Despite the weather going back and forth from warm to cold, mosquitoes are beginning to show up and bite people. While most people experience a minor annoyance from mosquito bites, I have an allergy to mosquitoes called “skeeter syndrome.”
Skeeter syndrome is one of the most common allergies someone can develop. In my case, the allergy developed from receiving over 40 mosquito bites in one day. This instance led to my immune system weakening enough to change how my body reacts to the bites.
For the first 15 years of my life, mosquitoes would just seek me out, but I could live with the bites and be fine. Now, I can feel the second a mosquito bites me and the inflammation, itching and pain begins within the minute of being bit. Sometimes the pain can be treated by taking Benadryl, but other times I have to apply anti-itch and anti-inflammatory topical solutions to remedy the side effects. There have even been times where the itching is so bad that I cannot focus on whatever task I am supposed to be doing at the time.
Since this has become a painful nuisance to me, I am a big proponent of protecting one’s self from mosquitoes. Here are a few ways to arm yourself against them:
1. Insect repellants are a tried and true way to combat unwanted bug bites. Ones with DEET, Picaridin and/or oil of lemon eucalyptus are the ones that I have found work the best.
2. Loose fitting long sleeves and pants are also a good way to avoid being bitten. However, sometimes it is just too hot and the mosquitoes still fly up the legs of your pants, so it is not always worth it.
3. It is also important to protect the environment in which you live from allowing more mosquitoes to hatch. An easy way to do this is to dump and clean out any containers that hold standing water both inside and out.
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