Worried

[CantonaKing]

Hi,
I had some dry skin or may be an insect bite at the bottom of my leg. Woke up in the middle of the night and it was itching terribly so I scratched it furiously.
Got up this morning and it was scabby and very red around it.
Went to chemist and he gave me some cream but said if it gets worse go to a doctor as it may require antibiotics.
It seemed to have settled this afternoon, but it's really itchy all around it and I'm dying to scratch it.
But I've read some horror stories and worried it may swell up or I may get gangrene.
I've never had anything like this before and rarely get bitten as I've got quite dark skin.
Please help....

[nomorepanic]

I doubt very much you will get gangrene - it would have to be very very bad for that to happen.

I react very very badly to insect bites and they swell up and go hard and I even feel sick and dizzy with them.

Put a cold flannel on it and it should help with the itching.

[Anxious_gal]

if you see your doctor soon you will be fine, even if it does get infected antibiotics will clear it up , if it swells up yes it will be uncomfortable but you will be ok, in the end you will be ok and a week or two will pass and you'll have realized that the worrying was more stressful than the problem it's self.
I am the way though i have an over active imagination - big time

[mcclan]

sometimes cold milk helps wiv that try it

[sweet juicy]

You should go to see doctor as earlier as better !

[Maj]

Are you able to take an antihistamine, because this will really help the itch. I also suffer from bad reactions to bites and always have to have antihistamines with me. Especially for the Scottish midgie!! Bites usually go away of their own accord so try not to worry too much about it.

[countrygirl]

I live next to the sea and sand and saltmarsh and mossies by the million in August and September and everyone gets huge number of bites here - I have found best treatment for me is as soon as I get one and they tend to give huge hard lumps with big red aread around is to put neat tea tree oil on it 3-4 times a day and the red area goes away within 24 hrs and stops infection. You can buy tea tree oil at any chemists but must be the pure oil.

I was horrified when I first moved here a year ago because I had never ever had an insect bite in my life and moved in August and was instantly bitten and reacted badly. Saw GP who told me its mostly an allergic reaction but scratching bites is what gets infection in from your surrounding skin - he said next year you won't react as bad and he was correct.

The neat tea tree oil is worth a try - you can dilute it if you are worried about using it neat but its more effective neat.

[kittykat]

I have a bite just now on my upper thigh and have been scratching it so much that the surrounding skin has become all bruised ...my own fault i know, i get them around this time every year probably cause the next door neighbour doesn't know how to cut grass its like a wildlife preserve out there lol, and im sure all the beasties wait till i come out to attack me :) I just put an antiseptic lotion on them and that usually helps although it can take a wee while for them to clear away completely x