Avoiding And Treating Bug Bites
How can I avoid bug bites?
Well, certainly, if you're travelling, to avoid bug bites you should get an insect repellent, and a good insect repellent usually has DEET in it. You should always consider using long-sleeved shirts and pants in areas where you feel you may get mosquito bites, but often those are areas that tend to be hot and humid, so it's hard to do that. So the best thing you can do is protect yourself with insect repellent, and the DEET-containing insect repellents are very good ones.
Why does it seem some people get bitten by bugs more than others?
What is 'scabies'?
Should I scratch an itch caused by an insect bite?
What is 'swimmer's itch'?
Swimmer's itch is an extremely itchy eruption that's self-limited. It's usually caused when a person swims or is in an area of water that is infected with a parasite or organism called the schistasome. That schistasome can invade the skin. Humans are not a normal host of this organism, so usually this organism will die within the human skin. During that process, it leads to a very reactive phenomenon of the skin that can cause itching and lasts several days. This itching is self-limited and resolves on its own, and these organisms cannot invade the infrastructures such as deep fat, connective tissue, or muscle or bone, and the disease is not communicable to another person.
When should I see a doctor about a bug bite?
