Stop-itch or something like it?

Mike Harding · Guru

Stop-itch or something like it?

Whenarewethere · Guru

Hot gel pack at +45°C but not to hot to burn yourself to breakdown proteins in the poison.

yobarr · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
I am camped, as I was at Xmas, in a beautiful location in a forest in north central Victoria unfortunately so are some ants which occasionally take a dislike to me and bite me - just before heavy rain it seems. Over the years I have been bitten by many ants in many locations (I think they persecute me - they're probably species-ist) but these little sods are different. Their bite is not painful, much, but after about 12 hours a large area around the bite site becomes very sensitive to touch and very itchy. This reaction lasts for four or five days, is most uncomfortable and causes sleep loss - all this from the bite of one unsocial ant!
I dug out the first aid kit and discovered the Stinggose is about 20 years old and no longer works, naturally. Today in Safeway I intended to buy some more but the first aid shelf had about 20 different potions purporting to cure everything from brown snake bite to piles, more or less :)
My question is: can you guys recommend something which is effective in minimising the discomfort from such bites and stings, ideally something with a long shelf life?

Calomine lotion.Cheap and very effective.Cheers

Possum3 · Guru

yobarr wrote:
Calomine lotion.Cheap and very effective.Cheers

Mike be aware of date of manufacture if not buying a a large chain or chemist - we bought a bottle at Nyngan NSW at local IGA - 5 years old almost solid in the bottle - fortunately I needed to apply it as soon as purchased - so able to return for refund..

Normally a swab of Metho on cotton wool will stop minor irritations as will any lanolin creme.

Kebbin · Guru

Soov bite has a small amount of Lidocaine in it which helps with itching.

peter67 · Guru

yobarr wrote:
Mike Harding wrote:
I am camped, as I was at Xmas, in a beautiful location in a forest in north central Victoria unfortunately so are some ants which occasionally take a dislike to me and bite me - just before heavy rain it seems. Over the years I have been bitten by many ants in many locations (I think they persecute me - they're probably species-ist) but these little sods are different. Their bite is not painful, much, but after about 12 hours a large area around the bite site becomes very sensitive to touch and very itchy. This reaction lasts for four or five days, is most uncomfortable and causes sleep loss - all this from the bite of one unsocial ant!
I dug out the first aid kit and discovered the Stinggose is about 20 years old and no longer works, naturally. Today in Safeway I intended to buy some more but the first aid shelf had about 20 different potions purporting to cure everything from brown snake bite to piles, more or less :)
My question is: can you guys recommend something which is effective in minimising the discomfort from such bites and stings, ideally something with a long shelf life?
Calomine lotion.Cheap and very effective.Cheers

You have to be careful buying Calomine Lotion as you get older. An elderly friend bought Palomine lotion ( relabelled KY Jelly ) by mistake, the label says you can only apply the Palomine lotion in one or two spots on the body.

yobarr · Guru

peter67 wrote:
yobarr wrote:
Mike Harding wrote:
I am camped, as I was at Xmas, in a beautiful location in a forest in north central Victoria unfortunately so are some ants which occasionally take a dislike to me and bite me - just before heavy rain it seems. Over the years I have been bitten by many ants in many locations (I think they persecute me - they're probably species-ist) but these little sods are different. Their bite is not painful, much, but after about 12 hours a large area around the bite site becomes very sensitive to touch and very itchy. This reaction lasts for four or five days, is most uncomfortable and causes sleep loss - all this from the bite of one unsocial ant!
I dug out the first aid kit and discovered the Stinggose is about 20 years old and no longer works, naturally. Today in Safeway I intended to buy some more but the first aid shelf had about 20 different potions purporting to cure everything from brown snake bite to piles, more or less :)
My question is: can you guys recommend something which is effective in minimising the discomfort from such bites and stings, ideally something with a long shelf life?
Calomine lotion.Cheap and very effective.Cheers
You have to be careful buying Calomine Lotion as you get older. An elderly friend bought Palomine lotion ( relabelled KY Jelly ) by mistake, the label says you can only apply the Palomine lotion in one or two spots on the body.
If the ants get to either of those two areas,someone has a BIG problem.Cheers

Gaylehere · Guru

'''We purchased, from a chemist, a tube of "Itch eze plus cream" some months back when the midgies got us whilst on holidays. It says - pain and itch relief for insect bites and stings and the expiry date is 01/24. You keep it in the fridge. It worked on us. At home I've used Isocol Rubbing Alcohol on green ant bites, but we didn't take it with us on holidays, so we tried what the chemist suggested. Cheers.

