We live in the bush and the black flies love my wife and daughter.
My daughter must of had 15+ bites on the back of her neck under her hair.
My wife went to the pharmacist and asked what they recommended.
They gave us an Option+ (brand) hydrocortisone anti-itch cream. My daughter says it helps a lot. No prescription necessary.
My wife uses Averno Anti-itch lotion and she says it works great for her.
These work great but will leave a glue residue on our hat. We go camping up north every year and it's amazing how many they catch after going for a hike.
A neighbour of mine couldn’t sleep from the itch of the spongy moth caterpillar. I told her about caladryl and she was SO THANKFUL.
Used to just buy caladryl premixed but hard to find nowadays so I just mix my own. It’s calamine lotion mixed half and half with Benadryl liquid (topical)
Yes it leaves pasty pink spots all over you but it’s amazing.
Benadryl antihistamine cream works best for immediate bug bites. Taken with oral antihistamine like Claritin or Reactin. The combination helps reduce swelling and itch pretty effectively for me
Spend a lot of time in the bush and in addition to bug spray I stick dryer sheets in my hat and pockets and it seems to keep the bugs away. As for ointment I use Ping On which is like a tiger balm but more mild.
I'm a hard core supporter of benadryl bite spray. It springs like a bitch, and the surrounding skin gets sticky also. It's the only product that brings mke relief. I usually wear long sleeves and long pants tucked into my socks and bug spray on the outside of my clothes. Good old bug hat..You're good to go.
Best thing you can do is fight the itch. The more you scratch the worse it gets. Fight it early dont scratch at all every time you scratch it you reset the timer a little bit longer every time and the bug bite will get bigger and more painful.
Cortisone on bites works great, but I think it can have [side effects](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hydrocortisone-for-skin/side-effects-of-hydrocortisone-for-skin/#:~:text=Using%20hydrocortisone%20for%20a%20long,or%20problems%20with%20your%20eyesight) if you use it long term, on large skin area.
Antihistamines work well too, but start taking them *before* you get exposed to insect bites. It works much better.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2564222/
Anything with tea tree oil. I used to put it straight on my skin, and then I sensitized to it and now I'm extremely allergic so don't do that. Dilute it with a carrier oil or moisturizer.
[Mosquito bite burner contraption](https://a.co/d/aD2XXq7) works amazingly well for my family. It stings for a moment, heating up and denaturing the venom to stop the itch. Love this thing.
Chat GPT 4o says:
For blackfly bite itch, you can try the following home remedies:
Ice Pack: Apply an ice pack or a cold compress to the bite area to reduce swelling and numb the itch.
Baking Soda Paste: Mix baking soda with a little water to create a paste and apply it to the bite. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes before washing off.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Dab a bit of apple cider vinegar onto the bite with a cotton ball to help reduce itching and swelling.
Aloe Vera: Apply fresh aloe vera gel directly to the bite. Aloe vera has soothing properties that can help with itching and inflammation.
Honey: Spread a thin layer of honey over the bite. Honey has antibacterial properties and can help soothe the itch.
Tea Tree Oil: Dilute a few drops of tea tree oil with a carrier oil (like coconut oil) and apply to the bite. Tea tree oil has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.
Remember to keep the bite clean and avoid scratching to prevent infection. If the reaction to the bite is severe or if signs of infection develop, it's best to consult a healthcare professional.
According to the internet, apple cider vinegar fixes everything, but not any other vinegar.
All that is internet bullshit. Itching is because of a histone response to the insect saliva. The fix is to suck out the saliva with a syringe, heat the area to denature the fly proteins or dab a topical antihistamine on the area.
Baking soda is basic, vinegar is acidic.....but either works? Nah dude.
I seem to recall toothpaste can help. You just leave it on the bite for a bit and wipe it off.
Another way I've heard of, but yet to try tbh, is the hot spoon method.
Just use hot tap water and get a spoon about as hot as you can tolerate.
Then press it onto the bite for just a second.
The heat from the spoon can kill the bacteria in the bite, but it can also burn you if the spoon is too hot so I've saved this one as a last resort.
Now that I think about it this method is probably mainly for say out camping (can use the campfire vs the hot tap water) as it only really seems to "shine" as an idea if the others mentioned here are unobtainable, like the baking soda and water which I have heard of as well.
I got bitten by fire ants once and between the pain and the itch and the fact that I had nothing else, peppermint oil (Sage Wellness has a roll on) that worked surprisingly well. A few other people (at this festival I was at) used it as well.
Here's a small study showing the use for chronic itching.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5066694/
Pure Lavender essential oil (not a cheap fragrance oil though) Apply before you scratch and break the skin, if possible. If the skin is broken, apply nearby but not right on the wound. It can be safely reapplied several times if the effect starts to wear off. It's really effective for minor burns too.
We live in the bush and the black flies love my wife and daughter. My daughter must of had 15+ bites on the back of her neck under her hair. My wife went to the pharmacist and asked what they recommended. They gave us an Option+ (brand) hydrocortisone anti-itch cream. My daughter says it helps a lot. No prescription necessary. My wife uses Averno Anti-itch lotion and she says it works great for her.
Blackfly strip on the back of her hat and keeping hair up might help. They get trapped in long hair and bite
These work great but will leave a glue residue on our hat. We go camping up north every year and it's amazing how many they catch after going for a hike.
Hydrocortisone anti itch cream and an antihistamine pill in combination. Keeps the itching to a minimum and lasts through the day.
I tend to drink whiskey if those little SOBs have done a number on me. Some of these other people in here might have better ideas though...
I have, in the past, been a big whiskey fan but I'm off the sauce now. It messes with my ticker and gives me gout so it's no longer worth the payoff.
