Many of us are bitten by insects such as midges and mosquitos while enjoying our travels – and it can be both irritating and unpleasant. Mosquito bites are the small, itchy bumps that appear when a female mosquito feeds on your blood.
While some mosquitoes can transmit fatal diseases, most bites are harmless but irritatingly itchy, much like midge bites. Despite knowing we shouldn’t scratch, resisting the urge is often difficult.
Travel expert Kim Hanks from Inspire Ambitions has now revealed a simple trick to instantly soothe the itchiness of mosquito bites. Kim told Wales Online: “Most mosquito bites stop itching on their own in a few days, but if you can’t wait that long all you need is a spoon and some hot water.
“Firstly, get your spoon and run it under a hot water tap.You want to warm the spoon up so it’s a little uncomfortable when you put it on your skin, but not too warm that it’s going to burn you.
When you have warmed your spoon enough, quickly dry it with a clean towel and then put the spoon on your bite for as long as you can tolerate it. It should be a little uncomfortable, but not too hot that it will burn your skin.”
Using temperature to combat itchy bites is a well-known remedy, with other techniques including applying an ice cube to the affected area. Hot water has also been used to relieve the itchiness of conditions such as eczema.
Kim advises, “When you put the hot spoon on your mosquito bite you desensitise the nerves in that area that transmit the itching sensation causing you to stop feeling the need to itch. While there are many other treatments for mosquito bites, if you want a free technique that acts almost instantly I would highly recommend trying this out.”
But she cautioned: “If you do try this hack, make sure to test the spoon on an area that isn’t a bite first. This way if you do burn yourself you aren’t burning your bite, which will make the whole situation a lot worse.”
Kim’s recommendation is backed by a scientific study from the University of Greifswald in Germany, which examined the use of concentrated heat after insect bites and stings. The study found it was successful on a range of bites and stings including mosquitos, wasps and bees.
Out of 146 people aged between 2 and 81, it was found to quickly reduce or clear the symptoms. The study stated: “Locally administrated concentrated heat leads to fast amelioration of symptoms. Usually an absence of symptoms is noticeable 10 minutes after administration. Pain reduction is the dominant effect.”
While mosquito bites are annoying, they can at times also infect you with diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever. If you know you are going to an area where mosquitoes are found, it’s better to take steps to prevent them in the first place.
Kim advises: “Wear loose-fitting clothing, use insect repellent and use a mosquito net. If you see any puddles of water in or around your accommodation, try to get rid of it as mosquitos lay their eggs in water.
“If you’re not sure if where you are travelling to has a mosquito problem, load up your favourite travel review website and check out a few hotels in the location you are staying in. Go to the review section of that site and search for the keywords ‘mosquitos’.
“This should give you an indication if you need to pack the above equipment.”
