Insect Bite & Sting Swelling & Redness

Insect bites are not only painful, but they can also cause redness and swelling that can last for hours or even days. Whether you’ve been bitten by a mosquito, a wasp, or a horsefly, the swelling and redness that follow can be uncomfortable and unsightly. Fortunately, Wasp-Eze provides effective products to treat insect bites and associated itching, helping you to recover and get back to your daily activities.

What Causes Redness and Swelling from Insect Bites and Stings?

When an insect bites or stings the skin, the body’s natural response is to release a chemical known as histamine that triggers an inflammatory reaction causing redness, swelling, and annoying itching that’s hard to ignore. Insect bite redness and swelling on the skin may look like:

1

A papule – a small itchy lump, sometimes surrounded by redness, that develops up to 24 hours after a bite.
2

A wheal – a red, raised mark that generally appears immediately and fades after a couple of hours.

Bee and wasp stings differ from bites. Stinging insects, like bees and wasps, inject venom from a sac attached to their stinger. Honeybees leave their barbed stinger and venom sac in the skin, causing prolonged irritation, while wasps have a non-barbed stinger and can sting multiple times. The venom and insect saliva contain proteins that trigger an immune response when injected in the skin.

Redness and swelling around the area of a sting is often a normal immune response. Swelling can also be a sign of a localised allergic reaction. However, unless it affects your airways, this swelling is unlikely to be dangerous though it can be uncomfortable.

In rare cases, you may develop a severe allergic reaction to an insect sting or bite (anaphylaxis) and will need to seek immediate medical assistance.

A young individual is showing a bite mark that has been caused by an insect. They have not protected themselves with insect repellent and have not treated the bite with a relief product.

Preventing Further Swelling and Redness

A skin infection can develop after an insect bite, leading to redness and tenderness around the bite, as well as yellow discharge (pus) from the area. To prevent this, it’s important to avoid scratching the bite or sting as this breaks the skin, allowing bacteria to get in.

Preventing Insect Bites & Stings

Of course, the best way to deal with insect bites and stings is to avoid them in the first place. When spending time outdoors, using an effective insect repellent can help protect your skin from mosquitoes and other biting insects.

For everyday protection, Wasp-Eze® Insect Repellent Spray and Roll-On offer convenient, DEET-free protection suitable for regular outdoor use. When you need stronger protection, such as during holidays or in areas with higher insect activity, Wasp-Eze® Max Strength Spray and Lotion provide the strongest level of repellency available over the counter, helping keep mosquitoes and other biting insects at bay.

How to Treat Redness and Swelling from Insect Bites and Stings

Use a cold compress to reduce swelling
Take painkillers to ease the pain

Alternative group shot of all Ralgex Relief and Repellent products.

Browse Wasp-Eze Products Today

With the right treatment for insect bite swelling and preventive measures, you can get back to enjoying your outdoor activities. Wasp-Eze products offer relief and prevent bites happening in the first place. Shop our products today.