For the love of God, what's your chigger remedy???

[Shorty]

I always used Caladryl after a hot shower. It seemed to work for a while.  Never tried this, but it seems logical to me, is using baking soda.  Basically the basic properties of baking soda should help to neutralize the acidic properties of the chigger's digestive juices in the "bite".  I found a few natural remedy sites claiming it helps.

[Wingshooter]

18 minutes ago, Shorty said:

I always used Caladryl after a hot shower. It seemed to work for a while.  Never tried this, but it seems logical to me, is using baking soda.  Basically the basic properties of baking soda should help to neutralize the acidic properties of the chigger's digestive juices in the "bite".  I found a few natural remedy sites claiming it helps.

Something to look into

 

[Wingshooter]

3 hours ago, Wheelgunner said:

 

4. Super tight clothing on the chigger-bitten area.  For lower legs and feet, tall dress socks work well.

 

Well, so far with this experience, I've been sitting in hot baths and used some nail polish. I'd have to draw the line if you'd have suggested pantyhose, lol.

[TNWNGR]

I know it's a bit late but one of the best remedy's I've found is run a tub of bathwater as hot as I could stand it pouring about 1/4 or so of a cup of concentrated bleach into the water as the tub filled. I'd soak in the tub until the water cooled down. Then stand up, sluice of the water as the tub dries and towel dry. It dries the skin oil and really reduces the itching. I've used topical ointments, Benadryl and cortisone too. 

[analog_kidd]

If you are in to Podcasts, the "Stuff You Should Know" series has a very interesting episode about chiggers. I want to say it was about a year or so ago.

[john455]

I don't know if you can be immune to chiggers, but I have never had them. I worked for 20+ years in the Tree business, clearing power line ROW, hunted and fished all my life with not one chigger. I am also immune to poison ivy, oak, and sumac. I know this doesn't help you, just got me thinking after reading about your misery.

[Sunfish]

Always put the clothes you had on in the washer right away. With me it takes about ten days to go away using the 10 % itch cream 

[KahrMan]

49 minutes ago, john455 said:

I don't know if you can be immune to chiggers, but I have never had them. I worked for 20+ years in the Tree business, clearing power line ROW, hunted and fished all my life with not one chigger. I am also immune to poison ivy, oak, and sumac. I know this doesn't help you, just got me thinking after reading about your misery.

You sir are a horrible, horrible person. 

[Garufa]

Does no one use calamine lotion anymore?

[E4 No More]

On 9/17/2017 at 1:38 AM, Murgatroy said:

Fingernail polish. Clear, put it over the bites. It has been a long while since I have been afflicted, but I do recall that remedy.

This! ^

[gregintenn]

2 hours ago, john455 said:

I don't know if you can be immune to chiggers, but I have never had them. I worked for 20+ years in the Tree business, clearing power line ROW, hunted and fished all my life with not one chigger. I am also immune to poison ivy, oak, and sumac. I know this doesn't help you, just got me thinking after reading about your misery.

I imagine such things can bother some people more than others. I've noticed that the first mosquito bite of the season makes a big itchy knot, then subsequent bites are less and less aggravating. I think one can become immune to such things, and some are naturally immune to begin with. Sort of like bee stings. they'll kill some people while others barely notice them.

[mikegideon]

2 hours ago, SWJewellTN said:

This! ^

Nope

https://www.thoughtco.com/does-nail-polish-kill-chiggers-1968056

[Lumber_Jack]

5 hours ago, john455 said:

I don't know if you can be immune to chiggers, but I have never had them. I worked for 20+ years in the Tree business, clearing power line ROW, hunted and fished all my life with not one chigger. I am also immune to poison ivy, oak, and sumac. I know this doesn't help you, just got me thinking after reading about your misery.

I truly believe that some people are less prone to insect bites than others.  As a forester, I work in just about every outdoor environment in the southeast.  Now I have had chiggers but very seldom, I also do not get poison Ivy or any of its relatives, not one time.  But I've been around co-workers in close proximity get absolutely killed with chiggers and I maybe got one or two.  

[Wingshooter]

10 hours ago, TNWNGR said:

I know it's a bit late but one of the best remedy's I've found is run a tub of bathwater as hot as I could stand it pouring about 1/4 or so of a cup of concentrated bleach into the water as the tub filled. I'd soak in the tub until the water cooled down. Then stand up, sluice of the water as the tub dries and towel dry. It dries the skin oil and really reduces the itching. I've used topical ointments, Benadryl and cortisone too. 

