10 Effective Home Remedies For Bug Bites On Face, Eyes, & Other Body Parts For Babies And Adults

Updated: 09/04/2019

Summer is the season for many bugs and insects that multiply and flourish. According to Dr. Hoang Xuan Dai, if you are accidentally bitten by a bug and left untreated promptly, it will cause many health lesions, sometimes even life-threatening lesions. The following tips and home remedies for bug bites will help you remove harmful toxins of the insects (if any) and extend your safety time before going to medical facilities.

Top 10 Effective Home Remedies For Bug Bites For Babies And Adults

I. Bug Bites Treatments For Babies

1. Honey

Honey is one of the most effective home remedies for treating bug bites. The vitamins found in honey are B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and certain amino acids. The minerals found in honey include calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc. Honey is a natural sweetener with antioxidant content, free of fat and cholesterol. Honey provides antimicrobial ingredients, preventing infections and balancing the skin. In addition, honey is very safe for your baby skin and it can help your baby skin recover quickly^{[1] [2] [3]}.

Method 1: Only Honey

The way to implement this method is very simple, you only need to follow these steps below:

• Prepare 2 teaspoons of honey.
• Use the honey to apply to your baby skin with bug bites and leave for 20 minutes.
• Rinse your baby skin with water.

You can give your baby this method 3 times a day for the best effect.

Method 2: Honey And Oatmeal

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 2 teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of oatmeal.
• Mix oatmeal with honey and stir well.
• Use the mixture above to apply to your baby skin area with bug bites. Leave for 30 minutes and rinse it off with water.

You can give your baby this method 2 times a day to help your baby skin recover quickly.

2. Aloe Vera

Another must-try home remedy in this list of home remedies for bug bites is aloe vera. Aloe vera contains vitamins A, C, E, B and many essential minerals such as calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, and magnesium, not to mention amino acids and enzymes, etc. Aloe vera gel has antibacterial and anesthetic properties, and it is used for disinfection and urinalysis. It can also soothe skin wounds, and it is extremely safe for your baby’s skin. Thanks to the glycoprotein, aloe vera has anti-inflammatory and allergy properties, which may help heal wounds. Therefore, you can use aloe vera as a good treatment of bug bites^[4] [5].

Method 1: Only Aloe Vera

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 200 grams of aloe vera.
• Rinse the aloe vera and peel the shell of it.
• Cut the aloe vera into small pieces and put it into a cloth.
• Use the cloth to apply your baby skin with bug bite for 20 minutes then rinse it off with water.

You can give your baby this method twice a day for the best effect.

Method 2: Aloe Vera 

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 200 grams of aloe vera, some ice.
• Rinse the aloe vera and peel the shell of it.
• Mix aloe vera with ice and grind them by the grinder.
• Use the mixture above to cover your baby skin with bug bites and leave for 30 minutes.

You can give your baby this method 3 times a day for the best results.

Method 3: Aloe Vera And Garlic

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 300 grams of aloe vera, and 200 grams of garlic.
• Rinse the aloe vera and garlic.
• Peel the shell of aloe vera and soak it in water for 10 minutes to reduce the resin of aloe vera.
• Grind aloe vera and garlic, then steam them together for 5 minutes.
• Use the mixture to cover your bug bites area and leave for 20 minutes.

You can do this method 2 times a day, 4-5 days a week to give the best effect.

Method 4: Aloe Vera And Lavender

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 400 grams of Aloe Vera, 4 teaspoons of lavender, and 500 ml of water.
• Rinse the aloe vera and grind it by the grinder.
• Add aloe vera and lavender into water then boil them.
• Leave 1 hour so that the mixture gets cold.
• Use the mixture to rinse your bug bites skin twice a day for the best effect.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

This is the final remedy in the list of home remedies for bug bites. Apple cider vinegar is taken as a tonic for a wide range of health issues. With many nutrients included, apple cider vinegar if taken can help treat health issues, such as digestive problems, high blood pressure, blood sugar problems, and arthritis^[6].

