The best remedies to quell the mosquito bite itch

Maybe it’s just my imagination but I feel that the mosquitoes are so much more aggressive this season. And with all the time we’ve been spending outdoors and especially outdoor dining, I’ve had more mosquito bites already this summer then I’ve had in the entire last five years. We asked our listeners to help us come up with some of the best remedies for the itch. So many people agreed that this summer has been horrendous already. Maybe that’s why our phones lit up like crazy with people who have expert advice. I even had friends texting me while listening and asking me to please compile this all into a list and share it with them.These are the itch-fixes that our listeners swear by.

• Clear nail polish - dab a bit of this over each bit. No one knows why it works but it does!
• Ivy dry - this is a tried and true remedy for poison ivy but listeners swear that it also works for mosquito bites.
• Bleach and lemon juice - one listener swears that if you put equal parts in a little cup and put it on each of the bites you will be relieved of the torture immediately. Do this at your own risk, it sounds kind of weird to me.
• Benadryl anti-itch gel -according to one listener, this is the only over-the-counter remedy that really gets rid of the itch because it contains a stronger medicine.
• After bite pen - this nifty little medicine in a pen has been around for ages and I have to admit, I’ve never tried it. The active ingredient is just baking soda though so why not and just dip into the box you have at home?
• Salt water - the experts claim that a simple step in the ocean will make it all feel better. And I have to tell you I usually agree but this summer salt water has not worked for me.
• Vinegar - everybody’s favorite remedy for everything, apple cider vinegar is said to work for mosquito bites in two ways. Vinegar has astringent properties and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Baking soda - make a little paste with baking soda and water and dab baking soda on each bite. For many people this is a lifesaver.
• White toothpaste - this is actually been very successful for me. None of the fancy-schmancy gel or sparkly types. It’s got to be the white one and it’s got to be a minty one, something about the mint helps to quell the itch.
• Calamine lotion - yeah, the tried and true remedy that you knew as a kid still works. According to our experts, the trick is to get the right one. Some brands, apparently, work better than others.
• Rubbing alcohol - saturate a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and dab it on each bite. It cools and relieves the edge immediately.
• Honey - I haven’t tried it, but some people swear by a dab of honey on each bite both to relieve inflammation and to stop the itch.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco. Any opinions expressed are Judi's own.

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