Home remedies for chigger bites are highly required these days as it the period of its spread and also the time that all of us enjoy summer outdoors so let's enjoy it without chigger bites. But first of all, let's talk about this annoying chigger.
What are chiggers
Chiggers are tiny larvae, classified as a member of the arachnid family, also sometimes called red bugs. The larvae are extremely small in size, but their bites are a powerful punch. You probably won’t notice them when they jump from the grass onto your skin. It's difficult to feel it until they hitch a ride to your home. However, when it bites it can be very itchy.
Where do the chiggers live ?
Chiggers live in weed, grass, in berry patches, and in any areas containing woods. It can be in your house garden, near the lake. They are so active in spring, summer, and afternoons when temperatures are warm.
They can easily attach to the skin if you walk near where they live. chiggers become inactive When the temperature falls below 60˚F (16˚C),. They die when the temperature is below 42˚F (6˚C).
How chiggers bite?
Only the larva stage bite humans or animals. They choose warm areas of the body. Chiggers grab onto the skin by using their claws then attach its mouth to the skin and injects saliva. That contains an enzyme that breaks skin cells down to liquid form.
The body reacts to the saliva and hardens the cells which shape a tube where the chigger sucks the body fluid making an itchy red area.
Symptoms of chigger bites:
It's well known that adult chiggers don't bite but the larvae stage after hatching don't fly or travel far but they stay together in wet grassy areas waiting patiently for their target of animals or humans walking near to the infected area.
Commonly, several chiggers are able to stick to a person walking through an infected area. When the chigger falls off, you will see reddish bumps that look like welts, blisters, or pimples. You can see a light red dot in the center where it injects its saliva.
It's common to be bitten by more than one as it can stay in the same site So bites will appear in groups and get larger for a couple of days to a week.
Unlike many insects, Chiggers bite in folds of skin and also places where clothes are tight. So most Chiggers bites occur around the ankles, waist, armpits, crotch, or behind the knees.
Most people feel symptoms during a couple of hours of the bite. The most common symptom of chigger bites is severe itching and the high desire to scratch.
How to Prevent chigger Bites:
If you spend time outdoors in grassy areas, that it may have Chiggers, there are important steps you can do to prevent bites:
1- Use an insect repellent that has DEET
2-Wear clothing treated with an insecticide like permethrin especially in areas where chiggers can transfer from clothing to skin, like cuffs, necklines, and the top edges of socks.
3- Natural sprays help keep chiggers away. So use a spray containing oils made from citronella, tea tree, jojoba, eucalyptus, geranium, or lemongrass.
4- Don't make yourself an easy target for a hungry chigger. Wear long sleeves and long pants, enter your pant legs into long socks.
These simple tips decrease the probability of getting chigger bites. Then you can enjoy outdoors free of itching.
Home remedies for chigger bites:
If you aren't be careful outdoors you will have these annoying itchy bits of chiggers.
Then we present to you steps for home remedies for chigger bites:
1- First check your body well you can see the red small insects attaches to your skin or your clothes
2-Take a shower or bath with warm water and soap to get rid of any chiggers on your body
3-Wash your clothes, blanket, or anything you use in the ground that may contain chigger
4-Now you are ready to have one of the home remedies of chigger bites such as applying any anti-itching ointment or cream contain menthol or calamine lotion.
5-Using over counter hydrocortisone cream or ointment.
6-Using antihistamine bills is a good tib in the home remedies for chigger bites as it realf itching and has also sedative effect.
7-Apply cold compress in the bite location for reducing itching.
8-Don't use hot water as it increases itching and scratches.
9-Resist the urge to scratch as it can cause injuries in the skin and also be a source of infection.
When you don't try home remedies for chigger bites?
Although the chigger bits are usually not dangerous and get bitter by themselves within days or a couple of weeks but They may require medical intervention as - they may be infected and need an antibiotic course of treatment.
-There is a fever
-There is a serious allergy that must be treated with steroid injection
Summary
In this article about home remedies for chigger bites, we take an overview of chiggers, how to prevent its bits, the steps of home remedies of chigger bites, and finely when you must visit your doctor
Read about: Home Remedies
Read about: Home Remedies
Written By/ Dr.Sahar eisa
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