mosquitoes

[eleanor]

I'm the Worlds worst at being bitten. It has often been said that if I'm around everyone else is safe!

I think as long as you are aware that like anywhere else in the World, mozzies exist and take care to use a repellent you should be ok.

 

[Sparky]

Sorry i forgot to add that of all the different repellents there are, i find "Autan Lotion" to be the best although it's not 100%.

 

[Meerkat]

Imo this does not seem to be as bad a problem in the Port as it does in the countryside (hope I'm not tempting providence as arriving tomorrow). Have spent many an itchy holiday out in country villas (usually bitten when outside in the evening). One particularly bad year we stayed in Cala San Vicente up by the pines (we found out the nice grassy walk we used was in fact a dry river bed!). Even Mr Meerkat got bitten and he's usually left alone (he claims the trick is not to have too much blood in your alcohol). I always use repellant in the bedrooms cos there's nothing worse than hearing the little blighters buzzing round your bed, (except when they get you of course!)

 

[sws97sdg]

Lol @ Meerkat, perhaps thats why they leave me alone as well

 

[shotokan]

I am one of the "Avon Skin So Soft Loyal!"
x

 

[Gommar Goffer]

I always used to use Autan (the bu**ers love me and the alcohol only numbs the mind - in the morning they itch like bu**ery) Then started using boots own and it was just as good - I think they are one and the same - certainly smell like it.

Strangely, since I have lost weight, they seem to be far less interested in me

 

[med777]

... when the damage has been done!

I react very badly to insect bites especially mozzies and in the uk, clegs or horseflies. My everyday routine is applying repellant first thing in the morning and then again around 6pm... but there is always one that gets ya!
Recently I bought a pack of STING PATCHES and when bitten by a cleg applied a patch straight away... result... vitually no itching, no swelling or redness at all and disappeared completely in a couple of days. (Previous bites have included my whole leg being poisoned and having to not walk for a week plus a very strong course of antibiotics.)
I told a friend about them and she has had similar results.
I picked mine up in B & M store but here is a link where u can get them online
Sting Patch (soothes bites) £1.99
In B & M, I think they were about £1.50 ish... I can't beleive how effective they are and how cheap ! Each pack contains 10 patches.
I know different things work for different folks but this is the only effectivetive remedy for bites that I have found and for 2 quid, ya gotta have it in ur handbag

Miriam
PS... I ain't on commission, honest ! Just one very satisfied customer

 

[its cd]

I usually get a few bites but this year I had a whole 2 weeks without 1 ...... they are either none in th eport or the skin so soft really does the trick ....... I didn;t use it is the daytime, just at night before we went out

By the way what's the B & M shop ?

 

[med777]

cd...not really sure... they have popped up around scotland taking over Au Natural(spl?) shops... I thought it was an englandshire chain? anyone know ?
Basically a step up from a pound shop...

Miriam

 

[Sparky]

Oh Miriam, the dreaded horsefly bites.............now this really is a serious problem for me, i have been warned by my doctor that i need to get treatment immediately if i get bitten because each time the reaction is worse and eventually i could end up having an anaphalactic shock.
I am terrified of the things .

 

[med777]

The thing about horseflies is I don't know any repellant that repels them... and I know exactly what u mean... it is complete terror as soon as u see one ! I was kinda hoping that the more bites I had, the reaction would lessen..... but it doesn't sound like it from what ur doc is saying ! Pleazzzzzzzzzzzze tell me u dont get them in PP !

Miriam

 

[Sparky]

I have not seen any Miriam but am told they do have them, so i don't take any walks in the country areas.

 

[lollipop]

We have had one on our balcony over this past week,sorry Med 777.

 

[gary]

The mossies are definately out, bu**ers had a barbie on me. One bite on arm was very bad, arm tightened as if lifting weighs all day, red patch travelled from underside elbow to wrist and blistered, sore and very itchy. I was staying just around the corner from the villa concha, and the bar manager seen my arm, grabbed a sachet of vinegar, poured it over my arm and started to squeeze my arm. Blister burst, and problem cleared up after 2-3 days. The other bites on legs and back were not as bad, but itchy all the same. Third time in PP and 1st bites (not too bad me thinks as they do tend to get into a relationship with me, of which it is very one sided!!!). And of course as we hadn't been bitten in PP before, we never took any creams/repellents, wife and 2 kids got bit also, but thankfully no bad reactions. Still, didn't spoil my PP fix and can't wait to return.

Gary

 

[eleanor]

Sorry to hear the mozzies like your blood Gary. You and me both! Seems you had a bad reaction though. It was a mozzie, was it and not something else? I'm glad the bar manager at Villa Concha helped out. SO the answer is vinegar - well that is good to know.
Glad you enjoyed your stay despite the little monsters!

 

[Sparky]

Oh dear!! Gary, that sounds just like the reaction i always used to have. Vinegar is a good treatment if you don't have anything else, i now always carry "After Bite", it is like a pen and stings a bit but it takes the itch away immediately. The downside is that it's amonia based so you have to be careful not to get it near your eyes and of course the smell makes you cough a bit .

 

[eleanor]

Thats a good tip Sparky. I think I will purchase 'After Bite' to keep in my bag. Be slightly easier than a bottle of vinegar!
I was told that it is once you start to scratch the bite that the itch starts and the more you scratch the more it will itch.
Not sure if that is true actually as it would have to itch for you to want to scratch in the first place! I suppose also you need to be careful that a bite doesn't become infected.

 

[Sparky]

I can't speak for anyone else but in my case i never feel them biting me, i just get an itch and then it swells and becomes red.

 

[med777]

when the itch is really bad, one of the best things for relief is HEAT. Heat draws heat.... get a face flannel, wet with as hot water as u can stand and place it on the bite area. Repeat this several times and it will take the itch away for a wee while. Similar relief can be had running it under a hot tap or shower.
.... and for all u smokers out there - again using HEAT - when the itch is unbearable, very carefully put ur lit cig as near as possible without burning urself to the bite... hold it there and when u feel a little stab of pain ( very little), then withdraw cig. This gives instant relief of the itch.
As eleanor already said, once u start the scatching it only gets worse... mainly cos ur encouraging more histamine to the affected area.

...and lollipop..hope u got it and it didn't get u !

Miriam