Healing time of mosquito bite varies from person to person. The person who is less sensitive has less healing time as compared to those who encounter severe symptoms. Generally, the healing time for a mosquito bite is 2-4 days.
How Long Do Mosquito Bites Take To Heal?
Most mosquito bites do not require any strategic treatment and often heal of their own. The time required to heal the bite ranges from few hours to few days. In patients, who are hyper allergic to the mosquito bite requires specific treatment and the healing time is also longer in such patients. Further, the healing time also depends upon the complications that come along with the mosquito bite.
As mosquitoes are the known carrier for various serious diseases, there are chances that the patients get contracted with those diseases due to a mosquito bite. The disease includes dengue, malaria or yellow fever. These patients require immediate medical care and the treatment should start as early as possible. The healing time for such patients varies with the disease and its severity. Generally, the healing process takes place in parts and in the first few days of the bite, the milder symptoms such as itching, and skin sensitivity subsided. The more severe symptoms like swelling and inflammation disappear after 3-4 days.
The patient is advised not to scratch the site of bite as it may lead to further complications. The scratching may initiate a cascade of events that leads to more itching due to the continuous release of histamine. Further, severe itching may also lead to the exposure of underlying tissue which increases the risk of secondary infection. This will further increase the healing time.
After the symptoms go away, the red spots on the skin fade and the skin regain its original color. If the person develops severe symptoms such as Skeeter symptoms in children, a proper treatment strategy should be followed for faster recovery and reduced healing time.
Treatment Of Mosquito Bite
Although there is no specific treatment for a mosquito bite and many-a-times it goes away without any treatment. The treatment, even if required, is largely symptomatic. The treatment is given for itching and inflammation. Treatment is also available in the alternative system of medicines such as Ayurveda. Various home remedies are also used frequently for the management of mosquito bite. Following are the treatment options available for mosquito bite.
Antiallergic Medications. Various antiallergic medications are available which can be used systemically as well as topically. Anti-histamines are the drug of choice in such cases as it interferes with the action of histamine thus helps to alleviate the symptom of itching.
Anti-itch. Anti-itching cream is also available over the counter. Topical creams such as benzocaine are also proved to be effective in the management of itching.
Corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are the potent drugs that help to reduce the symptoms of the mosquito bite. Hydrocortisone, an over-the-counter corticosteroid cream is used to reduce redness, inflammation along with itching. When all the other treatment strategies and household remedies fail, the corticosteroid is advised to manage the symptoms.
Cold packs. Cold packs help reducing the sensation of itching. It has been found that the chemicals convey the sensation of itching to the central nervous system. Cold packs help prevent this transfer of information.
Epinephrine. In some cases of mosquito bites, the patients who are hypersensitive may develop serious symptoms due to hyperactivity of the immune system. This led to the development of a fatal condition known as anaphylaxis. Epinephrine injections should be used in such patients.
Calamine Lotion. Calamine lotion is an anti-pruritic agent and is a good treatment option in case of a mosquito bite. Calamine lotion contains the oxides of iron and finds and helps in alleviating the symptoms of itchy skin.
Conclusion
Various treatment options are available to reduce healing time. These include anti-histamine, corticosteroids, calamine lotion, cold packs, and epinephrine. The symptoms subside in parts and within 4 days, the condition becomes normal.
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