Mozzie and Horsefly Bites

[Deleted User] · 02/07/14 - 11:40

Hi
I seem to be a walking buffet for various blood sucking insects. I have a nasty bite on my ankle and have found this:

http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/sainsburys-antibacterial-hand-gel--aloe-100ml

to be brilliant to stop the itching. I am also putting it on my arms and legs when I walk my dogs to hopefully prevent the insects from smelling my apparently amazing wiff.
Does anyone else have any products they use?

I also find that witch hazel works well for bites and it really improves the pores on your face and tightens your skin so very good for the hot weather.

burton07 · 02/07/14 - 12:00

Eat more garlic

barbeler · 02/07/14 - 13:45

I absolutely hate horse flies, especially when two or three of them home in on me while I'm walking along a river bank, laden with fishing tackle.

The first thing I do is to erect my large umbrella, because I've found that for some reason, they can't resist settling on the inside. Then I obliterate them with my catapult - not loaded, just by firing the pouch at them.

I've found Citronella to be absolutely useless at deterring anything, but years ago when there was a special offer on, I bought three spray bottles of Avon Skin-So-Soft (Woodland Fresh), which I read about in a fishing magazine. I don't know if they still make it, but it has to be the Woodland Fresh version and not any of the others.

It's a weird smell, not too girly, but you probably wouldn't want to walk into a pub wearing it

[Deleted User] · 02/07/14 - 13:51

barbeler wrote: »

I absolutely hate horse flies, especially when two or three of them home in on me while I'm walking along a river bank, laden with fishing tackle.

The first thing I do is to erect my large umbrella, because I've found that for some reason, they can't resist settling on the inside. Then I obliterate them with my catapult - not loaded, just by firing the pouch at them.

I've found Citronella to be absolutely useless at deterring anything, but years ago when there was a special offer on, I bought three spray bottles of Avon Skin-So-Soft (Woodland Fresh), which I read about in a fishing magazine. I don't know if they still make it, but it has to be the Woodland Fresh version and not any of the others.

It's a weird smell, not too girly, but you probably wouldn't want to walk into a pub wearing it

Thanks for that, I will have a look on their website.

I keep getting attacked by horseflies and they do not give up. Luckily I only have one bite.

I have found that spraying fabreeze or airfreshener on the window and curtains in the night before I go to sleep limits the amount of mozzies that find their way into my bedroom.

turquoiseblue · 02/07/14 - 14:13

When I get bitten I find the only thing that helps is a steroid cream.

allie4 · 02/07/14 - 16:50

I use Boot's Bite and Sting cream and spray noxious anti-mozzi stuff before walking the dogs in the evening!
I itch and swell up sometimes of weeks so have to make a massive effort to stop the little bastards biting me!

Inkblot · 02/07/14 - 17:40

I use Jungle Formula insect repellent, and if I get bitten I take a one-a-day antihistamine which reduces the itching and swelling.

sesmo · 02/07/14 - 18:51

Second the Avon Skin so Soft recommendation. We use it on the horses to keep the err... horseflies away from them, works a treat. Also leaves your skin feeling good. it's quite often on offer on their website. Most people I know with horses buy up tonnes of it when it's on offer so you have to be quick!

LightningIguana · 02/07/14 - 18:58

sesmo wrote: »

Second the Avon Skin so Soft recommendation. We use it on the horses to keep the err... horseflies away from them, works a treat. Also leaves your skin feeling good. it's quite often on offer on their website. Most people I know with horses buy up tonnes of it when it's on offer so you have to be quick!

Yep, my sis just got her two boxes worth of the stuff this morning for hers.

[Deleted User] · 02/07/14 - 19:00

sesmo wrote: »

Second the Avon Skin so Soft recommendation. We use it on the horses to keep the err... horseflies away from them, works a treat. Also leaves your skin feeling good. it's quite often on offer on their website. Most people I know with horses buy up tonnes of it when it's on offer so you have to be quick!