Using apple cider vinegar will aid in maintaining hormonal balance. Apple cider vinegar is highly oxidized. It is highly resistant to bacteria and stains. The antimicrobial effects of apple cider vinegar also prevent infections arising with the continual scratching of the impacted area^[7].

In addition, apple cider vinegar stimulates the skin, helping it to recover quickly. The way to implement this remedy is very simple; you only need to rinse the bug bites with apple cider vinegar or you can soak the area of bug bite of your baby into apple cider vinegar. The only caution you need to notice is to keep it away from your baby’s eyes to keep off burning sensation

4. Lemon

This is the first one in this list of home remedies for bug bites that itch and swell. Lemon is an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber, and contains many plant compounds, minerals and essential oils^[8]. Vitamin C is one of the most essential vitamins. It is an excellent antioxidant and very important for immune function and health of your baby skin. Lemon contains very little fat and protein. They consist mainly of carbohydrates (10%) and water (88-89%). Therefore, lemons can be used to treat bug bites very effectively.

Method 1: Lemon

The way to implement this method is very simple, you only need to follow these steps below:

• Prepare the lemon.
• Rinse the lemon then cut it into two parts.

Apply the lemon to your baby skin having bug bites to reduce itching. You can also rub lemon peel on your baby skin.

Method 2: 

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare a lemon.
• Rinse the lemon then grind it by the grinder.
• Put the lemon just grinded into the refrigerator and leave for 30 minutes.
• Take the lemon out of the refrigerator and use it to apply to your baby’s bug bites for 5 minutes.

You can implement this method every time you want because it is very safe and effective for you to cure bug bites.

Method 3: Lemon And Basil Leaves

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 1 lemon and 10 grams of basil leaves.
• Rinse the lemon and basil leaves then leave 10 minutes to dry it.
• Grind lemon and basil leaves and mix them together.
• Use the mixture of basil leaves and lemon to apply to your baby skin with bug bites.
• Leave for 10 minutes then rinse your baby skin with warm water.

Method 4: Lemon And Lavender Oil

To implement this method, follow these steps below:

• Prepare 20 grams lemon, 2 teaspoon of lavender oil, and 300 ml of water.
• Rinse the lemon then grind it by the grinder.
• Mix lemon and lavender together.
• Add the mixture into the water and stir well.
• Use the mixture to rinse your baby skin with bug bites.

You can give your baby these methods 3-4 times a day for the best effect.

5. Toothpaste

This is very easy-to-do remedy for bug bites. Toothpaste is very familiar to each of us. The toothpaste contains a lot of active ingredients that help to kill bacteria and harmful substances to the teeth. Therefore, if we use toothpaste to apply to the bug bites area, it will help to soothe the wound and reduce the risk of bite infection^[9].

The way to implement this remedy is very simple, what you need to do are:

• Take a little toothpaste and put it in the refrigerator for 4 minutes.
• Use the toothpaste to apply to your baby’s bug bites for 10 minutes.
• Rinse your baby skin with bug bites by warm water.

You can implement this remedy every 2 hours in a day for the best results.

II. Bug Bites Treatments For Adults

6. Garlic

Among home remedies for bug bites, garlic is one of the most effective. Garlic is rich in allicin, which helps fight harmful viruses. Allicin can inhibit the growth of bacteria. The oil from garlic is rich in glucose, aliin, and phytonoxite which have the use of bactericidal, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory. The antimicrobial properties in garlic help kill bacteria and heal the shingles quickly. Therefore, using garlic as a treatment of bug bites will give best effect.

Method 1: Only Garlic
To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 1-2 garlic cloves.
• Rinse off the garlic then cut it into small pieces
• Use the pieces of garlic to cover your skin with bug bites for 10 minutes.

You can use this method 2 times a day for the best result.