I sat in a hot bath twice with some bleach, and that did help. I showered it off following the bath instead of letting it dry on my skin though. I'll remember to let it dry if I'm ever unfortunate enough to have a "next time".

 

 

[Wingshooter]

5 hours ago, john455 said:

I don't know if you can be immune to chiggers, but I have never had them. I worked for 20+ years in the Tree business, clearing power line ROW, hunted and fished all my life with not one chigger. I am also immune to poison ivy, oak, and sumac. I know this doesn't help you, just got me thinking after reading about your misery.

You don't ever want them. They're miserable. I seem to be immune to the various poison plants too, but chiggers, ticks and mesquites seem to seek me out for some reason.  

[E4 No More]

1 hour ago, mikegideon said:

Nope

https://www.thoughtco.com/does-nail-polish-kill-chiggers-1968056

That says that nail polish doesn't kill them whereas I didn't say it did. I am curious if the nail polish alleviates the itch from them - kind of like how vinegar helps burns and fiberglass itch on some folks.

[Omega]

Chig-away used to work for me, we used to have them (they may still) very bad at Ft Bragg.  But I never really got a bad infestation, just a bit on the arms and such.  I always had chig-away, clear calamine lotion, as well as cortisone 10 (prescription then) on hand.  It turned out I was not affected by any of the poison ivy or oaks just chiggers and ticks.  Around here, ticks are the only issues I have, so far.

[Wingshooter]

1 hour ago, SWJewellTN said:

That says that nail polish doesn't kill them whereas I didn't say it did. I am curious if the nail polish alleviates the itch from them - kind of like how vinegar helps burns and fiberglass itch on some folks.

Vinegar for fiberglass itch... there was a time when I could have used that info, lol. I'll have to remember that.

[mikegideon]

2 hours ago, SWJewellTN said:

That says that nail polish doesn't kill them whereas I didn't say it did. I am curious if the nail polish alleviates the itch from them - kind of like how vinegar helps burns and fiberglass itch on some folks.

It might. Anti itch cream worked best for me. I thought I was gonna die from itching. Fortunately, I had Google when it happened.

[E4 No More]

1 hour ago, Wingshooter said:

Vinegar for fiberglass itch... there was a time when I could have used that info, lol. I'll have to remember that.

My wife's grandfather worked at the Owens-Corning fiberglass plant in Kansas City, KS. I tried working there for a short period, but vinegar couldn't help my sinuses bleeding. I had to quit making good money there as a teenager.

[Wingshooter]

I'm doing so much better than I was. I did take a huge scratching fit about an hour ago, but the prescription cream came to the rescue. There's no question that these meds have saved me many days and nights of suffering. Now the big question is how long will it take me to get amnesia and repeat this stupidity again? I am going to buy a case of OFF, so I don't get caught without it in the summertime woods again.

[Wingshooter]

6 hours ago, SWJewellTN said:

My wife's grandfather worked at the Owens-Corning fiberglass plant in Kansas City, KS. I tried working there for a short period, but vinegar couldn't help my sinuses bleeding. I had to quit making good money there as a teenager.

The last time I had it was when I replaced some stringers and refinished the bottom of a flat bottom fiberglass boat. I sanded that sucker like an idiot in shorts and a T-shirt (intermittant mask). The boat turned out great! I learned another lesson!

Edited September 19, 2017 by Wingshooter

[KahrMan]

43 minutes ago, Wingshooter said:

I'm doing so much better than I was. I did take a huge scratching fit about an hour ago, but the prescription cream came to the rescue. There's no question that these meds have saved me many days and nights of suffering. Now the big question is how long will it take me to get amnesia and repeat this stupidity again? I am going to buy a case of OFF, so I don't get caught without it in the summertime woods again.

I always keep two large cans of OFF Deep Woods in the truck.  When one can is empty I immediately replace it so I am never with out it.  

Last year when I got them so bad I went to the doc it was because of a simple mistake.  I had treated all my clothes and boots with permethrin.  Well it was warm that day so I switched to a light pair of hiking shoes (untreated) instead of my boots.  Will not make that mistake again.

[Sunfish]

My ankles and around my waist line seems to be their favorite place to dine. Hi powered permethrin should only be sprayed on clothing and shoes. A friend sprayed his arms with it and got a rash that was almost as bad as the chiggers

[KahrMan]

This stupid thread made me dream about chiggers last night.