EO to Soothe Bug Bites

A reader of my “I Have Shingles?!” blog post asked what essential oils (EO) I use. In that post, I referenced 3 different EO mixtures to address different issues. This post will review what I have been using for over a year to soothe itchiness caused by bug bites.

Moving to Houston where mosquitoes abound and find my type O+ blood as irresistible as I would a good bowl of ramen, resulted in me having to find a remedy to soothe my numerous bites. Because I could have bites on my body for months at a time during mosquito season, I wanted to find something natural instead of constantly applying chemicals directly to my skin.

Please be sure to use pure essential oil. Do your own research because you want to make sure you are putting the real stuff on your skin – not chemically altered or synthetic versions claiming to be pure EO. Check this link if you want to know which EO brand I use.

Since essential oils can be irritating to the skin, it’s important first to dilute them before use.

• Carrier oil options include: jojoba oil, coconut oil and olive oil that work to nourish the skin while the essential oil soothes the symptoms of the bug bite.
• Witch Hazel is good for blemishes on the skin, but it can really help reduce the pain, annoying itching and swelling caused by bug bites so I use this in addition to coconut oil for dilution purposes.

I researched online and came up with the blend below, which I put into a 10ml roller ball glass container, then top off with equal parts coconut oil and witch hazel:

• 5 drops Lavender which is soothing and pain relieving
• 5 drops Peppermint for cooling pain and itch relief
• 5 drops Eucalyptus soothes and also repels insects to avoid more bites
• 5 drops Rosemary that acts as an anti-inflammatory and prevents infection
• 5 drops Basil which is an antimicrobial that may help with irritation

I have read that you may also use 15–20 drops Purify OR apply Melaleuca/Tea Tree neat (applied directly to the skin without a carrier oil or diluted) to reduce pain, swelling, and itching. I haven’t tried those yet since I still have my blend available.

Apply the oil immediately when you notice the bite to reduce the symptoms. If you can catch it immediately after being bitten, you may be able to prevent the swelling and itching all together.

Otherwise, after you first notice the bite and apply the mixture, it is recommended to reapply the oil every couple of hours hours, as necessary.

Fire ants also plague me in Houston. Last summer when they found their way into my house, their bites stung, burned like fire and the itch is much worse than mosquito bites. For fire ant bites, I used lavender, tea tree, and peppermint.

Both these blends help alleviate the symptoms without me having to worry about putting chemicals on my skin directly every day multiple times a day. If you have other remedies you find effective, please share them with me!