Chigger help....Please

[SKITCH]

WOw...all great suggestions.  Thanks for the input guys!  Looks like i'm about to invest in some permanone!  I'll check out some of the other suggestions too.  Hell I might even buy some pantyhose!!(knee socks) This itch is sure a P.I.the A!  I'll try the antibiotics first..then go for the bleach etc if it gets too bad.  

I do remember painting my legs with clear nail polish when I was in my teens and used to get eaten up.  Also remember a lot of the pink stuff.

Thanks again!  I really hope there are no seed ticks happening!  Had a few of the regular ticks a few weeks ago and those are no fun.

[eminart]

It is a misconception that chiggers bury into the skin and stay there. So all the nail polish/alcohol type remedies aren't killing the chiggers. They may relieve some of the itching in some way, but it isn't by smothering or killing the chiggers.

Usually a good coating of regular old deep woods off works pretty well for me against chiggers. It's useless against ticks though, so the permethrin suggestions are probably a good bet. The only draw back is you shouldn't spray it directly on your skin, and I usually wear shorts in the summer - snakes, bugs, and briars be damned.

[tecum-tha]

Get some rynoskin. What can't reach your skin can't bite you. For stinging insects like moskitos wear a shannon bugtamer over it.

[Hoyt]

Permathrin before and long fingernails after.

[LCH]

My grandmother-inlaw told me to rub salted pork on them after. It works.LCH

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by Hoyt:
Permathrin before and long fingernails after.

[Al Dente]

Ditto for the RhynoSkin.  In addition I also use the Perma thirin soak for outerwear.  For flies, no-seeums, and skeeters, I use a ThermaCell.  

This year, I have started to condition myelf with MSM.  It is in my Glucosamin and Chondroitin supplement.  It is a type of sulphur, which is supposed to permeate out from your skin after you've been taking it for 2-3 months.  It is supposed to repel all sorts of bugaboos.  I am on day 19, in preparation for the October 1st bow opener.  We shall see.

[7 Lakes]

Test any spray before covering your skin or clothing to make sure you aren't allergic to it.  

One canoe trip, my brother noticed a few chiggers and sprayed himself from toes to neck.  I never seen anyone swell up like that, he had to pry one eye open to see his way down to the canoe. We were off to the hospital after I paddled that night to the next bridge.  

Put a little on your wrist for a day and see what happens.

Post bite... clear fingernail polish works better than any of the poor choices left to you.

[Bud B.]

I read or heard somewhere that a remedy for fire ants was to mix powder meat tenderizer with water to make a paste. Place it on the bites for 30 minutes. Wash off and repeat.

Can't remmeber where though. It might work for curing the ungodly itch of chigger bites.

What is the best way to tell from the bite symptoms whether they are chigger bites or seed ticks?

[Ranger75]

X2 on the clear fingernail polish, and X2 on the fact that they don't burrow under the skin.

Don't know why or how it works, but the nail polish immediately soothes the itch and lasts all day for me.

[maxwell]

Never seen a chigger and only two ticks in my life both were on my dogs. Live in central NY I know there are ticks to the east but don't seem to be where I hunt.  I think I am glad after reading this post.

[JL]

Years ago, I use to hunt the eastern shore of Maryland, the chigger capital of the world. One time, I had over 300 bites on one leg alone. I was lit up! That was the most misrible 2 weeks of my life! Evil, pure evil, those little suckers....

Like others have said, peranone your clothes and wear long pants tucked into rubber boots. It's a good combo that keeps them at bay. Best way to deal with them is to prepare for them in the first place. Pantyhose and nail polish are for the womenfolk. Rubber boots and peranone are your friends and you get to keep your man card....bonus!

[Bud B.]

Originally posted by pavan:
What is the best way to tell from the bite symptoms whether they are chigger bites or seed ticks?

Chiggers, if magnified, look like seed ticks. They emit emzymes which immediately kill skin cells and they then feed off the dead skin. Seed tick usually stay attached and suck blood. Seed ticks are about 10 times the size of chiggers. The chiggers around here make you look like you have specks of red dust on your skin as they crawl around. After feeding, they release from their host and lay eggs for the life cycle to continue.

I'd rather be bitten by seed ticks than chiggers.

If you have scattered red bumps that's more than likely chiggers. On me the bites swell up like a poison ivy pustule.

[katman]

Post red bug bite I used the shampoo for head lice like a lotion, effective, let it sit a bit then shower off. No matter what treatment itch takes several days to dissipate for me.
Best is to avoid the little buggers. Permanone on my socks, snake boots, shirt and pants keeps all of those critters off me. We have a few on the coast of SC.

[Scarne]

Originally posted by maxwell:
Never seen a chigger and only two ticks in my life both were on my dogs. Live in central NY I know there are ticks to the east but don't seem to be where I hunt.  I think I am glad after reading this post.

You can't see chiggers....unless you have a microscope.

very informative link...

 http://www.medicinenet.com/chiggers_bites/discussion-918.htm

It sounds like the nail polish, et all remedies that keep air from getting to the bite to relieve the itching.

[darin putman]

Maybe we have some big ones in bama  because on a sunny day barely see the little red specks moving around especially on white concrete or wood with a good growth of weeds on either side,but yes is possible to see them not easy though.

[Bldtrailer]

Listerine Is what a friend from south jersey swears buy poured on or dabbed on (minty fresh LOL)to releave the itch I was chicken any went to the DR and got a shot to prevent the itching from driving me crazy
(I beleave an anti-histamine )

[SKITCH]

Scarne..that ws a great link...if you click on the "back to chiggers" link it gives some great info.  Thanks!  Looks like about everything recommended here is on there!  Maybe not the dousing of ones body with SEVEN dust!!!!  Although the damn itching could lead one to try just about anything.  

Thanks everyone for the help.  Hope it helps others that find themselves infested!  

That article says they don't bite in weathere below 60 or above 99...I beg to differ.  It's been pretty darn hot here in OK and I definitely got more than a few bites!

[RC]

I never go in the swamps without spraying around ankles and waist line with bug spray.Deer spooking smell or not hunting ain`t fun if you are itching to death.RC