Method 2: Garlic And Toothpaste

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare a garlic clove and a little toothpaste.
• Rinse the garlic and grind it by the grinder.
• Mix the garlic just grinded to toothpaste and stir well.
• Use the mixture to apply to your skin having bug bites.

You can implement this method twice a day for the best result.

Method 3: Garlic And Water

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 10 lemons and 500 ml water.
• Rinse the lemon and then grind it by the grinder.
• Add the lemon in water and stir well.
• Leave the mixture above for 1 hour and use it to rinse your skin with a bug bite.

You can implement this method 4-6 times a week to reduce the symptoms of bug bites.

Method 4: Garlic And Onion

To implement this method, please follow these steps below;

• Prepare 2-3 lemons, and 1 onion.
• Rinse the lemon and onion then grind them by the grinder.
• Mix lemon and onion together. Use the mixture to cover your skin for 10 minutes then rinse your skin with water.

You can implement this method once a week to reduce the bug bites symptoms.

Method 5: Garlic And Wormwood Leaves

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 10 gram garlic cloves, and 20 grams wormwood leaves.
• Rinse the garlic and wormwood leaves then grind them by the grinder.
• Heat the wormwood leaves for 2 minutes then mix with garlic.
• Use the mixture above to apply to your skin for 20 minutes for the best effect.

You can implement this method twice a week.

See more: Garlic also helps to treat bacterial infection. (This article was medically reviewed/fact checked by Dr. Myle Akshay Kiran).

7. Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is very effective in treating bug bites problems. Tea tree oil is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that are good for your health^[10]. The ingredients in the tea tree oils are terpinen-4-ol, eucalyptol, cineole, nerolidol and viridiflorol which are known for their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antipyretic properties. As a result, Tea tree oil has the potential to eliminate the risk of infection from bug bites^[11]. With antioxidant properties combined with a deep cleansing effect, tea tree oil also helps to balance the pH level of the skin, helping to stabilize the lipid layer, reduce pores then help your skin with bug bites recover quickly^[12].

Method 1: Only Tea Tree Oil

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil
• Use a soft cotton pad to dip into tea tree oil then apply to your bug bites area.
• Leave for 2 minutes and repeat it until the tea tree oil is over.

You can implement this method 2 times a day for the best effect.

Method 2: Tea Tree Oil And Lavender Oil

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 3 teaspoons of tea tree oil and 3 teaspoons of lavender oil.
• Mix tea tree oil with lavender oil then put it into the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Add 6 teaspoon of water then use it to rinse your skin.

You can implement this method every day in a week for best results.

8. Cold Compress

The using cold compress on your bug bites area might decrease the condition of bug bites area. In addition, it might lessen swelling and pain. The application of cold compress will cause vasoconstriction, or blood vessel constriction, leading to a reduction the expanding of itching.

What you need to do is:

• Take an ice pack to wrap in a T-shirt or towel, then place it over your skin for about 15-20 minutes
• After every 2-4 hours, you reapply the pack as long as you see an improvement in your bug bites area condition.

In case you feel it is too cold and your skin becomes numb, you should remove the pack.

9. Onion

The next treatment in this list of home remedies for bug bites is onion. The onion contains a number of phytoncides such as allicin which has a strong antimicrobial effect, killing off infectious bacteria, including E. coli and Salmonella. Quercetin in onions has a very strong antioxidant effect, reducing free radicals, reducing aging. Using onion as a treatment of bug bites will help prevent inflammation, swelling and removal of toxins from the bugs.

Method 1: Only Onion

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare an onion.
• Rinse the onion and grind it by the grinder.
• Use the onion just grind to cover the bug bites area and leave for 20 minutes.
• Rinse your bug bites area with warm water.

Method 2: Onion And Lavender Oil

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare 2 onions, 3 teaspoon of lavender oil, and 300 ml of water.
• Rinse the onion and grind it by the grinder.
• Put onion and lavender oil into water then boil them.
• Leave for 1 hour so that the mixture gets cold and use it to rinse your skin with bug bites.

