If you love spending time in your yard, picnicking, camping, or hiking, chances are that you’ll be dealing with at least a few mosquito bites this summer. Mosquitoes are the most notorious biting insects, but gnats, fleas, ticks, flies, spiders, and midges also strike in many regions during the summer months.
Once your skin has been bitten by any of these pesky creatures, it will be more sensitive and often accompanied by redness, swelling, pain, and itchiness. Instead of potentially irritating your skin even further with chemically-based over-the-counter products, it’s a smart idea to try natural remedies to soothe them away.
These are some of the best ways to treat bug bites the natural way and get back to enjoying the outdoors this summer.
Aloe Vera
Most people only think of applying aloe vera to sunburns, but it’s actually a great remedy for bug bites too. That’s because aloe vera contains natural amino acids and active compounds that are beneficial to the skin and help it recover from injury.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon contains natural anti-fungal and antibacterial properties that help to protect heal the skin after a bite injury. It’s also been known to help repel mosquitoes in the first place, so keep some around at all times.
Cucumbers
There’s a reason that spa professionals put cucumbers over your eyes when you treat yourself to a facial. Cucumber slices help reduce swelling, so they’re also great to put on swollen bug bites after a mosquito encounter.
Raw Organic Honey
Honey has many different health benefits, but stick with the raw organic variety to get the most of them. Apply honey directly to your bite to soothe the itch and help your skin restore its natural moisture.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal isn’t just great for breakfast; it’s excellent for itchy and swollen skin as well. Try making an oatmeal paste with equal amounts of oatmeal and water, and then apply it directly onto your skin. Oatmeal baths are also popular to relieve the itch, and the easiest way to take an oatmeal bath is to simply sprinkle a cup of oats into a tub of warm water and rub it into your bites.
Peppermint Oil
This oil has a natural cooling effect and is also known to promote blood circulation. This helps aid the recovery process and soothes pain. If you don’t have any peppermint oil around the house, toothpaste that contains it will do in a pinch.
Basil
Not only does basil help to repel mosquitoes, but it can also help treat bites if you happen to get one anyway. The easiest way to use basil as a treatment is to simply chop up a few leaves that you’ve grown in your herb garden and rub them on your skin. You can also make a basil rub by adding a half ounce of dried basil leaves to two boiling cups of water. After allowing the mixture to cool, you can use a washcloth to rub it onto your bites for relief.
Seagate Stop Rash
Especially during the summer, it’s a good idea to have a bottle of Seagate’s Stop Rash in your medicine cabinet for all of the seasonal things that cause itching, swelling, and inflammation.
This easy-to-use natural topical adult rash spray has an omega-3 oil base and is great for many types of skin afflictions, including insect bites. You can apply it as needed throughout the day, and just one or two sprays provides immediate relief for most bites.
So stop itching in silence and give some of these natural remedies a try next time you get bitten!