Insect bite remedies don’t stop the itch:review

British researchers reviewed the literature on treatments for bites from insects such as midges, mosquitos, flies, fleas and bedbugs, but excluded bites from ticks, mites and lice as well as stings.

Studies of oral anti­histamines were small and of poor quality and were only able to advise that a short course may be useful in cases of severe local reaction and to aid sleep at night, the review said.

Oral and topical steroids should be used sparingly and there was no certainty about the usefulness of antipruritics such as crotamiton or calamine, it said. 

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