How to treat insect bites

Bites and stings from insects are very common, especially in warmer weather. The good news is they’re not usually serious and heal in a few days, unless you have an allergic reaction or they become infected. You may experience the following symptoms, however:

• pain in the affected area
• a swollen lump on the skin
• redness

These symptoms tend to last for a few days after you’ve been bitten or stung and can feel uncomfortable, but there are some things you can do to help. This guide will explore treatment options and what to do if you have an infected insect bite.

How to treat an insect bite

The first step when treating an insect bite or sting is to carefully remove anything left on your skin. There are different ways to do this depending on what type of insect bit or stung you.

For example, when removing a stinger from a bee, wasp or hornet, you shouldn’t use tweezers as you could accidentally squeeze the poison out of it. Instead:

1. Use a bank card or the edge of your fingernail to scrape the stinger to the side
2. Wash the affected area with soap and water.

To remove a caterpillar hair, you should:

1. If the caterpillar is still on your skin, remove it gently using tweezers, making sure not to disturb it or it will release more hairs
2. Rinse the affected area with water
3. Once dry, use sticky tape to collect any hairs left on the skin
4. Remove jewellery as your skin might become swollen
5. Wash your clothes at a high temperature.

A bite from a tick often looks like a small, dark mark on your skin. As ticks carry Lyme disease, you’ll need to remove them quickly and carefully. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Grip the tick as close to the skin as possible using a fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool
2. Slowly pull away from the skin, taking care not to crush the tick
3. Wash your skin with soap and water
4. Clean the bite with antiseptic cream.

Once there’s nothing left in your skin, make sure to wash your skin with water and soap to reduce risk of infection. There are also a few things that may help treat any swelling, itchiness or pain you may be experiencing:

• place a cold compress, such as an ice pack covered in cloth or a cloth soaked in cold water, on any swelling and keep it there for at least 20 minutes
• raise the affected area where possible
• take painkillers, like paracetamol or ibuprofen, if it’s painful
• apply a mild hydrocortisone cream to the affected area
• take antihistamines (if you had caterpillar hairs on your skin, don’t use antihistamine cream)
• don’t scratch the bite or sting as this could lead to infection
• don’t use home remedies like vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.

What to do for infected insect bites

If you’re concerned about your insect bite or sting, or you think it may be infected, you can access the Pharmacy First NHS service. This allows you to get advice and prescription-strength treatment without needing to go to your GP for seven common conditions, including infected insect bites. Your pharmacist may be able to recommend antihistamines and steroid creams, and give you the same antibiotics a GP would prescribe you if you need them.

For tick bites, you’ll need to monitor your symptoms. Some ticks carry Lyme disease which will need to be treated as soon as possible, usually with antibiotics. If you get an oval or bullseye-shaped rash around the tick bite and/or experience flu-like symptoms, you should contact your GP or call 111.

Insect stings and bites are usually easily treatable with painkillers, antihistamines and, if needed, antibiotics. If your symptoms persist, however, make sure to seek medical advice immediately.

Resources:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/insect-bites-and-stings/
https://cios.icb.nhs.uk/2024/08/01/bitten-or-stung-by-an-insect-how-to-treat-yourself-at-home-and-when-to-seek-help/

Bites and stings

https://www.england.nhs.uk/primary-care/pharmacy/pharmacy-services/pharmacy-first/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/