress for at least 4 hours; it can be secured with a plaster or bandage.
You can take baking soda and dilute it slightly with warm water. Use the resulting mixture to lubricate the redness and leave it on the skin until it dries. Then rinse with warm water.
Healing ointment can be prepared from medicinal herbs. To do this, you need to take chamomile, calendula, wormwood, plantain and wild rosemary in equal quantities. The herbs are mixed and poured with a small amount of warm vegetable oil so that it lightly covers the raw material. After infusing for 3 days in a dark place, the ointment will be ready for use. It is applied to the affected skin several times a day until complete recovery.
Strong black or green tea relieves swelling and itching well. The bandage is folded into 3-4 layers, moistened in tea and applied as a compress to the bitten skin. Remove the bandage after drying.
