Allergies to Mosquito Bites?

[Kay0338]

The mosquitoes are absolutely horrible right now in my area  My daughter has gotten a few bites and twice they have become very swollen, with a big red area around them, and hot to the touch. The doctor immediately said it was cellulitis and that she had probably scratched the bites and gotten bacteria in them. I've looked at a couple websites and they say that people can be allergic to mosquito bites, but the doctor said it wasn't true. Do any of you have problems with mosquito bites?

[lvstephanie]

Your doctor was incorrect in a number of ways.... Actually most people are allergic to mosquito bites; if mosquito bites itch, then the person is allergic to them.

Causes
By Mayo Clinic Staff

Mosquito bites are caused by female mosquitoes feeding on your blood. Female mosquitoes have a mouthpart made to pierce skin and siphon off blood. Males lack this blood-sucking ability because they don't produce eggs and so have no need for protein in blood.

As a biting mosquito fills itself with blood, it injects saliva into your skin. Proteins in the saliva trigger a mild immune system reaction that results in the characteristic itching and bump.

The "mild immune system reaction" is just a different way of saying an allergic reaction. But moreover, some people have a much stronger allergic reaction to bites (usually in children) that is sometimes known as "skeeter syndrome" (yes, this is the term used in medical / scientific journals). In those people, the reaction leads to inflamed bites like you describe. However, to be fair, mosquito bites that get inflamed like that are more likely due to cellulitis and/or some other infection (usually introduced by scratching), so in that sense, your doctor may be correct. An easy way to distinguish whether the inflamation is due to skeeter syndrome and not an infection is in the time it takes for the area to become inflammed; skeeter syndrome tends to happen relatively quickly -- within a matter of hours -- whereas an infection will take days to develop. I'd just monitor your daughter to determine if those bites are just a result of itching or if she may actually have a stronger allergy than most others.

[Brittx]

Luckily my daughter has been bit and they go right away. However I have noticed lately when I am bit by a mosquito it scabs up and itches really bad, it's never happened to me prior to this year and It's really gross

[dancer139]

mosquito's are bad this year with all the rain we  have had.  if i'm out at night i either have  "Off" for me or i wear long sleeves and long pants.    I hate bugs flying around me lol so i have bug catchers everywhere 

[Kay0338]

Thanks lvstephanie. I found it strange that so many people online were talking about skeeter syndrome, but it wasn't a real thing...yeah right. I do think that her bites were cellulitis, because she has gotten 2 other bites and I've cleaned them with antibacterial soap more often than usual and she hasn't developed another infection.

And Brittx, that's kind of whats happening to her. I don't ever remember her even scratching her bites until this year. I'm not sure if your area has gotten a lot of rain, but we have and the mosquitoes are EVERYWHERE.

Dancer139, My daughter was wearing Off when she was bitten. If you notice you are getting bites you could also try Repel. I've been using it and it seems to work a little better. (It is also 25% DEET.)

[vickysue]

They go after me like crazy. I spray and put lotion repellent on every time I am going to be out and about a lot where the mosquitos are. Like pulling weeds, working in the garden and fishing are a few places.  They swell up and itch like crazy. I put Benadryl cream on them sometimes it helps sometimes not. Using ice cubes on them help some. They do not even bother my husband for some reason.  I also have to watch out what repellent I use as I am allergic to DEET, the  main ingredient in Off.  Then when I come in the house too stay I have to take a shower to get the repellent off as I can't stand the smells long. Can't win for losing.

[Brittx]

I haven't been scratching them either and they just get all scabby and gross. Ugh yes we've had a lot of rain also. They are so bad here compared to up where my mom lives but we are also near woods and I've seen too many bugs for comfort in this house 😫

[kewl4reals]

The mosquitoes are absolutely horrible right now in my area  My daughter has gotten a few bites and twice they have become very swollen, with a big red area around them, and hot to the touch. The doctor immediately said it was cellulitis and that she had probably scratched the bites and gotten bacteria in them. I've looked at a couple websites and they say that people can be allergic to mosquito bites, but the doctor said it wasn't true. Do any of you have problems with mosquito bites?

im  allergic  to  bee stings

[Kimdud22]

My daughter doesn't do to well with them either she is under a year old. I made my own bug spray with fractionated coconut oil, eucalyptus oil, and lavender oil. It seems to keep the buggers off!

[ladavia89]

I've been fighting mosquitoes and ants all summer. It seems like it's rained every day in June and July here. Benadryl has become my best friend.

[dreamyxo]

Thank goodness I've only been bitten twice so far.  They usually eat me up.  I love to sit in my yard in the summer.   I usually come in around six because they are most active during dawn and dusk. 

[lbeery]

I am not sure if you can be technically allergic to them but I know that sometimes they are more serious than others.  I had a bout with them a couple of weeks ago and counted 25 bites on my legs.  That's what I get for going to the garden without putting on that stinky bug spray. Well, I won't do that again!

[kingozzy]

I hate them little buggers, they are so annoying.  I really with they didn't exist but they do so I guess we gotta deal with them.

[lbeery]

My aunt swears by Vitamin B pills. She has always suffered terribly with the number and reaction to bites but she says now she ups her intake of Vitamin B and they rarely bother her anymore.  I haven't tried it myself but she says it works.