Last summer, I learned a hard camping lesson. Three days into a backpacking trip in the Smokies, my legs looked like a connect-the-dots puzzle from mosquito bites. I’d slap on basic lotion, feel okay for 20 minutes, then the itch would roar back, making my hikes miserable. Now I always pack anti-itch cream for bug bites because it makes them a lot easier to put to the back of my mind.
Mosquitoes, chiggers, and no-see-ums often don’t care about your DEET spray or long sleeves and the bites that follow are the ones that ruin my sleep and rob me of energy the next day. Want to know more about my new cream? Then keep reading.
The Trip That Made Me Look For Anti-itch Cream for Bug Bites
There was one trip in particular that made me start looking for anti-itch cream for bug bites. Me and two buddies went to a remote site near Clingmans Dome and day one was ok. But then I noticed some buzzing around the fire on night two and thought nothing of it. I then woke up with my ankles, calves, and arms covered in bites.
I tried hydrocortisone from the first-aid kit, which actually burned more than it helped. I also had some antihistamine with me too, but it didn’t do much for my itching while at the same time making me more drowsy than I would have liked.
After getting home, I did some digging around online and I found this great anti-itch cream with a dual action. First, it numbed my skin enough to stop the nagging tingling with something called pramoxine hydrochloride. It also had menthol for that instant “aaaah” moment and witch hazel that helps with the swelling. Now it’s the first thing I put in my pack and apply it around 3-4 times a day, depending on how things went.
I Wasn’t Even Aware Relief Like This Was Available
The thing is, I didn’t even know skin support like this existed. The only thing I thought was out there was calamine. It does dry bites out, but offers next to no relief from itching. This one’s different:
- Numbing nerve endings: That pramoxine I mentioned is great for dialing down the intensity of your itching in minutes. It means I get the sleep I need.
- Cool without freeze: The menthol inside takes the heat out of fresh bites, and it’s great to know I’m actually dealing with the bites instead of just masking them.
- Trail-ready: The cream is ideal for people like me because it absorbs totally, so things stay nice and non-messy.
- The first time I tested it, I went canoeing in the Everglades (which is usually a no-see-ums hell) and honestly, bites didn’t bother me and it even got to the point where my buddy was asking me for some.
See also: The Supplements: A Minefield or a Garden of Health?
Anti-Itch Cream for Bug Bites Lets Me Enjoy the Outdoors More
My camping trips would have carried on regardless whether I found this cream or not, so it wouldn’t have stopped me enjoying the outdoors. What this cream does is allow me to enjoy good parts without the mood being dragged down by infected mosquito bites. Right now, it’s an essential I’ll never leave out of my pack again.
So, if you love the outdoors like me, pack it, use it when you need to and enjoy sleeping more soundly after those long days. That’s as difficult as dealing with bug bites ever needs to be.
