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Health
A Russian university dean warns against scratching mosquito bites and offers safe treatment methods for children.
Scratching a mosquito bite can lead to infection, warns Irina Lyalina, acting dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the Russian University of Education. She advises parents on the safest ways to treat bites in children.
Lyalina recommends using pharmacy products such as gels or creams with antihistamine or cooling effects. For a home remedy, she suggests making a paste from baking soda and water and applying it to the bite, which she says will relieve the itching. She cautions against using solutions like brilliant green, noting that they do not treat the itch, only dry and stain the skin, making inflammation harder to spot.
Addressing whether to cover a bite with a bandage, Lyalina explains the risks of scratching. "First, it can lead to infection—there are many bacteria under the nails, and scratching creates an open wound susceptible to infection," she says. "Second, constant irritation from scratching slows tissue regeneration. Severe scratching can cause spots and scars."
She advises covering the bite with an antibacterial bandage. "This creates a physical barrier that prevents the child from scratching the bite and protects the wound from dirt," she adds.
