11 Best Anti-Itch Creams for Mosquito Bites, According to Experts

How to manage mosquito bites

They may seem mostly annoying, but mosquito bites itch like crazy and we’re in the height of the season. And while there are mosquito-borne illnesses to worry about, the risk of actual infection is fairly low, according to disease experts. But a mosquito bite almost guarantees that you will be itching like crazy.

Why? When a female mosquito (and it’s always the females—they need the blood to generate eggs) sinks her proboscis into you, she releases proteins to keep your blood from clotting. Your immune system panics, recognizing the proteins as foreign, and releases immune cells known as histamines to do battle. The result is an itchy, red bump that can last up to 10 days, says Amanda Wendel, MD, a dermatologist at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital. (The more serious reaction to a mosquito bite, an allergic reaction and known as skeeter syndrome, is rare).

“The problem with scratching is you’re actually causing the skin cells you’re scratching to release even more histamine,” warns Charles E. Crutchfield, MD, an Eagan, Minnesota-based dermatologist. That makes your skin even more inflamed and itchy. You’re also risking a more serious allergic reaction, especially if your scratching breaks the skin—or even an infection.

Luckily, there are plenty of great products that can make you feel better almost instantly. Here’s what our experts recommend.

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