Traway · Veteran Member

A chemists recommended treatment to me for midge bites all over my lower legs was haemorrhoid cream. It worked after the calamine lotion did not and stopped the itching and healed them within a few days.

Sheba · Guru

Straight Dettol works on lots of Itches. Haven't tried this one personally, but just found a tip that says Toothpaste will work on Itches, too.

-- Edited by Sheba on Monday 6th of September 2021 11:58:23 PM

rgren2 · Guru

Vitamin B1 is supposed to prevent mozzie bites, wife and I take a B complex each morning, this doesnt seem to prevent the bites but, we dont get the swelling or itching from them and other bites, midges, fleas. This doesnt work for everyone and it doesnt work immediately, takes around a week for it to kick in. Just another pill to put with the others in the morning.

oldbloke · Guru

yobarr wrote:
Mike Harding wrote:
I am camped, as I was at Xmas, in a beautiful location in a forest in north central Victoria unfortunately so are some ants which occasionally take a dislike to me and bite me - just before heavy rain it seems. Over the years I have been bitten by many ants in many locations (I think they persecute me - they're probably species-ist) but these little sods are different. Their bite is not painful, much, but after about 12 hours a large area around the bite site becomes very sensitive to touch and very itchy. This reaction lasts for four or five days, is most uncomfortable and causes sleep loss - all this from the bite of one unsocial ant!
I dug out the first aid kit and discovered the Stinggose is about 20 years old and no longer works, naturally. Today in Safeway I intended to buy some more but the first aid shelf had about 20 different potions purporting to cure everything from brown snake bite to piles, more or less :)
My question is: can you guys recommend something which is effective in minimising the discomfort from such bites and stings, ideally something with a long shelf life?
Calomine lotion.Cheap and very effective.Cheers

That's what the Mrs recommends.

Rob Driver · Guru

We mix dettol and baby oil and apply as both a repellent and for itching on the afterbite.

Have found this quite effective over time.

Relax-n · Guru

We returned recently from a trip to Qld. And while at Mackay I got badly bitten by midges, which generally dont bother me, but there was not an area bigger than 1cm sq that was bitten, but only on one arm as well as back of my neck.

Have had other odd bites since then, including ants, and it wasnt a fluke, it still works

Heaps of concoctions in the cupboard, including prescription items, nothing worked.

Went into a chemist and asked for some super duper cream, and got this stuff. I now swear by it, not cheap, $15 a tube. But worth it. Dont need much, stops itch straight away, only put on twice a day. And it lasts through the night.

Have been recommending it to others that get eaten by all sorts, including a trial dab on bites, and since met a few others that also swear by it.

Absolutely fantastic stuff.

The chemist also gave a helpful hint, when washing / showering, dont have the water too hot. Hot water can irritate bites

Sarco Harris · Senior Member

I have a friend that swears by roll on deodorant for ant and mosquito bites. I have no idea if it works, but she swears by it and to be honest, she gets bitten by ants and mosquitos when no one else in our group does, or even notices them around.

Mike Harding · Guru

Many thanks to all who replied :)

I had forgotten about calamine lotion; my parents use to apply it to my sunburn as a child. Also I had heard, but again forgotten, about using alcohol on such bites which may be why the cologne worked?

dorian · Guru

I thought I would see what an authoritative source had to say, but the advice is noncommittal ("there are medicines available to ease the symptoms of itching").

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/insect-bites-and-stings

As far as I can tell, the "available medicines" probably work by cooling the affected area.

To relieve itching, take the following steps:

- try not to scratch the area - keep your nails short to prevent breaking the skin if you do scratch
- a cool bath or shower may help to soothe the itching - gently pat yourself dry with a clean towel, but do not rub or use the towel to scratch yourself
- avoid perfumed skin care products
- try to wear loose cotton clothing, which can help prevent you overheating and making the itch worse - avoid fabrics which irritate your skin, like wool or scratchy fabrics
- an ice pack may relieve the itching but should not be placed directly against the skin - you can make an ice pack by using a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a clean cloth
- there are medicines available to ease the symptoms of itching - speak to a pharmacist for further advice and to make sure any medicines you take are suitable for you
- if you are in pain, get advice on medicines from a pharmacist or doctor

Mike Harding · Guru

Dorian: I had a look there the other day and found the same, however I also found this:

Symptom checker

This is an Australian government website so should be reasonably competent... probably.... :)

Hypochondriacs should avoid as, no doubt, they will discover they are suffering from virtually all the ailments listed! :)

oldbloke · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
Many thanks to all who replied :)
I had forgotten about calamine lotion; my parents use to apply it to my sunburn as a child. Also I had heard, but again forgotten, about using alcohol on such bites which may be why the cologne worked?

Just drink more. Lol