Safe travels: the best tips to avoid mosquito bites.

mosquito on human skin is sucking blood

Mosquito bites occur when female mosquitoes suck blood and inject saliva into the skin, which contains anticoagulant substances. This saliva triggers the body’s immune response, which leads to the typical symptoms. You don’t notice these bites when you are asleep.

Symptoms

LOCAL REACTION: Itching, redness, swelling and slight pain
STRONG REACTION: blistering, large swellings (skeeter syndrome)

What helps to keep mosquitoes away?

There are various strategies and products that have proven to be effective in preventing mosquito bites. Here are some of the most common methods to keep mosquitoes away. Please note that these are just tips and are not 100% safe.

1. Wear clothes with light colours

Mosquitoes and mosquitoes are like burglars and love to remain undetected. They therefore prefer darkness and usually only appear after nightfall. Light-coloured clothing is not to their liking. (Unfortunately, this does not apply to the tiger mosquito, which can transmit dengue fever. This insect is annoyingly active during the day). Experts such as the Tropical Institute therefore advise wearing light-coloured clothing. And, if the temperature allows, wear longer clothing.

2. Keep away from water

moskitos an einer Wasserstelle

Mosquitoes lay their eggs in water, which then become larvae and hatch one day. This can sometimes be a puddle, but usually a standing body of water such as a lake, a pond or a bay in a river. You should avoid these places after dusk if possible.

3. Take a shower few times a day

Mosquitoes are not attracted to light, as many people think. Odours are what they look for. And the smell of human sweat is right at the top of the menu. That’s why it makes sense to take a shower in the evening before heading to a restaurant, especially in hot and humid regions, which is what most holiday destinations are like. Ideally even before going to bed so that you smell as little “appetising” as possible.

4. Use an anti-mosquito spray

Mann sprüht Mückenspray auf die Haut

An anti-mosquito spray is an absolute must, especially in tropical countries when travelling in the evening. This is because you often wear short clothing and therefore offer a lot of surface area for mosquitoes to attack. Uncovered body parts such as the ankles, calves or neck are some of the bloodsuckers’ favourite targets.

An effective mosquito spray with repellent (DEET) provides a certain amount of protection against bites. There are special sprays on the market for tropical destinations. You can find more details here in our article on anti-mosquito sprays “Which anti-mosquito sprays work best?”

5. Use a fan or air condition

Mosquitoes hate wind or air currents. Which seems logical given their small body size. Air conditioning or a fan in your accommodation can be very helpful here. But the way bigger benefit is that the air flow also helps to blow away your own body odour, making it harder for mosquitoes to locate you.

6. Use a mosquito net at night

Let’s come to the most important point in our eyes. It is not only advisable but absolutely essential to sleep under a mosquito net at night. Only a proper mosquito net will give you the maximum protection you need while you sleep. We would not rely on any of the points mentioned above. You are defenceless when you sleep and therefore have to play it safe. You can find more information on how to protect yourself from mosquito bites while you sleep on our main page GlisGlis Mosquito Net and all sub-pages.

Conclusion:

Basically, these methods help to keep mosquitoes at bay. Sometimes good, sometimes not so good, it always depends on the situation. Personally, we would recommend the combination of mosquito spray when going out and a mosquito net when sleeping. We have always done well with this method.

What if you were stung after all?

If you have been stung despite all your defences, it is important to relieve the itching so that you are not constantly tempted to scratch. Firstly, scratching makes the itching worse and secondly, a scratched area can become infected, for example through dirty hands. Infected mosquito bites can then lead to further complications, which are particularly unwelcome on holiday.

man rubs ointment onto a mosquito bite

Treat and cool a mosquito bite

Home remedies can be useful to alleviate the unpleasant itching. The most effective way is to cool the sting – for example with ice cubes, a cooling pad or a cold can of drink. Normal vinegar, lemon or an onion cut in half can also reduce itching. There are also USB-chargeable insect sticks on Amazon that supposedly do a good job. These heat up the bite site and the itching disappears.

Ointments and gels against mosquito bites

Something cooling such as a gel with herbal active ingredients from the pharmacy will provide relief. Pharmacies also sell gels with antihistamines (known from hay fever) against mosquito bites. Gels evaporate on the skin and thus provide a cooling effect. A gel with aloe vera can also be beneficial.