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Yes, this article is not for everyone. Every summer, lucky children pass through this scourge of insect bites. Conversely, some people subscribe to it and in this case, meals on the terrace in the evening or at noon promise to be a real nightmare ...
In this article, we'll give you some tips to make the most of this summer as easy as possible.
The main bites in summer are caused by mosquitoes or wasps. These two types of insects have totally different ways of doing things, so the treatment and care will be different.
Mosquitoes !
Hmm, at the mention of his name, I imagine you can already hear this little buzz emitted which clearly indicates his presence but which, once the room is lit, turns out to be untraceable ... We are talking about mosquitoes here!
There are several types of mosquito:
The so-called "common mosquito" also called the "Culex Pipiens",
The tiger mosquito named "Aedes Albopictus",
And his cousin the "Aedes Aegypti". The latter is the carrier of diseases such as dengue, zika or even chikungunya. In France, the mosquito that we meet the most is the first.
Only females bite to get the protein they need to feed their eggs.
Why does the mosquito bite itch?
Before pumping blood, the mosquito injects saliva which will thin the blood and allow it to pass through its proboscis without clotting. However, this saliva, unknown to our body, will put our immune system on alert and will requisition cells releasinghistamine. It is a molecule that makes it possible to bring in immune cells by causing vasodilation and an increase in vascular permeability. In addition, it is also responsible for the pain, redness and swelling, so characteristic of stings.
What to do in the event of a bite?
Apply cold: this will help reduce the swelling and itching,
Disinfect the bite well and avoid scratching because bacteria could enter and cause an infection,
Aloe vera gel or flax gel are very good healing and moisturizers.
Tips for repelling mosquitoes
The essential oils make it possible to fight effectively against bites.
However, you should absolutely not apply these pure essential oils to the skin! For safe use, it is strongly recommended to dilute them invegetable oil. Your mosquito repellent should only contain 5% to 10% essential oil.
To help you, we have selected a recipe made up of a mixture of ingredients to help repel mosquitoes of all types. This recipe combines classic essential oils with others less common, but very effective, especially for the toughest of them!
Here are the ingredients for this recipe:
- 80ml d'jojoba oil or coconut oil: if you live in a hot country, favor coconut oil. It allows to better combine essential oils in case of high temperatures.
- 2ml geranium essential oil
- 2ml of cajuput essential oil
- 2ml lemon eucalyptus essential oil
- 1ml of palmarosa essential oil
- 1ml clove essential oil
To know : 1ml corresponds approximately to 30 drops of essential oil.
This recipe can be used for any adult or child over 10 years old.
You will first need to introduce your essential oils and then your vegetable oil. We recommend that you use a pump bottle in 100ml glass. Mix your preparation to obtain a homogeneous protective oil . Once your preparation is ready, you can apply it to areas exposed to mosquitoes. However, be sure to avoid the eye area!
Wasps and bees
Wondering what could have stung you?
Here are small differences: the wasp has a bright yellow and black striped dress. It is relatively thin. The bee, on the other hand, is often striped brown and yellow and is a bit thicker than the wasp.
The bite, unlike the mosquito, is made through a stinger. So be careful!
What to do in the event of a bite?
It is necessary to check that the stinger has not remained in the skin and, if necessary, remove it delicately using tweezers and then thoroughly disinfect the area.
The venom of wasps and bees being thermosensitive, bring a heat source 1 or 2 mm from the bite so that the heat emitted degrades the injected venom.
The trick to repelling wasps is to place half an orange or lemon cut in half on a table and place cloves in it.
The other trick is to burn coffee grounds. The smell will repel them.
You have all the secrets to spend a serene summer!
