[Artemisia] fwd: Mosquito Bite Reactions

[Dawn Tavares]

Given that the entire kingdom has had such a wet spring, this might prove 
useful.
Forwarded with permission.

Aurora de Portugal
BLS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am not a Medical Professional (tm), but this *did* come from my
Allergist -- and I am *profoundly* allergic to mosquito bites -- I've
had welts/knots 3 inches across before ... Oh, and I am a biologist.

If you get the "hot red lump" reaction after a bite, it is a
prostaglandin reaction reather than a histamine reaction.  (the
histamine reaction is that little water-blister that you get at the
bite location.  Histamine and Prostaglandin are the 2 types of allergic
immune responses)  What Dr. Pienkowski told me was to wet an aspirin and
put it on the bite as soon as you know you've been bit.  I asked a
Pharmacist to compound me some Aspirin and Zinc Oxide and she pointed
me to AsperCreme.

Great Stuff.  Don't leave home without it.  The same folks make
SportsCreme -- smells a little different.

Strictly speaking it's "aspirin-free" (salisylic acid rather
than acetyl-salisylic acid ...) but obviously folks that are allergic
to aspirin will want to take appropriate precautions -- like avoidance

Anyway, as soon as you know you've been bit, start slathering on the
AsperCreme.  Every time it itches after that, put on more.  In my
experience, you don't need to do this more more than an hour or two. No
more itching, no swelling -- ever.


Jerusha (who *always* has AsperCreme during mosquito season)
-----
Susan Farmer
sfarmer at ...
University of Tennessee
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
http://www.goldsword.com/sfarmer/Trillium/

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