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Question: Why does it take 36 to 48 hours before mosquito bites make me itch?
When a mosquito bites me, it generally takes a day or two before the bite starts to itch. Then it itches to the point where I bruise myself scratching! I need to use an antihistamine to relieve the symptoms. Why does it take so long before I get this reaction? Dr. Martha Vetter White responds:
Good question! Most people itch within minutes of a mosquito bite, and that's a normal, non-allergic reaction to the chemicals injected in your skin by the mosquito. A response delayed by 36 to 48 hours is more typical of a contact allergy (like poison ivy reactions) and actually does suggest that you might be having an allergic reaction. You might want to try putting a little over-the-counter topical steroid cream on the bite as soon as you notice it to see if that will diminish the subsequent reaction. Good luck, Dr. White -- Dr. Martha Vetter White, MD, is cofounder and director of research at the Institute for Asthma &Allergy in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, one of the nation's most active clinical research centers devoted to allergy, asthma, and sinusitis.
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First published July 29, 2004
Last updated June 23, 2008
Copyright © 2003 Consumer Health Interactive
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