Gnat Bite Help Please

[Marijn]

What is your best cure for gnat bite itch please. The itching is keeping me awake at night. Thanks

[boxtops]

We use After Bite - it's an alcohol based spot on device - but you do have to get to the bite as soon as it happens. If yours was a few days ago, you might want to go to the chemist and ask for advice, you might need to take an antihistamine to stop the irritation.

[EcclesCake]

I find Hc45 good for bites, better than antihistamine cream.

[boxtops]

Looks like good stuff, eccles - I've not heard of it before http://www.boots.com/en/HC45-Hydrocortisone-Cream_11317/

[EcclesCake]

Oh and those little ZapIt things, that give an electric shock.

[Marijn]

Oh, that's brilliant thanks to both of you. I'm off to the shops shortly and I'll get both of those.

[boxtops]

I carry an After Bite stick with me all the time, at this time of year!

[AB Editor]

Howdy,

If you don't have anything medicinal and you don't want to head to the shops to get some, then toothpaste tends to stop the itching.

It's not a good look, obviously - but it does the job for a short while!

[Prudie]

I always have After Bite too, always take it everywhere on holiday with me, great for jellyfish stings too. I'd also put a 1% hydrocortisone ointment (available over the counter, Tesco etc) for a troublesome itch that was getting raw.

[dunnitall]

Also I've found that "wet wipes" or their equivalent help stop the itching and that's probably because of the alcohol content I would guess.

[gingejbee]

With reference to the HC45 cream....this is a branded version of generic 1% hydrocortisone cream...recommended on here many times. The generic version is available for about half the cost of the branded...no surprise there!

[cupid04]

I find TCP helps and at the same time it irritates mr.c as he hates the smell, lol!

[SeaJayPea]

I'm told that if you put a teaspoon in hot water then apply the back of it to the bite, then the heat kills the proteins left behind and the itching stops. I've never tried it, but several people have told me this recently.

[woofgang]

If antihistamine cream doesn't work then i take an oral antihistamine which always does.

[Marijn]

Thanks all. I bought the hc45, which I put on my arm bites. It's had a little bit of an effect, but I got the bites yesterday lunch time so maybe a bit late for it to work. I got Boots own version of After Bite because they'd run out of After Bite, and that has worked well on the bites on my back.

[CrazyKaz]

Hydrocortisone cream does well - it will stop the itch.

[Marijn]

Thanks