having chiggers and remaining sane...

[gumpsgirl]

I haven't read the other responses so I don't know if anyone has suggested this yet or not, but we use nail polish. Yep! Nail polish! You have to suffocate them to make them die or you will never quit itching. You can either go to the pharmacy and pay for a bottle of something to paint on the chigger bites (they are actually embedded into your skin) or you can go the cheap route and paint them with nail polish. They've been terrible here this year and my husband, along with one of my sons, have already had to be painted. It does work! Paint them tonight and you will feel TONS better tomorrow.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

If you have something tight, such as an elastic waistband they will bite all around the edge. Horrid, nasty things! I remember them from when I was a kid. Lots of them in my grandparent's yard; as well as at all the parks and "wild" places. I think I remember hearing that if you fertilize with nitrogen it will drive them away. I was apparently a very sweet kid--and got everyone else in the family's share of bites as well as my own share

*NASTY* creatures!!!

 

[SallyF]

I had some (like you've got... LOTS) earlier this year, after making the mistake of walking the entire edge of our field picking blackberries. I tried everything to relieve the itch. Nothing works for long. Heat was best; either hot water straight from the tap or blow with a hair dryer on high until it hurts more than it itches. I'm now using ChiggerX which I got from WalMart and that seems to help more than most of the other lotions (like Benadryl, Oragel, hydrocortisone cream, etc.) I tried the ammonia, the bleach, the vinegar, the alcohol. Bottom line is nothing makes it go away for good. All you can do is relieve the itch for a short time and then do it again.

 

[Smoky73]

wow, guess we do not have those out here. I am very allergic to mosquitos, but sounds like chiggers would be a cross between lice, shingles and poison ivy LMAO.

What about witch hazel? I dunno, I would go with the vaseline...all over, right after a good hot soak, the soak should open the pores and then get the vaseline in good?

 

[Godsgrl]

Chiggers are demon bugs. They itch so bad, and for so long. I recently had some on my feet, and the itch would wake me up at night. Be sure and wash the clothes you were wearing when you were bitten. Also, you might want to wash your sheets and bedding, just in case. it seemed like I was getting new bites until I did this last time. Hope you feel better soon, chiggers are a pure nightmare.

 

[mom'sfolly]

The other problem with chigger bites is that they last forever. Chiggers are quite possibly the only critter worse than fire ants. I can not imagine what a couple hundred bites would do to you. I think tranquilizers might be in order, or tequila, or something. Just be very glad you don't have the "usual" place bites. For those of you who don't know chiggers like to bite in spots that you can't scratch in public.

You have my utmost sympathy!!!!!

I say try the tequila, after a few you will still itch, but you just won't care!

 

[keesmom]

What is their normal range? My daughter, husband and I have very similar symptoms after some landscaping in ME. Pediatrician diagnosed something else that didn't sound right. After such a long hot summer I wonder if they reached further north than usual.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Fingernail polish....and lot's of alcohol...ingested in any form that you prefer...until you don't care if they itch

Last time I had them was when I was a kid and I had about 200 bites all over my abdomen and nether regions. My mom gave me a bottle of CamphoPhenique and a cotton ball. I continually dabbed it on....for like days. Finally she put nail polish on every single bite and they finally died and quit itching after about 2 years.....

 

[teach1rusl]

I tell you, my family still laughs at me about "Chigger Summer," the summer I didn't wear shorts because I literally had hundreds of chigger bites (went for a hike and then fell asleep in those clothes - the itching woke me up in the wee hours - shed clothes quickly, but it was too late of course). They were so bad, I should have gone to the doctor to get a steroid shot probably, but didn't. THIS year I ended up with only a mild attack (anything less than 100 bites is mild to me now

). I've never had them heal so quickly or go through the stages so quickly (hate the blister looking stage). I used a topical steroid cream (dabbed on each day, more often if needed) called Desoximetasone .05%. I think you do have to get it from a doctor though. After that dried I applied clear nail polish. It worked wonders for me in stopping itching and in healing quickly!

 

[australorpchick]

What's the sulfur for? I know we have them around here, but luckily haven't had any problems. I'm kind of surprised, since I'm really allergic to mosquito bites. I carry Off wipes in my purse.