I couldn't see it on avon, but on ebay someone is selling it £5.99 each free P&P 3 for 2. Not sure how it compares?

Ebay item number 170824912197

sesmo · 02/07/14 - 23:54

It's this one

http://avonshop.co.uk/shop/product.asp?pf_id=37726&from=search&find_spec=skin%20so%20soft&pagenum=2

Hope the formatting works as I'm on my phone. If it doesn't work, it's Avon Skin so soft dry oil body spray. It's in a green and white bottle,

[Deleted User] · 03/07/14 - 00:18

I've been absolutely plagued by mozzie bites over the past few weeks so i'd be interested to hear of any wonder treatment/deterrent too. That Avon one sounds good. Can you buy it online?

[Deleted User] · 03/07/14 - 00:38

sesmo wrote: »

It's this one

http://avonshop.co.uk/shop/product.asp?pf_id=37726&from=search&find_spec=skin%20so%20soft&pagenum=2

Hope the formatting works as I'm on my phone. If it doesn't work, it's Avon Skin so soft dry oil body spray. It's in a green and white bottle,

indie.star wrote: »

I've been absolutely plagued by mozzie bites over the past few weeks so i'd be interested to hear of any wonder treatment/deterrent too. That Avon one sounds good. Can you buy it online?

Its not available yet. But the ebay one is only £1 more and is free posting and package and you get a free one if you buy 2 so that's £11.98 for 3 bottles. No, I am not the seller lol

barbeler · 03/07/14 - 14:11

FANNY_ANNE wrote: »

I have found that spraying fabreeze or airfreshener on the window and curtains in the night before I go to sleep limits the amount of mozzies that find their way into my bedroom.

That reminds me of another tip I heard which was to wipe your skin with Bold tumble drier sheets. I tried it, but the smell was so strong that I couldn't bear it.

I'm not sure that the Skin-So-Soft shown in the link is the right one, because I was told it had to be the Woodland Fresh variety. Mine are years old now, but they have Woodland Fresh printed in small letters towards the bottom of the bottle. (... see below)

p.s. I've just found this http://avonshop.co.uk/shop/faq.asp?levelid=2595&category=Product+Queries which states that the scent contains citronella, which has never worked when I've bought anything labelled as that. The Avon product smells quite different though, so it may be that there is a combination of ingredients at work that somehow makes it more effective.

[Deleted User] · 03/07/14 - 15:43

barbeler wrote: »

That reminds me of another tip I heard which was to wipe your skin with Bold tumble drier sheets. I tried it, but the smell was so strong that I couldn't bear it.

I'm not sure that the Skin-So-Soft shown in the link is the right one, because I was told it had to be the Woodland Fresh variety. Mine are years old now, but they have Woodland Fresh printed in small letters towards the bottom of the bottle. (... see below)

p.s. I've just found this http://avonshop.co.uk/shop/faq.asp?levelid=2595&category=Product+Queries which states that the scent contains citronella, which has never worked when I've bought anything labelled as that. The Avon product smells quite different though, so it may be that there is a combination of ingredients at work that somehow makes it more effective.

Apparently they changed the name

http://avonshop.co.uk/shop/faq.asp?levelid=2595&category=Product+Queries

Tt88 · 03/07/14 - 15:57

Has anyone used one of those zappy things?

I was on a group holiday in france and one of the woman had this zappy keyring thing that she used on her skin when she got bit. I dont know how it worked or what it was meant to do but i was scared of it.

I ended up being chased round by someone trying to zap me and i remember thinking that surely the zap would be more painful than the bite?

I get the occasional bite now and then which itches for a little while then its forgotten about. A few years back i went for a walk at mums wearing shorts that involved walking down a long path of overgrown grass. I must have gotten a few bites without realising but the next day my legs were all blotchy, bumpy and very itchy. I went to see the nurse and was given antihistimine tablets and some cream.

Luckily ive never experienced that since and i still dont know exactly what caused the problem but i try to avoid long grass now!

Hey there!

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Mozzie and Horsefly Bites

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