Fav insect repellant and itch reducer and where to buy?

[ang79]

For some reason I am getting eaten alive by bugs this summer. I've always been prone to bug bites but it seems like every time I am outside now I get new bites, and then they itch horribly and take weeks to go away. And I think my youngest daughter has been blessed with the same problem. What insect sprays do you use for just out and about at home or local playgrounds (I have wipes with Deet in them for heavy duty work if we are camping or something).

I bought the Repel Lemon Eucolyptus spray at Target on our way to see fireworks last week, but I'm not so sure it worked on me (though I have so many bites its hard to tell when I get new ones!). A friend of mine loves the CA Baby stuff but its so pricey. Is it worth it? And any great remedies on how to stop the itch once bit? I've tried the Gold Bond anti-itch cream and bought some Aveen w/ Calamine and neither one of those works at all for me. And those After Bite sticks never worked on me as a kid.

Saw the coupon for Medco in another thread and thought maybe I could pick something up there.

TIA!

[Thatchermom]

Not sure about the repellent, but after being eaten by gigantic Texas mosquitoes a few summers ago my sister and I did a lot of research looking for itch relief. Our top two winners were #2 -deodorant (my soft solid worked better) and #1 (hands down winner) Preparation H. Which totally makes sense once you think of it - reduces itching and swelling, which are also the main complaints with bug bites. We liked the cooling gel kind.

[calv]

all time favorite repellent is the ALL TERRAIN natural herbal armor!

[ang79]

all time favorite repellent is the ALL TERRAIN natural herbal armor!

Kids version or regular version? Of course I saw these at my Target AFTER I had already purchased the Repel stuff! I hate how they have bug spray in like 10 different places around the store!

[calv]

I think we have both bottles but lately we've been using the regular (assuming) adult stuff.

looks like this: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=all+terrain+herbal+armor&hl=en&prmd=ivns&resnum=2&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1300&bih=610&wrapid=tlif131048427700110&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=8137054192371325868&sa=X&ei=RGccTtrjJ4_QgAeb1M3ICQ&ved=0CFcQ8wIwAA#

[waitingforgrace]

Don't have an opinion on repellant, but after a bit we use rubbing alcohol. I think it stings a bit, but immediately dries it up so no more itch and by morning the bite is barely noticeable.

[AnnieW625]

:bag Off! Deep Woods, it can be found at Target. I am from mosquito country in Nor Cal, and nothing works as well as Off! IMHO.

[wifecat]

all time favorite repellent is the ALL TERRAIN natural herbal armor!

I second this big time! I buy ours through a Frontier natural foods co-op (so we get it for like $4 or something) but you can buy it at Whole Foods (probably twice as spendy) or lots of places online.

[lovebargains]

Yep - Herbal Armor all the way!!

[DrSally]

Great suggestions for the itch factor. Both me and DS swell up a lot. I use benadryl cream, but I love the prep H and rubbing alcohol suggestions. As for repellant, I like the new Off family that's dry. I only use it a few times a year at the cabin when the bugs are really, really bad (like fireworks on the 4th).

[MeyersDVM]

I recently purchased a ThermaCELL Compact Mosquito Repellent Appliance http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100622949/h_d2/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&keyword=Compact+Mosquito+Repellent+Appliance++Mode l++MR-1C+Store+SKU&jspStoreDir=hdus&Nu=P_PARENT_ID&selectedCatgry=SEARCH+ALL&navFlow=3&catalogId=10053&langId=-1&ddkey=Search
after by DH gave it glowing reviews when trying it out on his friend's boat. He had 100% DEET on, but the no-see-ums (Culicoides gnats) were still eating him alive. The turned on the ThermaCELL and no more bugs! The ThermaCell repels biting bugs for a 15 foot radius. He swears by it now.

As for post-bite, the allergist we took DD1 to recommended taking Claritin or Zyrtec ASAP. We had been using all the topicals and Benadryl to no avail. DD1 would swell so much a mosquito bite would look like a red mark the size of a baseball. Now, as long as we give the above mentioned antihistamines, its just a little mark :)

[charmcitymom]

Sawyers insect repellent. Hands down! Goes on like a lotion and lasts all day. I've found others leave a strange sticky feel but this is really great!!! You can usually find it sporting good stores like REI. Oh and for itch reduction, I usually just go with an OTC steroid cream.

[ang79]

Here's my update:

I picked up the Kids Herbal Armor at Target today, it was $6 I think. I also picked up Prep. H cooling gel and tried it on my current bites (some of these are still huge and going on a week and a half, probably because they are so darn itchy that I keep itching them!). No luck, maybe it only works on new bites? So far the best relief seems to be holding an ice pack on them from time to time when they itching gets really bad. I keep meaning to try some Benadryl, but only think about it at a time that I really don't want the drowsy side effects of Benadryl :(

That Thermacell thing looks awesome but DH thinks it would end up being to pricey. His solution is that he wants to put up bat houses to keep the mosquitos away :eek:: Granted we do live with woods on 2 sides of our house and have almost 2 acres of land, but I told him I'm not keen on the idea of bats!

[DrSally]

I keep meaning to try some Benadryl, but only think about it at a time that I really don't want the drowsy side effects of Benadryl :(


How about the benadryl *cream*? I get huge reactions to mosquito bites, and it helps the swelling/itching go down faster.

[madicade]

Haven't had luck with repellent, but for itching the ONLY thing that works for me is a product called mitigator. It contains crushed walnut shells you "scrub" the bite with. It stops the itch and works for a long time. The only problem is it is hard to find in stores now. When I first tried it a few years ago they carried it at CVS and REI. Now I have to order it online.

http://www.amazon.com/Mitigator-Sting-Treatment-Scrub-Ounce/dp/B0009RF9KA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310622547&sr=8-1

[poppy]

Avon Skin So Soft Oil--use it when I visit the EC.