Doctors recommend cold compress to soothe mosquito bites

For mosquito bites, avoid scratching the wound and use a cold compress instead. Broken skin from scratching can allow bacteria to enter the body and cause serious infections.

During the summer months, mosquito bites are an everyday nuisance, but doctors warn that the wrong response can make the situation much worse. Scratching and picking at bite sites creates micro-wounds in the skin through which bacteria can enter the body and cause rapidly developing skin infections.

The best way to relieve the itching from a mosquito bite is to apply a cold compress to the wound. The cool temperature soothes irritated skin, reduces swelling, and suppresses the urge to scratch – all without damaging the skin. A cold compress can be made easily: wrap ice cubes in a cloth or use a water bottle kept in the refrigerator.

If the bite site begins to redden, swell, or ooze fluid, it may be a bacterial infection that requires medical attention. Children and people with weakened immune systems should be especially vigilant.