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November 25, 2009
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Patient Discussions: Chiggers: Effective Treatment

Chiggers: Effective Treatment

The MedicineNet physician editors ask:

What treatment was most effective for the chiggers?

Comment submissions for this question have ended. Patient Discussions FAQs


Related Article: Chiggers

The following Patient Discussions have not been medically reviewed. See additional information.



Comment from: bliss, 55-64 Female (Patient)

The best product I have found for the relief of chigger bites is Chiggerex Plus! It's an OTC medicated ointment containing 5% benzocaine, aloe, chamomile, and several natural oils. Published: September 28 ::

After taking a walk with a friend in the Southeastern Virginia woods, I woke up in the middle of the night itching terribly. I am covered with chigger bites. It's been 6 days now. Benadryl helps and also hot showers and something I picked up from the pharmacy, an OTC solution called "Chigarid". That helps. If I've been scratching too much the Chigarid will burn but it does give relief. I have close to two hundred bites, mostly on my thighs, ankles and crotch areas. I have a few bites in the armpit area. A friend gave my a Chinese herbal that's used to treat poison ivy and it has been helpful. It is called "Hua She Jie Yang Wan". My friend did not get bit; and he was wearing shorts! Published: September 25 ::

Comment from: 19-24 Female (Patient)

After reading a few remedies regarding vinegar, I remembered another Caribbean trick for alleviating jelly fish stings. It sounds a little crazy, but I basically coated my feet - the affected area - in Windex, and the itching almost immediately stopped. Instead of wiping it off, I put on slipper socks to heat them up. Next time, I'll remember the bug spray. Published: September 25 ::

I had four little bites right where the waistband of my jean skirt met my waist and after three days of horrible itching from such little bites my cousin said they looked like chigger bites and that I should put nail polish on it. I had been using OTC cortisone cream, neosporin, taken a benadryl, a bath in epsom salt all within the last three days and nothing was making the itch go away. I decided to give the nail polish a try, worked excellent. The blisters are gone and they don't itch at all after only an hour or so after trying it. Published: September 25 ::

Comment from: teezerisme, 19-24 Female (Patient)

I do not agree that nail polish is not an effective treatment. I have had chigger bites on my legs for 3 weeks now. I did not realize they were chigger bites (I thought they were mosquito or bed bug bites) so I left them alone and cleaned my apartment, bedding, and clothing multiple times with no different results. Each morning I would wake up with another bite. When a friend suggested it might be chigger bites I cover all off my spots with nail polish. The next morning I have 10 new red bumps (where the chiggers all shifted to). I covered those and the surrounding tissue in nail polish. The itching stopped that day and I have had no more bites. Nail polish works! Published: August 06 ::

Comment from: btoussa, 45-54 Female

My feet had many chigger bites, and I soaked them in Epsom salts. The Epsom salts help to remove the toxins and speed the healing. Tea tree oil also is a great natural remedy to help itching and swelling. Benadryl and ibuprofen help reduce the inflammation. I had a really tough attack. Now, it’s almost two weeks later and they are still healing. Published: July 27 ::

Comment from: scooby, 45-54 Male (Patient)

I am a chigger magnet and have gotten bites every August for years. Nail polish is good, and you can get it at the dollar store, but "chigger rid" works faster and has additives to soothe the itch. Published: September 25 ::

Comment from: Karl, 65-74 Male (Caregiver)

When I was a child (40's-50's) my parents would dust our ankles with a slight bit of sulphur powder to avoid chiggers. We never had bites. Recently my family went camping near Richmond and got lots of bites and continued to get them at home. Upon return I dusted my legs and further bites ceased. Published: August 24 ::

I get attacked by chiggers at least once a year no matter how careful I am! This week, I got nearly 100 chigger bites, but I survived because I've discovered lye soap. Lye soap (despite what you may think) is so gentle it will not dry or burn your skin. I wet the bar, make a paste on my hands, and rub it on like lotion. I let it dry and it deadens the itch for three to six hours. Published: August 06 ::

Comment from: AW-NJ, 45-54 Female (Caregiver)

My Husband is a hunter and chiggers are always a problem I tried everything and the one thing that did work within a few days is Camphor Nic not sure if spelling is correct but it comes in a green bottle Mom always used it for cold sores. It does work and fast especially for the itching too. Published: September 25 ::


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Chiggers

What is an itch?

Itch is an irritation in the skin that elicits an urge to scratch. Itches are a common problem and can be localized (limited to one area of the body) or generalized (occurring all over the body or in several different areas). The medical term for itching is pruritus. Generalized itch, for obvious reasons, is more difficult to treat than localized itch. Itches can also occur with or without skin lesions (for example, bumps or blisters). An itch that is accompanied by visible skin abnormality usually should be evaluated by a physician and, in some cases, by a dermatologist since the problem is likely to be a condition that requires specialized medical treatment (for example, eczema, scabies, etc.).

What causes itching?

Itching can be caused by many conditions. Probably the most common cause of itch is psychological, that is, due to stress, anxiety, etc. Stress also can aggravate itch from other causes. Dry skin is ano...

Read the Itching article »










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