You can use this method twice a day for the best effect.

Method 3: Onion And Lemon

To implement this method, please follow these steps below:

• Prepare ½ onion and a lemon.
• Rinse onion and lemon then grind them by the grinder.
• Mix onion and lemon, then take the juice of the mixture to apply to bug bites area.
• Leave for 10 minutes then rinse bug bites area with water.

You can implement this method 2 times a day for the best results.

10. Oatmeal

This remedy is one of little-known home remedies for bug bites. Oatmeal is one of the herbs that work to reduce inflammation and to absorb excess oil very well. At the same time, the saponin ingredient found in oats acts as a powerful cleanser that removes dirt and dead cells around the pores. Therefore, oatmeal can be used in conjunction with the treatment of bug bites. It can help reduce inflammation and at the same time help your skin recover quickly.

The way to implement this remedy is very simple, you only need to mix the oatmeal with a little water and then put it on the bug bites area. When the powder of oatmeal dry, you take it off and rinse your bug bites area with water.

III. Proper First Aid When Having Bugs “Piss” In The Eyes To Avoid Complications Of Blindness

When bugs “piss” in the eyes, if you don't know how to practice proper first aid, it can cause corneal damage, impaired vision, and even blindness.

According to Dr. Dang Van Que, Director of DND International Eye Hospital, if you want to give proper first aid when having bugs piss in your eyes, you need to follow these steps:

Stay calm and don't rub your eyes to avoid scratching eye mucosa, which can make the condition worse.

Use artificial eye drops or physiological saline for your eyes continuously. If not available, you can take salt and mix it with clean water. Remember to dilute it carefully to avoid hurting your eyes. Then, fill the large glass, place the eyes over it, and blink several times to wash away the secretions of the bugs. Wash your eyes with a solution having an electrolyte composition and pH level similar to that of the extracellular fluid of the body.

If the eyes look dim, red, or swollen, it is important to see the eye specialist quickly. Or if the eye is swollen, red, accompanied with shortness of breath, it is also necessary to rush to the emergency room for timely treatment and avoiding more dangerous complications.

Read more:

• 11 Ways How To Protect Babies From Mosquito Bites Naturally
• 29 Home Remedies For Ant Bites And Stings Swelling & Itching
• 28 Simple Home Remedies For Spider Bites On Face, Neck, Arm

More Information about Bug Bites

What Are Bug Bites?

The followings are typical bugs that cause irritation:

• Flea

This is the type of bug that usually lives on the host, such as mice, bats, cats, and dogs. The most dangerous are the fleas that live on mice with lymphoma. The process is as follows: A fleas suck the blood of mice carrying the disease, then they bite and infect this disease to humans. This disease has caused a large epidemic and caused many people to die. Over the last 20 years the disease has been controlled. Patients often get high fever after being bitten by fleas. In this case, it is best to go to the hospital for a doctor’s check. Fleas that live on cats, dogs and bats usually do not cause illness.

• Poison Bee

Certain venomous bees, such as bees, can cause respiratory failure, kidney failure and even death if the patient suffers from excessive bite. The bee’s identity is only attacked when humans accidentally or intentionally invade their nest. The best way to treat bee stings is to go to the hospital for a check.

• Three-Cavity Ant

This bug also has the scientific name of Rove Beetle. They carry toxic substances that can cause skin allergies. Three-cavity ants do not affect human life, but they can cause itching and ulcers in human skin. If treated improperly, the patient is susceptible to infection. The best way is to buy antiseptic to apply on the skin, or use soap to clean the affected skin areas.

• Worm

This is also one of the bugs that irritate the skin. Hairy or spiny worms are more likely to irritate the skin than a slippery worm. When exposed to the worm, we experience itching, aching or puffiness.

