If you're checking on dogs and cats at home or hiking in your spare time, you may be exposed to flea bites. These animals then leave the human body and feed on other creatures, but leave red bumps that are itchy and irritated, especially around the ankles or feet. Luckily, there are many things you can try at home to treat these annoying bites, and you usually don't have to worry about flea bites. However, some people are allergic to nail bites and if you experience serious symptoms, a rash, swelling of the tongue or mouth, or difficulty breathing, see a doctor immediately.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Using Proven Treatments
Step 1. Wash the bite area with warm water and soap
Rinse the skin with warm water to remove any dirt or dust. After that, use a mild hand soap to clean the skin. Rinse the skin again to remove any soap residue. This procedure cleans the bite area and removes bacteria carried by the tick.
You can place an ice pack on your skin for 10 minutes after cleaning your skin if you want. This cooling procedure helps prevent swelling and relieves any irritation
Step 2. Use calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream
Both can be obtained from the nearest pharmacy and can relieve the itching experienced. Dispense a small amount of lotion or cream on the area affected by the tick bite, then smooth it out with your finger.
Hydrocortisone is a mild steroid cream, while calamine lotion contains ferrioxide. Both can relieve tick bite symptoms and speed healing. In addition, both products are also over-the-counter drugs and are safe to use in the amounts recommended by the manufacturer
Step 3. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about using antihistamines for severe itching
Sometimes tick bites are so itchy that you need to take an oral antihistamine. Your doctor or pharmacist can provide advice on over-the-counter or prescription antihistamine solutions. Some antihistamines you can try include:
- Diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
- Tripelenamin hydrochloride (PBZ). In some countries (including the United States), this drug is no longer sold.
- Hydroxyzine (by prescription only).
Step 4. Do not scratch the bite area
If you scratch the area with the tick bite too often, the skin can be damaged and infection may develop. Use over-the-counter itching relievers such as calamine lotion or products containing hydrocortisone to relieve itching.
Often, tick bites disappear within 1-2 days, but healing time will depend on how deep the bite is. At most the bite wound will disappear after 1-2 weeks
Method 2 of 3: Using Home Remedies
Step 1. Use an ice pack to stop the urge to scratch the wound directly
If you suddenly feel the urge to scratch the bite area, immediately take an ice pack and apply it to the skin until the urge to scratch disappears. Apply ice for 10-20 minutes to relieve itching.
Wrap the ice pack in a cloth if you want to keep it on the skin for more than a few seconds
Step 2. Apply aloe vera gel to cool and soothe the skin
You can cut an aloe vera leaf and apply the juice to the bite wound, or you can use a commercial bottled aloe vera gel. The cool sensation of aloe vera juice or gel will reduce the urge to scratch the wound, and aloe vera juice alone can reduce skin redness and swelling.
Step 3. Soak in a mixture of warm water and oatmeal (haver) to cleanse the skin while relaxing the body
You can make a water-oatmeal mixture using unprocessed or cooked oats. However, to make it easier, you can buy an oatmeal bath mix for soaking. Follow the directions on the package to make the soaking water. Make sure you use warm water, as hot water will usually encourage you to scratch the affected area.
If you want to make a marinade from warm water and uncooked oats, make sure you choose an unprocessed product. Flavored oat porridge powder (usually sold in sachets) cannot be used. Grind 80-160 grams of oats using a food processor and add them directly to a bath filled with warm water. You can soak as long as you want
Method 3 of 3: Taking Precautions
Step 1. Wear long-sleeved clothes when you are going outside
Fleas cannot bite humans through thick cloth. If you plan to go outdoors, wear long-sleeved clothes and long pants as much as possible. This way, the tick can't attach itself to the arms or legs, which are often the body parts bitten by ticks.
If the weather is very hot, you don't need to bother wearing long-sleeved clothes. Don't increase your risk of heatstroke in order to keep fleas away. You can still use insect repellent products to keep ticks away from your skin if you're wearing short-sleeved clothing
Step 2. Spray 0.5% concentration of permethrin on clothing and equipment
For added protection, purchase an insect repellent spray that contains permethrin at a concentration of 0.5%. Spray the product on clothes before you put them on and leave the house. This way, you can keep insects and fleas away.
- Permethrin is not the most effective flea repellent in the world. It's safe to apply directly to the skin, but the main benefit is that you can spray it on your clothes. Therefore, permethrin is an ideal choice if you want added protection to your clothes that can last all day.
- You can even find or buy clothes that have been coated with permethrin!
Step 3. Use insect repellent products listed as the best preventive measure
There are six proven remedies that can safely prevent tick bites. Insect repellent products containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, OLE, PMD, and methyl nonyl ketone (2-undecanone) can keep fleas away. While you can't use products containing OLE or PMD on children under three years of age, other ingredients can still be safe options. Just follow the directions for use on the product label.
All of these insect repellents or products are safe for use on skin or clothing, unless the user is under three years of age. Always use the product as directed, and keep the product away from the area around the eyes, nose, or mouth
Step 4. Spray clove and citron essential oil to keep ticks away from the environment
Some evidence suggests that ticks do not like the smell of citrus. Make a mixture of water, citron essential oil, and clove oil in an 80:10:10 ratio, then pour it into a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on an area where ticks are not allowed. The swarm of fleas will not approach the area for about three hours.
- This step can effectively keep fleas away in a short period of time. Do not spray the mixture on the skin. Essential oil based mixtures are not effective at preventing tick bites on the skin.
- You can also try a mixture of khaki weed, turmeric, thyme oil, geraniol, peppermint oil, cedar oil, or patchouli oil. These mixtures can temporarily keep lice away, but are either less safe or cannot be used sustainably for topical prevention.
Tips
- Fleas can carry tapeworms through their bites, but this is generally a problem for pets. However, it's still a good idea to visit your doctor if you experience nausea, fatigue, loss of appetite, stomach pain, or sudden weight loss.
- If you have fleas in your home, get rid of fleas by washing clothes, cleaning the house (using a vacuum cleaner), and washing carpets using the steam cleaning method. It may take some time for you to eradicate the entire swarm of fleas and this process can be frustrating, but the presence of swarms of fleas is usually not a very serious problem.
Warning
- If you experience any symptoms other than itching, skin redness, and mild swelling, call or see a doctor immediately.
- See a doctor immediately if you notice pus from a tick bite wound. Pus indicates a secondary infection.
- Despite popular belief, garlic is not a proven ingredient to repel or keep lice away.
- Do not use essential oils on pets if you want to prevent flea bites. Animals can show serious negative reactions to certain oils.
