Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Chigger Update


FYI: I have done a ton of research now on chiggers and the best way to treat them. A common misconception is that they burrow under your skin. This is not the case. Tiny microscopic larvae (disgusting, I know) get on your skin and inject some kind of stuff under your skin which causes your skin make a little tube so they can suck up your liquified skin cells. They never burrow under your skin. They brush off very easily and will come off in the shower when you bathe. The red bumps that form are your bodies reaction to the substance they inject under your skin. The white bumps are the feeding tubes. The longer that the critters are actually on your skin feeding the worse the bumps and the longer the itching. It is recommended that anytime you are in places prone to them that your come home and bathe immediately (we all waited until that evening). The bumps show up 12-14 hours after the bite. Putting clear nail polish remover on the bumps has been the home remedy for years with the assumption that it kills the chigger because they can't breathe. Since the chigger is not there under the skin it doesn't work for anything but helping relieve the itch but cutting off the air flow to the bump. We have been using anti-itch meds and taking Benadryl because I don't want to put the harsh chemicals in nail polish on our skin although I am about to the point I don't care as long as the itching stops (the anti-itch meds do help).

Okay, I know this post was more info than you could ever want and most of it disturbing, but I hope it prevents some of you from this misery!

2 comments:

Aimee D said...

ok...i'm wrong, but i do agree that is more info than i needed! :)

hope you find some relief soon!

Joy said...

You are very very educated on chiggers now! Thanks for sharing with the rest of us just in case we ever have a run in. Hoping you itches cease soon!