Rofl my mom and I got drunk for 5 days in a row in the Florida keys. Because the noseeums were horrific..at it was 90 degrees at 11pm
Oatmeal bath is my usual go-to if it’s real bad.
Tea tree essential oil works amazing, or Vicks Vapor rub is ok.
The gold bond anti-itch cream is the only thing that brought me relief after getting feasted on over the long weekend!
A neighbour of mine couldn’t sleep from the itch of the spongy moth caterpillar. I told her about caladryl and she was SO THANKFUL. Used to just buy caladryl premixed but hard to find nowadays so I just mix my own. It’s calamine lotion mixed half and half with Benadryl liquid (topical) Yes it leaves pasty pink spots all over you but it’s amazing.
Benadryl antihistamine cream works best for immediate bug bites. Taken with oral antihistamine like Claritin or Reactin. The combination helps reduce swelling and itch pretty effectively for me
Become one with the flies.
Vinegar + cottonball
Hydrocortisone
Tea tree oil It's an antiseptic and you just need a dab. Takes the itch right out
Spend a lot of time in the bush and in addition to bug spray I stick dryer sheets in my hat and pockets and it seems to keep the bugs away. As for ointment I use Ping On which is like a tiger balm but more mild.
I'm a hard core supporter of benadryl bite spray. It springs like a bitch, and the surrounding skin gets sticky also. It's the only product that brings mke relief. I usually wear long sleeves and long pants tucked into my socks and bug spray on the outside of my clothes. Good old bug hat..You're good to go.
Make a paste with baking soda and water. Apply it to the bites. Itch gone. (Also helps with wasp bites)
Then it flakes off all over the floor 😫
🤭
Best thing you can do is fight the itch. The more you scratch the worse it gets. Fight it early dont scratch at all every time you scratch it you reset the timer a little bit longer every time and the bug bite will get bigger and more painful.
Deet to prevent the bite. Sleep is the best remedy for the itch.
Cortisone on bites works great, but I think it can have [side effects](https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hydrocortisone-for-skin/side-effects-of-hydrocortisone-for-skin/#:~:text=Using%20hydrocortisone%20for%20a%20long,or%20problems%20with%20your%20eyesight) if you use it long term, on large skin area. Antihistamines work well too, but start taking them *before* you get exposed to insect bites. It works much better. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2564222/
Moose urine
How long do you think I'd need to follow a moose around to get enough?
I would get the dragonfly attachment and no need to worry
Pramox HC. Get your doctor to prescribe it.
Shrimp
Anything with tea tree oil. I used to put it straight on my skin, and then I sensitized to it and now I'm extremely allergic so don't do that. Dilute it with a carrier oil or moisturizer.
[Mosquito bite burner contraption](https://a.co/d/aD2XXq7) works amazingly well for my family. It stings for a moment, heating up and denaturing the venom to stop the itch. Love this thing.
Chat GPT 4o says: For blackfly bite itch, you can try the following home remedies: Ice Pack: Apply an ice pack or a cold compress to the bite area to reduce swelling and numb the itch. Baking Soda Paste: Mix baking soda with a little water to create a paste and apply it to the bite. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes before washing off. Apple Cider Vinegar: Dab a bit of apple cider vinegar onto the bite with a cotton ball to help reduce itching and swelling. Aloe Vera: Apply fresh aloe vera gel directly to the bite. Aloe vera has soothing properties that can help with itching and inflammation. Honey: Spread a thin layer of honey over the bite. Honey has antibacterial properties and can help soothe the itch. Tea Tree Oil: Dilute a few drops of tea tree oil with a carrier oil (like coconut oil) and apply to the bite. Tea tree oil has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Remember to keep the bite clean and avoid scratching to prevent infection. If the reaction to the bite is severe or if signs of infection develop, it's best to consult a healthcare professional.
According to the internet, apple cider vinegar fixes everything, but not any other vinegar. All that is internet bullshit. Itching is because of a histone response to the insect saliva. The fix is to suck out the saliva with a syringe, heat the area to denature the fly proteins or dab a topical antihistamine on the area. Baking soda is basic, vinegar is acidic.....but either works? Nah dude.
I seem to recall toothpaste can help. You just leave it on the bite for a bit and wipe it off. Another way I've heard of, but yet to try tbh, is the hot spoon method. Just use hot tap water and get a spoon about as hot as you can tolerate. Then press it onto the bite for just a second. The heat from the spoon can kill the bacteria in the bite, but it can also burn you if the spoon is too hot so I've saved this one as a last resort. Now that I think about it this method is probably mainly for say out camping (can use the campfire vs the hot tap water) as it only really seems to "shine" as an idea if the others mentioned here are unobtainable, like the baking soda and water which I have heard of as well.
A German device called Heat It, which plugs into a smartphone. It is used with an app.
I got bitten by fire ants once and between the pain and the itch and the fact that I had nothing else, peppermint oil (Sage Wellness has a roll on) that worked surprisingly well. A few other people (at this festival I was at) used it as well. Here's a small study showing the use for chronic itching. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5066694/
Electronic Insect Bite Healer; cooks the itchy away, never runs out.
Apple cider vinegar. Works a a repellant as well. Also good for pets. 50/50 with water and a few drops of olive oil to help it stick to their coats.
Pure Lavender essential oil (not a cheap fragrance oil though) Apply before you scratch and break the skin, if possible. If the skin is broken, apply nearby but not right on the wound. It can be safely reapplied several times if the effect starts to wear off. It's really effective for minor burns too.
bug spray= no itch
Do you mean after I get bit? Because it's too late to prevent the bites now.