Bug bites and rashes got you down? Here are 8 remedies
Sometimes prevention fails. We're here to help.
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We don’t like to say it’s inevitable, but it is: for all the preventive measures you can take to keep bugs away, sooner or later, you’re going to get bit. And then there’s the usual spate of rashes you can wind up with from things like poison ivy and poison sumac. It’s a part of life – but you can still speed up healing or otherwise take the edge off with the right tools. Here are the best we can recommend.
Bug Bite Thing Suction Tool
SHOP NOW on Amazon.ca: This is a great example of bringing low-tech solutions to common problems. It’s a simple suction tool – apply it to the source of the bite or sting and allow it to suck out much of the venom, minimizing the body’s immune response to the site and keeping swelling down. Those two handles on the side don’t just operate the suction function: one functions as a scraper for bee stings, while the other has a keychain hole. Just a neat little device.
Beurer Insect Sting and Bite Relief
SHOP NOW on Amazon.ca: Applying heat to the site of a bite or sting often speeds the healing process. At home, that can be done as simply as heating up a metal spoon under some hot water and applying the convex side to the bite. In the woods, though, it’s best to have something on hand, and this electronic device applies heat directly to the bite in a matter of seconds – no chemicals of any kind.
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Atlantick Tick Removal Kit
SHOP NOW on Amazon.ca: If you do happen to fall victim to a tick bite, you know you can’t just rip it out of your flesh, to say nothing of the risk of Lyme disease. You’ll need a proper removal kit, and we like this one the best. From Atlantick, whose specialty is an all-natural spray tick spray, this nine-piece kit has everything you could conceivably need to manage the critter, including three different size removal tools, alcohol swaps, an identification card, and a vial to store the extracted tick for lab testing.
BuzzPatch Itch Relief Patches
SHOP NOW on Amazon.ca: When it comes to mosquitos, midges and other biting insects, it’s not only the bite that’s a nuisance, it’s the persistent itch as well, particularly for kids. Itch relief patches like these can help – they rely not on any kind of chemicals, but on the crosspatch design itself, which adjusts the skin manually. It seems too simple to be true, but many who reviewed the patches on Amazon.ca report relatively fast itch relief.
After Bite Insect Bite & Sting Cream
SHOP NOW on Amazon.ca: If a topical application is what you’re looking for, you can’t go astray with After Bite, probably the most recognizable brand on that subject. An effective gel based on ammonia with baking soda and tea tree oil, in a simple, pocket-sized tube, and you’ll be set.
Jewelweed Anti-Itch Spray
SHOP NOW on Amazon.ca: When it comes to both bug bites, stings and/or rashes from plants, here’s your all-in-one solution, in the form of a topical mist spray that purports to ease most local symptoms. It’s heavily herbal-based, with ingredients like witch hazel, aloe and white oak, and users who ordered it from Amazon.ca had almost exclusively good things to say about its efficacy.
Grandma's Poison Ivy Soap
SHOP NOW on Amazon.ca: If you’ve blundered into a cluster of poison ivy, oak or sumac, be prepared for a serious rash, but don’t think you have to just suck it up. With the right ingredients, a simple soap can help ease the ordeal, and this option, with colloidal oatmeal as the active ingredient, is a runaway hit among those who ordered it from Amazon.ca – plus, we have a soft spot for simple, classic packaging.
Domeboro Medicated Soak Powder
SHOP NOW on Amazon.ca: It might seem a bit old-fashioned, but many folks swear by a good medicated soak when having to deal with the consequences of an injudicious brush with poison ivy, oak or sumac. This version purports to work on all three, and can offer temporary relief from stings and bites as well. Includes 12 powder packets.
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Our trusted Product Specialists recommend high-quality items that we think will enhance your experience with Canadian weather conditions. Prices and availability of items are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
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