If the bugs are eating you alive this summer, you no longer need to suffer.
Histamine is the chemical released that causes mosquito bites to itch and swell up.
When a mosquito bites, your immune system recognizes the mosquito’s saliva as a foreign substance. This triggers an immune system response, which aims to protect you against the attack and eliminate the intruder.
Your immune system produces antibodies that detect the allergen, causing inflammatory reactions and the release of chemicals, including histamine.
Histamine increases blood flow and the number of white blood cells around the affected area, which causes inflammation or swelling. Histamine also sends a signal to the nerves surrounding the bite, causing it to itch.
Since histamine release is what causes bug bite symptoms, modulating histamine can help relieve swelling and itching.
Essential Oils to Take the Sting out of Bug Bites
Essential Oils can act as a natural anti-histamine, modulating the activity of the body’s histamine receptors. By altering the way the body reacts to allergic reactions and bug bites, you may reduce inflammation, swelling, and itchiness.
The anti-inflammatory properties of essential oils may help alleviate the inflammation caused by mosquito bites, thereby reducing healing time and minimizing itching after a bite. Oils also contain antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that may help wounds heal and reduce the risk of developing an infection.
The essential oils that are most touted for their anti-inflammatory and histamine-balancing properties are all included in the Histamine Balance blend:
Histamine Balance Blend
Histamine Balance™ blend contains a proprietary formulation of organic and/or wildcrafted essential oils that are known to take the sting out of bug bites, including:
Blue Tansy is known for neutralizing histamine and helping to control allergic reactions. Key constituents, such as sabinene and camphor, contribute to blue tansy’s anti-inflammatory properties, including its ability to counteract allergic discomfort by reducing histamine levels in the body.
Lavender™ helps reduce inflammation, soothe pain, and relieve itching and discomfort. An animal study conducted in South Korea demonstrated that lavender inhibits the release of histamine and inflammatory proteins from mast cells. These results indicate that lavender oil inhibits immediate-type allergic reactions by inhibiting mast cell degranulation in both in vivo and in vitro settings. Additional research has found that the medicinal compounds in lavender oil, particularly its component linalool, help inhibit the production of histamine and suppress inflammatory responses. Lavender can also be applied directly to bites to reduce the pain and itchiness of bug bites.
Roman Chamomile is known for its natural antihistamine properties, as well as its soothing and anti-inflammatory effects. A 2010 study published in Molecular Medicine Reports found it helps balance and inhibit excessive histamine responses. The study highlighted the benefit of topically applying Chamomile essential oil as its anti-inflammatory properties ”penetrate below the skin surface into the deeper skin layers” to calm inflammation and amplify healing.
Similar research suggests that the methanol extract of chamomile shows potent anti-allergic activity by inhibiting histamine release from mast cells. Moreover, research has found chamomile to be even more effective than cortisone cream in reducing pain, swelling, inflammation, redness, and itching.
Rosemary is known to naturally alleviate allergic responses, lower histamine, and stabilize mast cells. A small study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology suggested that rosemary essential oil can inhibit muscle contractions of the trachea caused by histamine. Its antimicrobial properties also help soothe bug bites.
Peppermint™ contains Menthol, which helps create a cooling sensation that can reduce stinging, burning, and itching caused by bug bites. Research on “the anti-inflammatory activity of L-menthol compared to mint oil in human monocytes in vitro: a novel perspective for its therapeutic use in inflammatory diseases,” found that menthol is an effective treatment for chronic inflammatory conditions.
Flavonoids contained in Peppermint were found to have a potent inhibitory effect on excessive histamine release from mast cells. The Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that peppermint oil has an antispasmodic effect on the windpipe muscles and has “expectorant actions and is anti-congestive.”
Finally, research suggests peppermint oil may act as an antimicrobial, reducing the risk of infection associated with some bites.
Manuka is similar to Tea tree essential oil, known to quickly and easily reduce the production of histamine and support a reduction in systemic inflammation, which reduces pain, swelling, and itching, making it great for all sorts of bug bites.
A 2000 German study demonstrated antimicrobial properties that could destroy a wide variety of bacteria, fungi, and yeast. This is important in terms of allergic reactions because these dangerous microbes can cause inflammation and also cause the immune response to overreact.
Tea tree’s ability to stop itching may be its best trait. A 2012 study found that tea tree essential oil was more effective in preventing itching than other medications.
Histamine Balance™ can be applied behind your ears, on the base of your neck, and on your sternum or the bottom of your feet to help calm itching and swelling from insect bites.
You can also apply Lavender™ essential oil directly on insect bites.
Essential Oil Bug Spray
Essential Oils can also be used to repel bugs. Some of the plants from which essential oils are derived contain natural compounds that repel bugs. This protects plants from being eaten by the insects!
Essential oil bug spray provides a natural approach to repelling pests that is easy to make and gentle on the skin.
The following oils found in the Purification™ can be used to make a 4-oz. bug spray. Just add the following to a 4-oz spray bottle:
- 40–50 drops of Purification™
- 2 oz. water
- 2 oz. witch hazel
Shake well, and then spray on exposed skin.
The Purification™ blend contains a proprietary formulation of organic and/or wildcrafted essential oils of Lemongrass, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Lavender, Myrtle, and Citronella:
Lemongrass is known for its natural insecticidal activity. Lemongrass has been observed to work as a natural bug repellent against ticks, fleas, dust mites, cockroaches, and mosquitoes. Using a lemongrass mosquito repellent outdoors may help repel various types of insects.
Rosemary can help to repel insects, especially mosquitoes. Rosemary also has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties to help relieve bug bite pain and swelling and prevent infection.
Tea tree™ works as a natural insect repellent and insecticide. It possesses antifungal, antibacterial, and antimicrobial properties, making it effective in keeping bug bites clean and preventing infection. A study conducted in 2002 found that mosquito repellents containing tea tree essential oil as an active ingredient were able to protect against mosquitoes for over six hours.
Lavender™ can ward off insects as well as calm inflammation, which helps to minimize swelling and speed up healing on insect bites and stings.
Myrtle is a natural antimicrobial that can reduce pain, itching, and irritation from bug bites. This makes myrtle essential oil supportive for wounds, like bug bites.
Citronella is known for its natural ability to repel mosquitoes by masking the scents that attract bugs.
Purification™ can also help eliminate fungal, viral, bacterial, and infectious problems. It is beneficial in neutralizing poison from insect bites, spiders, bees, hornets, and wasps, and repels bugs and mice. It may also assist in treating wounds and cuts, improving poor circulation, alleviating nervous exhaustion, addressing respiratory conditions, regenerating connective tissue, and aiding the skin to heal.
Featured Oils:
Ready to get started? Click the links below to order today:
- Histamine Balance™ available here
- Lavender™ available here
- Peppermint™ available here
- Purification™ available here
- Tea tree™ available here
References:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24909715/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612440/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21651969/
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51169663_Using_chamomile_solution_or_a_1_topical_hydrocortisone_ointment_in_the_management_of_peristomal_skin_lesions_in_colostomy_patients_Results_of_a_controlled_clinical_study
- https://journals.lww.com/corneajrnl/Abstract/2012/01000/Treatment_of_Ocular_Itching_Associated_With_Ocular.3.aspx
- https://essentialoilexperts.com/rosemary-essential-oil/
- http://webdb.dmsc.moph.go.th/ifc_nih/applications/files/17_Entomo%20E.pdf
