# What is your go to remedy for chigger bites?



## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

The itch is driving me crazy! So far I've tried:

Anti-itch cream which works for about 10 minutes but is not killing the chiggers since I keep getting new bites.

Bleach in my bath water which fried my hair since I didn't think to keep it from hanging down in the water. Still new bites.

Vinegar in my bath water which was just tonight so don't know if it will help prevent new bites but does nothing for the itching.

Tried the nail polish thing in past years which didn't help at all.

HELP!!!! LOL


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Teej said:


> Anti-itch cream which works for about 10 minutes but is not killing the chiggers since I keep getting new bites.


The chiggers aren't there anymore.

What you think are "new bites" are a delayed reaction to the bites you got when you first got them on you. They usually stay on at least an hour before biting, and then drop off. They don't burrow under the skin as some think. The red marks are an allergic reaction to the toxins in their saliva.

Benadryl can help but it might make you sleepy.

It's best to focus more on prevention than on a cure.

Wear tall boots, tuck your pants legs in, use Permanone repellent on your clothes, and take a shower or bath ASAP after being exposed.

http://www.bing.com/search?q=Perman...0-0&sk=&cvid=501A0F220FB64282B604D2EAA7886FEB


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/prevent-treat-chigger-bites


> WebMD explains what to do if you get an itchy skin rash from the bites of chiggers, tiny pests that live in fields and forests.


http://animals.howstuffworks.com/arachnids/question488.htm


> Chiggers do not burrow under your skin, as many people believe, nor do they feed on animal blood. They actually feed on the fluids in skin cells.
> 
> Chiggers do not burrow under your skin, as many people believe, nor do they feed on animal blood. They actually feed on the fluids in skin cells. To get the fluids, they attach themselves to a skin pore or hair follicle and inject a digestive enzyme that ruptures the cells.
> 
> ...


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Vicks vapor rub is what my wife uses and she is very happy with the results. Can't say if it works for anyone else.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Bearfootfarm said:


> The chiggers aren't there anymore.
> 
> What you think are "new bites" are a delayed reaction to the bites you got when you first got them on you. They usually stay on at least an hour before biting, and then drop off. They don't burrow under the skin as some think. The red marks are an allergic reaction to the toxins in their saliva.
> 
> ...


Prevention is a good thing....but still doen't help ...after the fact"

Been dealing them my self....
https://www.homesteadingtoday.com/threads/bug-bite-remedy.563978/

Alcohol or ammoina , Burns like heck...but the burn stops the itch....
Then "Preperation H Cool Gel" seems to work the best for me.


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

We don't seem to have them around here but I've heard that blowing a hot hair dryer on them helps alleviate itching. No idea if it works, I don't think I've ever been bitten by a chigger.

Bugs have never cared much for me.


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## goodatit (May 1, 2013)

Teej said:


> The itch is driving me crazy! So far I've tried:
> 
> Anti-itch cream which works for about 10 minutes but is not killing the chiggers since I keep getting new bites.
> 
> ...


i don't know how many bites you have, but i had close to 100. i had to get a shot of cortisone, and then a round of oral prednisone. it stops the itch. good luck


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

Bearfootfarm said:


> The chiggers aren't there anymore.
> 
> What you think are "new bites" are a delayed reaction to the bites you got when you first got them on you. They usually stay on at least an hour before biting, and then drop off. They don't burrow under the skin as some think. The red marks are an allergic reaction to the toxins in their saliva.
> 
> ...



I still have scars from another time I got them picking blackberries. I avoid the woods and weeds at all costs this time of year. From putting two and two together I got them when one of hubby's buddies came down for a couple of days so that they could play out back at our shooting range. The fool didn't take a shower before bed and since all the bites are on my right side I'm figuring when I changed the sheets on the spare bed after his stay I must have tucked them under my right arm to carry them to the laundry room. It all came together when he called and said he had chigger bites. I told him next time bring his sleeping bag because he was sleeping outside in the dog kennel. LOL


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

Lisa in WA said:


> We don't seem to have them around here but I've heard that blowing a hot hair dryer on them helps alleviate itching. No idea if it works, I don't think I've ever been bitten by a chigger.
> 
> Bugs have never cared much for me.



LUCKY, LUCKY you! Bugs that bite and poison ivy seem to love me.


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

goodatit said:


> i don't know how many bites you have, but i had close to 100. i had to get a shot of cortisone, and then a round of oral prednisone. it stops the itch. good luck


Hubby counted 14 the first night he put meds on them. I've had several more show up since then. If I had a hundred they'd probably have to do skin grafts because I'm so not good at ignoring the itch. I've already got one patch of them scratched raw.


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

Thanks for suggestions every one! I accidently discovered what seems to work the best so far is putting antiperspirant on them. Made the ones under my arm quit itching so I tried some on my side. Yay for Secret Outlast! LOL


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Lisa in WA said:


> We don't seem to have them around here


Your months of below freezing temperatures do a lot to keep the populations low.