• The Stink Bug Which Sucks Human Blood

So far, no evidence has been found that this bug can cause disease or death. Some people with an irritated body that has this type of bite may have a fever and the fever will soon be gone.

• Dog Or Cat Tick

It is also an insect that does not choose the human body as a hostess; it just bites humans by accident. Cat or dog ticks do not cause illness. They are dangerous when they get in the ears of children. In some cases, children have to go to the hospital to pick cat or dog ticks up because they tuck in the children’ ears and start sucking blood. Because of this, families have to regularly bath their pets with insecticidal effect.

• Mosquito

This is the most infectious bugs because they are large, they reproduce rapidly and they can fly. Two types of mosquitoes that cause illness are mosquitoes that cause dengue fever and mosquitoes that cause malaria. Compared to other insect pests, mosquitoes are the most noteworthy bug, as dengue and malaria can cause death.

What Are The Effects Of Bug Bites?

In some people, after being bitten by a bug, if not properly and promptly treated, the bite can cause damage to their skin such as:

• Infections Caused By Scratching

When a bug bites, it releases venom into a foreign body, then this venom enters the bloodstream. The body produces an immune response that produces histamine that causes itching. Patients often respond by scratching, thus causing the skin to be damaged (scratching, tearing, cracking the skin). In the affected skin areas, external germs enter the body causing infection.

• Itching And Eczema

For some people prone to allergies, bug bites will cause their body to produce more of the immune. In particular, in people who are bitten by bugs many times, their body produces a stronger immune response, which causes itching. Itching can develop throughout the body. Skin in the eczema area shows red inflammation and blisters. They cause many itching. Patients scratching these skin areas causing extensive damage and cracks (like cracked paddy field), so the treatment becomes more difficult.

• Losing Skin Aesthetics

Bug bites will damage the skin. If secondary infection is not treated or treated improperly, insect bites are becoming indigestible and will produce unwanted lesions such as keloids.

What Are Common Symptoms Of Bug Bites?

Here are some common symptoms of this problem:

• Flea bites can easily be mistaken for allergies or mosquito bites because they are also red and swollen. However, unlike mosquito bites, flea bites are often more painful and itchy. A flea can bite several times, so the red spot on the skin often separated by 1-2 cm. Only when you sleep, you can you become a victim of fleas.
• If bitten by a bee, the skin area gets red and swollen severely. In addition, the skin may also appear spotted. Victims may feel extremely painful. You will feel hot, severe pain and itching right after being bitten by a bee. However, for those who are allergic to bee venom, bee biting may cause them to have some respiratory problems. That can be a serious problem.
• Bites of ants are less dangerous. It looks like a mosquito stain. A small pink spot appears in the bite area that has been itching for a long time. At the time of being bitten, the victim feels pain as if they were boiling water on the skin. Pimples can appear on the ant bites that will later turn into scars. The victim may develop an allergic reaction or anaphylaxis.
• The mosquito bite looks like red spots swelling with the size of a cherry. Most mosquitoes attack open areas of the skin, biting on thin skin so that they can easily reach the blood vessels. When they bite, they usually inject their saliva into the wound. Their saliva containing anticoagulants which make blood more diluted. Mosquito bites cause the skin to become red, itchy, and swollen.

Identification of the remaining bug bites is similar to the above.

When To See A Doctor?

If after having a bug bite, you have some conditions such as high fever, difficulty breathing, or too much pain, you should see the doctor to be checked in time. In addition, after applying home remedies but do not have any result, you should also see a doctor. Your condition may have evolved in a bad way.

The above-mentioned effective home remedies for bug bites on face, eyes, & other body parts for babies and adults are claimed to be able to reduce the symptoms of bug bites to stop itching. Choose some of them and alternate them in your treating to see how effective they are. If you have any contributing ideas about our article introduced in Home Remedies Category, do not hesitate to drop your words below this post. We will answer as soon as we could.

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