Man applying insect repellent on his hand

Why do mosquito bites?

Why do mosquitoes bite you in the first place?

They are not doing it for fun, or to defend themselves. They are not doing it for food or drink because they get nourishment from nectar, not blood.

Tiger Mosquito

Mosquitoes require protein and iron to grow their eggs, which can both be present in the blood. Only female mosquitoes in the process of developing eggs feed on blood.

the mosquito

Despite the fact that they are usually referred to as “mosquito bites,” the mosquito does not actually bite you. The mosquito starts by piercing your epidermis (top layer of skin) with her proboscis, a straw-like mouthpart that allows her to sip fluids readily.

The boy scratches his skin, insect bite. Laziness. Copy space

She utilizes her proboscis to look for a pumping blood vessel in the next layer of your skin after breaking through your epidermis. She releases some of her saliva, which includes anti-coagulants after she finds a favorable blood vessel.

Close-up or macro pictures of mosquitoes on the skin

These keep the blood flowing until the mosquito has completed its task. Your immune system detects a problem at this stage, and your plasma cells send antibodies to the mosquito-infested area. Some of your cells release histamine as a result of these antibodies. These get into the salivary glands and cause the blood vessels to swell.

flow of red blood cells into the blood vessel, 3D illustration

That little red lump, often known as a wheal, is actually caused by your immune system. When the histamine causes your blood vessels to expand, the swelling irritates the nearby nerves, causing an itching sensation.

How can you stop the itching?

First and foremost, you should strive to avoid being bitten by mosquitos. Mosquito bites are quite aggravating. If you get bitten, the simplest and most effective way to stop the itching is to take an antihistamine.

Backside of white woman back pain and ache concept

All of these products are over-the-counter, and some are even topical, which means you may apply them straight to the irritating wheal. You should also avoid scratching the mosquito bite, as this will only make it worse.

mosquito bites.

Scratching a mosquito bite causes the skin to become irritated much more. Because inflammation makes your skin irritating, you may find yourself in a cycle where scratching creates even more itching.

Female applying cream on swell skin after insect bites, isolated on grey studio background. Allergy.

Furthermore, if you continue to scratch, you risk tearing the skin and getting an infection, which will make the itch worse.

Resources

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top