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## Murt (Jan 2, 2017)

I was eat up with chigger bites around my ankles while camping in Arkansas ---one of the girls that was camping with us had some lye soap that she had made
She told me to rub the soap on the bites and much to my surprise it worked no itch at all


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Calamine lotion


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## Brandilynn (Jul 7, 2017)

Chigger cream


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

mnn2501 said:


> Calamine lotion


Calamine is OK for Poison Ivy.
Caladryl works better on chigger bites.
It's a combination of Calamine and pramoxine HCI, which will numb the skin to stop the itch. 

http://recomparison.com/comparisons/101582/calamine-lotion-vs-caladryl/

There's also a clear version if you don't want it to show when it dries.
http://caladryl.com/en/faq/


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## Brandilynn (Jul 7, 2017)

Yes I have actually used deodorant as well on itching. Only thing at least for me it only lasted 5 -10 mins and then back to scratching.


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## manfred (Dec 21, 2005)

Very hot showers disperses the area and really helps. Itches more while you are in the shower but is a big help.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Brandilynn said:


> Chigger cream


Have it...tried it....Not impressed.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Need


Bearfootfarm said:


> Calamine is OK for Poison Ivy.
> Caladryl works better on chigger bites.
> It's a combination of Calamine and pramoxine HCI, which will numb the skin to stop the itch.
> 
> ...


 Need to look into these....Thanks.
Used it on poison ivy and wild parsnip.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

manfred said:


> Very hot showers disperses the area and really helps. Itches more while you are in the shower but is a big help.


Not really an option while out in the bush....shower is a P.T.A. shower.


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## Chuck (Oct 27, 2003)

When I was in the army we used to eat the heads off the matches that came in the MREs. The idea was that the sulphur in them would come out in your sweat and repel the chiggers, and it seems to have worked fairly well. probably not the healthiest thing to do but perhaps there is something a little more benign you could eat that would do the trick?


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

That doesn't sound too tasty Chuck. LOL


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

I believe I have tried every homemade and commercial remedy for these maddening chigger bites. Hands down, I have found the very best remedy for chigger bites is a good quality of Tea Tree Oil.

Tip: dab the oil onto the bite, wait a minute or two, apply a second dab. (Dunno why it works best that way...maybe the skin pores open or something?) Do NOT slather it on. It is too concentrated and expensive for that kind of application, not to mention inviting adverse reactions.

I have never found anything on earth that even comes close to relief like this, which lasts for more than a few hours. If and when it wears off, reapply as before. At most, it only takes a few applications to permanently cure the offending itch.

(To quote myself in a recent post):

_Tea Tree Oil is amazing stuff. Unfortunately it is often adulterated, which leads many to say, "It doesn't work for this...or that!" The key is to buy a reputable brand.

My favorite brands include "Now," "Swanson's," and "Desert Essence" which are every bit as good as the overpriced multi-level marketed brands…_ (My favorite place for these brands at the lowest possible cost is /www.swansonvitamins.com) No, this is not an affiliate link, just my personal experience. 


To prevent future misery:

If I jump into the shower _within an hour or two_ of being in chiggerland, I get almost zero bites. When that is not practical, I dust my socks/pant legs with powdered sulfur (from the garden supply store). Easiest way to do that is pour a cup or so of sulfur powder into the sock, tie a knot at the sock's open end. Then I whack the sulfur sock against my pant legs/socks before going in chigger/tick infested areas. It is a bit smelly, but compared to the alternative, I don't care.


.


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## How Do I (Feb 11, 2008)

Chuck said:


> When I was in the army we used to eat the heads off the matches that came in the MREs. The idea was that the sulphur in them would come out in your sweat and repel the chiggers, and it seems to have worked fairly well. probably not the healthiest thing to do but perhaps there is something a little more benign you could eat that would do the trick?


The military's response to recruits eating match heads?
https://phc.amedd.army.mil/topics/e...TreatedArmyCombatUniforms(ACUPermethrin).aspx

I don't know how comfortable I am with that, but I'm not lying down in weeds for hours on end.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

How Do I said:


> The military's response to recruits eating match heads?
> https://phc.amedd.army.mil/topics/e...TreatedArmyCombatUniforms(ACUPermethrin).aspx
> I don't know how comfortable I am with that, but I'm not lying down in weeds for hours on end.


That's the same active ingredient as the Permanone in my earlier post.


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

Paid good money one time for a bug bite remedy from Cabela's or Bass Pro that came in a "hunter orange" plastic bottle with a foam "dabber" tip. It worked great, took the itch out. Smelled like ammonia. So when it was used up and I got more chigger bites, I just dabbed ammonia on the bites. Smells bad, works good.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

MO_cows said:


> Paid good money one time for a bug bite remedy from Cabela's or Bass Pro that came in a "hunter orange" plastic bottle with a foam "dabber" tip. It worked great, took the itch out. Smelled like ammonia. So when it was used up and I got more chigger bites, I just dabbed ammonia on the bites. Smells bad, works good.


Ammonia was the main active ingredient in many products like "Skeeker Stick After Bite, Itch Eraser.
They no longer use it.....Why?...Don't know.


