FabSwingers.com forum: Gnat bites !!!

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Poor Furry, we went for a lovely walk along a gorgeous stream this weekend, but lots of gnats.............

'oh they don't bit me!' he says.

60 odd bites later his legs are driving him crazy itching lol

So, any tips apart from the obvious ??

x Raz x

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

u can get..skin so soft from avon

that keeps them away.its the spray u

need tho xx

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Is that a repellant ?? Would love to go to this valley again, was so beautiful but wouldn't want him to suffer lol

x Raz x

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By *aucy3Couple
over a year ago

glasgow

"Is that a repellant ?? Would love to go to this valley again, was so beautiful but wouldn't want him to suffer lol

x Raz x"

rub medicated talc,or athletes foot powder on them.will stop the irritation.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"Is that a repellant ?? Would love to go to this valley again, was so beautiful but wouldn't want him to suffer lol

x Raz x

rub medicated talc,or athletes foot powder on them.will stop the irritation."

Thanks for that, will tell him to give it a go xxx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Jack, here, I take a Vitamin B complex pill everyday during the summer. Also, my doc says eat marmite or yeast extract and that will keep the little buggers at bay. I still get the occaisional bite, but nothing like I used to get.

You can get the Vit B complex from any health shop such as Holland and Barrett or even Supermarkets.

When we went to Freece last year I didnt get one mossy bite all the time I was there.

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By *uton_coupleCouple
over a year ago

luton

"Jack, here, I take a Vitamin B complex pill everyday during the summer. Also, my doc says eat marmite or yeast extract and that will keep the little buggers at bay. I still get the occaisional bite, but nothing like I used to get.

You can get the Vit B complex from any health shop such as Holland and Barrett or even Supermarkets.

When we went to Freece last year I didnt get one mossy bite all the time I was there.

thats first class advice , in really bad places it worth taking 2 bakers yeast tablets per day it will do you no harm for a week or 2

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Hi there,jay suffers from skin allergys,and really suffers when bitten,what he found to work is marmite (hates it though) or take yeast tablets ,takes a few weeks to get into your system though.

As for the bites,calamine lotion ,bi-carbonate of soda in the bath,steriod cream betnovate(perscription),anti-histomine tablets/cream,drs say a cool bath but jay prefers hot(as does a few people with same trouble).hope that helps lindy xx

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I can't remember the name, but Boots do a powerful insect repellant that was reccommended when I went hiking in South Africa. Why not pop in and ask them. On the downside it was a bit stinky though LOL.

I used to get bitten quite a bit when cycling in the New Forest but now I usually put on some P20 if it's sunny and that seems to discourage the mozzies too.

Tim X

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Speaking of bites and stings: about 3 years back I stopped for a pee under a tree during my regular cycle ride. I could hear a lot of buzzing around me but I couldn't work our where it was coming from. Suddenly I realised there was a nest on the ground and I was relieving myself on it! I grabbed my bike and sprinted away but I got about 10 bee stings on each leg. luckily I was wearing long sleves and a helmet.

I still cycle that trail regularly and I now know that particular spot as 'Bee-Sting Bottom'.

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By *ig badMan
over a year ago

Up North :-)

"Poor Furry, we went for a lovely walk along a gorgeous stream this weekend, but lots of gnats.............

'oh they don't bit me!' he says.

60 odd bites later his legs are driving him crazy itching lol

So, any tips apart from the obvious ??

x Raz x"

I think you will find that if you liberally dab Marmite on your skin then the smell of the yeast puts off bugs and stuff. (Never tested it my self like so not sure how accurate it is)

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By *ornyandnymphoCouple
over a year ago

poole

Try putting tiger balm on the bites. Worked a treat for me.

Any insect repellent containing deet is good. Use it all the time now and never been bitten, and the little buggeers love me!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

As stunna mentioned at the top of the post, Skin So Soft by Avon is great, it's actually used by the British Marines and the SAS and they don't want to be messing about during jungle warfare or a row with the Taliban, so well recommended I'd say.

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By *ig badMan
over a year ago

Up North :-)

"As stunna mentioned at the top of the post, Skin So Soft by Avon is great, it's actually used by the British Marines and the SAS and they don't want to be messing about during jungle warfare or a row with the Taliban, so well recommended I'd say."

No its NOT! all products used by the marines is non perfumed for specific reasons!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

yeah as a camper....everyone knows about the skin so soft

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Try putting tiger balm on the bites. Worked a treat for me.

Any insect repellent containing deet is good. Use it all the time now and never been bitten, and the little buggeers love me!"

Yup "Deet" - that's the one I couldn't remember. X

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

No its NOT! all products used by the marines is non perfumed for specific reasons!

It is my understanding that skin so soft is not a heavily perfumed lotion, so unless you can tell me you are yourself are a member of the armed forces and therefore have first hand experience, I think you'll find you are very much mistaken.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Will def get some Skin So Soft and force the Furry one to eat Marmite - Result lol

And as usual thank you to all you lovely forumites, God this place hasn't changed that much, you're still all great at helping out no matter what the issue.

MWAH

Raz

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By *ig badMan
over a year ago

Up North :-)

No its NOT! all products used by the marines is non perfumed for specific reasons!

Mistaken

….Err NO not at all.

And yes as it happens I speak from personal experience so as I said before they don’t use skin so soft as a insect repellent. The marines use a compound made specifically for the armed forces that is 50% DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) in a slow release compound as when your out in the field your not about to start slapping on skin cream. They need an effective treatment that has no perfume in it as there is no point alerting the opposition’s guard dog’s your there. You will also find DEET is incorporated in camouflage cream these days for both British and US troops which saves officers having to check that people are protected in the field. Also all clothing used in environments with insect problems are coated with a permethrin compound in the laundry process. I hope this clears up your confusion as to what members of her majesties finest use.

Unfortunately you will find that goggling will bring up many myths and rumours quoted that are just that Myths. Having transferred to the 45th at Faslane (where a Scottish newspaper alleged it was used) we never used it. It was a windup created by a stores sergeant at 45 Commando, based at Arbroath.

If you actually look at both Avon’s and the consumer magazine Which neither substantiate claims that ‘Skin so soft’ is a insect repellent.

Which go as far as to say :-

“There is much internet chat, and even a rumour that it is used by many soldiers, suggesting that Avon’s Skin So Soft is an effective insect repellent, though Avon makes no such claims.

We thought we’d see if the rumours were true sadly they are not. It may keep your skin super soft, but did not do much to deter the mozzies.”

Avon say:-

“We have had reports from Representatives and their customers that Avon Skin So Soft Soft & Fresh (originally Woodland Fresh) fragrance Bath Oil and Dry Body Spray acts as an effective insect repellent.

Our Quality Control Department advise that it is the aroma of the product that has this effect. Citronella is in the perfume and as fragrance oils are 'propriety compositions' and the property of the vendor, due to vendor confidentiality, we list this ingredient as Parfum. However this product is marketed and sold by us as a bath preparation only. We would not recommend any Skin So Soft product for any other use. Skin So Soft products in any other fragrance do not contain the same ingredients as Soft & Fresh”.

In other words it may discourage nibblers but its only the ones that are put of by the smell of Citronella so folks don’t rely totally on it folks

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By *atisfy janeWoman
over a year ago

Torquay

I take liquid garlic caps before going anywhere that mozzies might be in any great number....

I start a week before I go abroad and take them every day I am there.

You can also get great little citronella essential oil roller balls in health shops.

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