Are you looking for natural remedies for ant bites? Well, you’re in the right place!
We all know the feeling of being outside when you feel an ant bite your toe. It stings badly! I live in the southeastern united states, Florida to be specific, so fire ant bites are super common here.
My kids and I are often barefoot in our backyard so ant bites are unavoidable. Over the years I’ve tried many natural remedies for ant bites and have found the ones that work the best.
As a family, we try to avoid using over-the-counter medications as much as possible so natural remedies are always our go-to! The great thing about natural remedies is that most of the items needed are usually found in most people’s homes.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. This is not medical advice. I am not a doctor. All opinions are my own.
Even though fire ant stings can be painful, many natural ant bite remedies will relieve the affected area.
Depending on the species of ants the bite may hurt worse or swell more than others. Either way, it’s important to get something on the bite right away to help relieve the pain.
It’s also important to remember that some people may have a severe allergic reaction to ant bites. There are certain symptoms listed below that should be looked for to recognize a severe reaction to an ant bite. If allergic reactions occur be sure to seek medical treatment right away.
However, for most people, severe reactions aren’t a problem, and using simple home remedies is the best way to treat ant bites. These remedies may also work well for other insect bites such as mosquito bites or a bee sting.
Before we get into the remedies let’s go over the symptoms of a fire ant bite and the severe symptoms to be aware of if they occur.
Symptoms of a Fire Ant Bite
First, let’s go over how you know you or your child has a fire ant bite. Most of the time you will know right away if you get bitten by an ant but in small children that can’t tell you what is wrong, you may have to do more investigating.
These common symptoms may be apparent after you get bit by fire ants:
- The first symptom is a burning sensation.
- Next, you may experience itching in the bite area.
- After about an hour a red welt or bump may appear.
- Then that bump will turn into a small blister.
- The blister can fill with puss over the next few days and continue to itch.
Signs of an Allergic Reaction
Some people may be allergic to ant bites so it’s important to know the warning signs of an allergic reaction. If any of these serious reactions occur seek medical care right away:
- difficulty breathing
- anaphylactic shock
- loss of consciousness
- severe swelling
- severe chest pain
- intense pain
11 Natural Remedies for Ant Bites
You can choose one of these natural remedies for ant bites any time you get an ant bite or insect bite. It is best to start treatment right after the bite to reduce stings and itching. You can also combine more than one of these remedies to increase the healing benefits.
1) Ice Cube
When you first get bit by an ant you can start to feel stinging and burning. Putting an ice cube or cold compress on the bite right away can take down the swelling and burning.
It will also help in the long run with blistering. This is probably one of the easiest remedies considering most people have ice cubes in their freezer at all times!
2) Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is an acid so it is great for insect bites. It will help to remove the stinging and discomfort and is also antibacterial so it will help heal ant bites.
To use lemon juice for an insect bite simply squeeze a lemon into a bowl and put some lemon juice on your ant bites. You can also reapply as needed.
3) Essential Oil
Essential oils are a great way to cut down on the inflammation from ant bites. You can use lavender oil with a carrier oil such as olive oil.
Add one drop of essential oil to a coin-sized amount of carrier oil. Then apply directly to the bite. This should help take away any burning or itching from the ant bite.
If you want to make an essential oil roller for ant bites you can learn how many drops to put in the roller with this post.
The best essential oils for ant bites include:
- Lavender oil
- Chamomile oil
- Tea tree oil
- Rosemary oil
Essential oils can also be used for other things such as DIY bath bombs!
4) Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is truly a jack of all trades regarding home remedies. I believe everyone should have it on hand at all times. I’ve used it for warts, ringworm, deodorant, and more!
Apple cider vinegar is an excellent ant-bite remedy as well. The reason it works for so many things is because of its antibacterial properties. If you use it on your bite you can reduce the risk of getting a secondary infection.
All you have to do is mix some apple cider vinegar with water and dip a cotton ball in it. Then place it on your ant bite for up to 10 minutes. The acidity in the vinegar will help to take away the stinging and pain from the sting site.
5) Toothpaste
One of the main reasons ant bites hurt so much is because of the venom that causes them to sting. A great way to neutralize the sting is to apply a small amount of toothpaste to the bite immediately. This will help relieve the pain and sting.
Leave the toothpaste on for about 10 minutes and then rinse it off. Applying toothpaste will also reduce the chance of blisters forming from painful stings. Using natural toothpaste is the best option if you are trying to avoid chemicals.
6) White Vinegar
White vinegar has similar properties to apple cider vinegar and is more commonly found in most people’s homes. If you don’t have any apple cider vinegar on hand you can certainly use white vinegar.
It is acidic and will help take away the sting of the ant bite.
7) Baking Soda Paste
For quick relief, after you get an ant bite you can use baking soda. Mix baking soda with a small amount of water until a paste forms. Then rub the baking soda paste directly onto the bites. This will help to take away the burning from the bite.
8) Cucumber Slice
Do you have cucumbers in your refrigerator? Cucumbers can work great for ant bites.
Cut a small slice of a cucumber and put it on your bite. It will help take away the itching and if it is cold it will cool the bite off and take away the burning.
9) Witch Hazel
If you get a bite you can apply witch hazel to the bite. Witch hazel will help to reduce inflammation and take away the burning.
It will also help to speed up the recovery of the ant bite. You can apply the witch hazel directly or use a cotton ball to apply it to the bite.
10) Aloe
Aloe is another great natural option for ant bites and it’s free if you have an aloe vera plant! Simply rub the aloe on the ant bites and you will feel a cooling relief to the stinging and itching.
As a bonus aloe also has antioxidants and antibacterial properties which will help speed up recovery and avoid secondary infections.
11) Calamine Lotion
Calamine lotion is an over-the-counter lotion used to treat itchiness which makes it perfect for ant bites. You can use it for an ant bite by putting a little of the lotion directly onto the bite. This will help to calm itchiness.
Wrapping Up Natural Remedies for Ant Bites
Any bites can be a real bummer but luckily there are many natural remedies that take away the stinging and burning. You can try any one of the remedies in this article to find relief when you get a bite.
If you have tried all of these natural remedies and still can’t find the relief you could always use some hydrocortisone cream but natural is always the best. If severe symptoms occur be sure to seek immediate medical attention.
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