Here’s how to stop the itching
As a female mosquito sucks your blood for protein to nourish her developing eggs, she pumps in her saliva, which has an anticoagulant to keep your blood flowing. Your white blood cells attack this bug juice, unleashing the inflammation producing chemical histamine, as well as a swarm of antibodies that latch onto and remove the foreign substance. That starts a whole cascade of events that results in redness, swelling, and itching.
How to stop the itch-scratch-itch-some-more vicious cycle?
Try putting ice on the bite to quell swelling and dull itch nerves. A paste of baking soda has also been found to reduce the irritation. Or use an over-the-counter 1 per cent hydrocortisone cream or a “non-sensitizing” (meaning it won’t cause an allergic reaction) anti-itch lotion containing camphor and menthol. In a pinch try Vicks Vaporub.
Avoid topical diphenhydramine (an antihistamine found in Benadryl) and products containing benzocaine. You can actually become allergic to them over time.
Don’t scratch, if you can help it. It may feel good, but it tends to make the area redder and more swollen. If you must, delicately scratch around it. That trick of pressing on the bite with, a fingernail? It may just work because the pain acts as a counter-irritant to the itch.