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

Maybe their sales took a hit after more people figured out that plain ammonia worked as good as their product.

(It never worked for me...maybe I have super-chiggers?)


.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Treat your clothes with Permethin, then also use Repellent with at least 30% Deet.

Soon as coming in from outdoors, shower and change clothes.

big rockpile


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

CajunSunshine said:


> Maybe their sales took a hit after more people figured out that plain ammonia worked as good as their product.
> 
> (It never worked for me...maybe I have super-chiggers?)
> 
> ...


Well, you can make your own for baking soda....cheaper that ammonia.

Some finding from my other thread....
Quote'
Looking today, the names are the same, but no longer list ammonia as an active ingredient....???

Many use Benzocaine, Hydrocortisone, in many brands with limited results.

"After Bite" now contains baking soda .....Didn't try

Chiggerex;.....Active Ingredients: Benzocaine 10.0%.. Plus a Whole lot of inactive stuff....Limited results.

Benadryl Itch stick..Ingredients: Camphorated Phenol (Camphor 10.8% & Phenol 4.7%), Eucalyptus Oil, Light Mineral Oil
Limited results

Some new ones I'm trying

"Campho-Phenique" Pain and itch gel...Camphorated Phenol (Camphor 10.8% & Phenol 4.7%), Eucalyptus Oil, Light
Mineral Oil

"Off" .....Bite and Itch Relief:
ACTIVE INGREDIENT:Benzocaine 5%, Camphor 3%, Phenol 1.35%...Inactive Ingredientsropylene Glycol 90.65%

Rubbing alcohol wipe...burns, but take away itch....Kinda like the ammonia did.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

big rockpile said:


> Treat your clothes with Permethin, then also use Repellent with at least 30% Deet.
> 
> Soon as coming in from outdoors, shower and change clothes.
> 
> big rockpile


All good .....Before the itch....we are dealing with ...After the itch.
Just saying.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

hunter63 said:


> They no longer use it.....Why?...Don't know.


There are better things used now that are just as effective but less irritating and less dangerous to handle than Ammonia.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Bearfootfarm said:


> There are better things used now that are just as effective but less irritating and less dangerous to handle than Ammonia.


What would that be?.....
I have tried just about everything.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

hunter63 said:


> What would that be?.....


Caladryl lotion is the best treatment I've found.
Prevention is far better than having to treat a lot of bites.
Taking Benadryl orally also helps a lot.


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## How Do I (Feb 11, 2008)

Bearfootfarm said:


> That's the same active ingredient as the Permanone in my earlier post.


Ah. I see. I only saw Chuck's post. Spraying something on the outside of clothing is a little different than it being in full contact with your skin and sweating all day. Things tend to bioaccumulate and we don't hear about their adverse effects until many years later. Sometimes when it's too late to do anything about it. I'll stick with spraying something on my pant leg around my ankles where it is double protected by socks to minimize skin contact. That's always worked for me.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

Bearfootfarm said:


> Caladryl lotion is the best treatment I've found.
> Yes, tried it..
> Prevention is far better than having to treat a lot of bites.
> No ship....got that part
> ...


Thanks for the comments.....maybe I'll get to a point that I can avoid chiggers and not have to rely on the "cures".

Working around "The Place"...doing out door homesteading stuff...cutting grass, even walking around in the driveway....they are hard to avoid..

Best prevention/cure....Sell all thois stuff and buy a condo......spend my tie drinking coffee with the geezers at Micky D's....LOL


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## CajunSunshine (Apr 24, 2007)

hunter63 said:


> Working around "The Place"...doing out door homesteading stuff...cutting grass, even walking around in the driveway....they are hard to avoid..


Best trick I have found for getting rid of them is to lightly dust powdered sulfur (from garden supply store) onto the grass early in the morning while the dew is still wet. No more chiggers OR ticks! (Don't overdo it or the health of your grass may suffer.) One or two applications lasts all season for me. Because the sulfur smell lingers for a long time and is persistent on clothing, I wear clothes that I reserve for this job, and don't wash them with other clothes.



.


.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

hunter63 said:


> Working around "The Place"...doing out door homesteading stuff...cutting grass, even walking around in the driveway....they are hard to avoid..


I keep a can of Permanone by the back door to spray around the areas of clothing where they can get in. One treatment is good up to two weeks, including one washing.
If I'm going in tall weeds or bushes I tuck my pants legs into my boots.

I'm allergic to lots of insect bites, and if it weren't for Permanone, I would have had to stop hunting years ago because most of the other repellents have strong odors.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

There are lots of old remedies I have heard about or tried. For itching rub bacon on it and let the dog lick it. Will cure poison ivy too. 

Aterial bleed will stop instantly with spider web. Natural coagulant. Just use the clean part. 

Infected cuts soak in kerosene and it will take out the infection.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

Whenever I had chigger rash I would just wipe down with a 50/50 mix of bleach water followed by a cool shower with unscented soap.

If it was still itchy when I went to bed I would take a Benadryl to ease the itch and help me sleep.


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