For many people, the fact that a mosquito bite itches is the worst thing about it. But there is a remedy: We’ll explain to you the simple trick you can use to get rid of the itching – without having to buy anything.
If you go out in the evening or near water in the summer, you will often encounter mosquitoes. There are many useful tricks and home remedies to get rid of mosquitoes: For example, you can put mosquito repellent plants on your terrace and when you’re out and about you can protect yourself against unpleasant bites with a homemade mosquito spray.
But sometimes all the preparation doesn’t help and you soon notice a mosquito bite that itches badly. Luckily, you don’t have to put up with that.
Mosquito bite itches? Simple trick that helps
To get rid of the itching, all you need is a knife that is not too sharp – for example a table or butter knife.
Run the tip of the knife under hot water until the blade itself becomes hot. Of course you shouldn’t burn yourself with it. So pay attention to a temperature that doesn’t cause pain on your skin and place the tip of the knife on the mosquito bite for a few seconds.
Scientifically, it is not yet entirely clear why heat helps against itching. One possible explanation, however, is that the heat breaks down the proteins in the mosquito’s saliva that got under your skin through the bite. Then your body stops producing histamine, which it previously released in response to these proteins. When histamine production stops, the mosquito bite also stops itching.
Why do mosquito bites itch anyway?
When you have a wound and are bleeding, the blood usually clots quickly. This way your body ensures that you don’t lose too much blood and that the miracles close more quickly.
Mosquitoes bypass this function: so that they can suck blood for as long as possible, the saliva secreted during the bite contains an anticoagulant substance.
You usually don’t notice the sting until later. Because then your body releases the messenger histamine, which causes redness and swelling – and also makes the mosquito bite itch.
Heat the tip of the knife with a lighter? That could be dangerous
It is often recommended to heat the tip of a knife or a spoon over a lighter. However, this can cause burns because it makes it harder for you to control the temperature of the metal and it gets very hot quickly. So it’s better to play it safe and use hot water where you can easily feel and adjust the temperature.
If you often have problems with itchy mosquito bites while you’re out and about, you can also buy a mobile bite healer like the BiteAway (available on Amazon, for example).
Read more on Techzle\.com:
- Effectively drive away mosquitoes and sit outside in a relaxed manner in the evening: 6 tips
- Recommended: 11 bee-friendly plants for the garden and balcony
- Amber Wood Cockroach: It’s similar, but it’s not a cockroach!
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