Infected bites- how do you stop them ballooning (then infected)

Felt nipping on my arm above my elbow on Sundays ride…within a few hours the bites ballooned/pussed up and now infected.

I’ve taken anti-histamines but anything else?

I get infected bites on every ride where I have exposed skin in Summer 🙁

Wear insect repellant to prevent being bitten in the first place.

If you do get bitten, have some savlon/germolene on hand and slap it on as soon as possible.
Germolene probably better as I think it has a local anaesthetic affect.

Don’t pick/scratch it.

Don’t pick/scratch? I woke up in the middle of the night to ‘find myself’ auto-scratching as I woke up

not trying to be funny but you may have bacteria living on your skin which are opportunistic when there is a puncture from a bite.

do other cuts/grazes do similar things?

t trying to be funny but you may have bacteria living on your skin

That sounds horable 😯

Elephantiasis of the testicles again Hora?

but you may have bacteria living on your skin which are opportunistic when there is a puncture from a bite.

MAY ?? I would say it was certain unless you’ve just been scrubbed with bleach!

I woke up in the middle of the night to ‘find myself’ auto-scratching as I woke up

I have done that too – then woken to find white pus squirting everywhere.

I use a bite stick, which I have in my wingnut pack always. Its got ammonia in it, you stick it on as soon as you motice the bite (sting or itch) and seems to make the itch/swelling/infection not happen. Stinks like wee but then so do I.

MAY ?? I would say it was certain unless you’ve just been scrubbed with bleach!

I meant more than/different type to ‘the norm’.

but being sfb, you probably already knew that and posted anyway 😉

hora – Member
Don’t pick/scratch? I woke up in the middle of the night to ‘find myself’ auto-scratching as I woke up

Blob of germolene/savlon/anthisan before bed time & stick a plaster over it?? Just a thought, as contact with your sheet/duvet/flannel pyjamas might be irritating it, causing you to ‘auto-scratch’.

but being sfb, you probably already knew that and posted anyway

I was thinking it would have to be a very poor species of bacteria NOT to be highly opportunistic…

I have done that too – then woken to find white pus squirting everywhere.

Is everyone just going to let that comment pass without so much as a fnar fnar?

Where do I find the bite stick?

I already have a similar product. Binners bites down on a stick whilst I take him like a lion leaping up against/onto a safari landrover.

The one I use is called after bite, you can get it on amazon for 65p or in boots for about 4 quid. Mine is 4 years old and still works like a charm.

TCP, it stinks but it kills the bugs in wounds or bites effectively. Unlike savlon etc which only does half a job.

Well I’m now on Flucloxacillin. Also bought some TCP and plasters etc.

What! Blimey they must be bad.

Same as a few years ago. Redness started radiating and tracking up my arm.

Trust me Mark, this stuff works. Won’t help on these bites but will stop you getting more.

I get this too. Seems most times i get bitten i end up at the docs for some antibiotics. Last time though, i swore i had an infection – red, swollen and very hot leg – the vet told me it was a mere alergic reaction. Sent me away to take antihistamines for a few days and see how it went – and guess what – it went away after a while 😀
These days, i just keep covered, use seccy repellent and Pirotin type things if i do get bitten. It’s a pain in the arse, but not life threatening.

skiprat – Member

Trust me Mark, this stuff works. Won’t help on these bites but will stop you getting more.

+1 on that, I’m a mosquito magnet and that stuff keeps ’em off.

Flucoxicilin will sort out the infection pretty quickly, but expect a fair amount of ‘juice’

Skippy’

Its a toss up between putting on insect repellent or……contracting skin cancer later on by not putting on skin (sun) block though.

Wearing pants is bad enough in the sun 😐

In that case, I can recommend sun tan stuff with insect repellant in it. The one I’ve got is boots own brand. Nowhere near as good as the jungle stuff, but it’s better than nowt

Reluctant – Member

What blood type are you?

O rheasus monkey as far as i remember. 😆

Seriously – i haven’t got a clue.Would that have any effect on suseptability to infection or alergic reaction?

No idea but missus is O and Im AB- and not once on holiday (With a room full of Mozzies etc) has she been targetted/bitten.

Only need a few dabs of Jungle though…just put sun cream on first, then a couple of drops after.

As for anyone who says ‘don’t use it, it’s got DEET in it’, just make sure you wash it off each time you use it. And in this country, i don’t think we’d use it enough to have to worry.

Hora doesn’t have blood in his veins, he has fork oil

Come to the Peaks on Sat binners.

I will lay on a mental buffet of dirty jokes for you.