This time of year has those seeking relief from the heat. Many times wading in the shallows to cool off results in the dreaded itchy, red swimmers itch. I won’t go into the gory details of what it is, etc., etc.. However, I think I’ve come up with a nice way of combatting it and want to share with others who find themselves wanting to die rather than put up with the intense itching this bugger produces. Mind you, I am NOT a doctor and this must not be construed as medical advice.

First off, avoid the shallows if possible because that is the primary residence of this annoying pest. However, if you have small children, can’t swim or can’t otherwise seek deeper waters, invest in Bull Frog “Mosquito Coast” sunscreen with bug repellent. My rationale is that because it is a bug it won’t like bug repellent. I recommend Bull Frog because of the simplicity of using only one product AND it is DEET free for those who care about that.

Next, remember to towel off vigorously upon getting out of the water as the buggers supposedly like to use the drying period to their advantage.

Finally, if you somehow still manage to start feeling itchy and red blotches begin to appear, IMMEDIATELY take an ORAL antihistimine. I recommend Benadryl dissolve strips as they work well for kids and adults alike. In the past we have tried every topical concoction known to man but they only provided temporary relief for short periods of time.

This past weekend found us in this predicament once again though I was the only one who had used Bull Frog and I have been using an oral antihistimine for my allergies. Figuring that the antihistimine prevents me from wanting to scratch both my nose and eyes from my face that it might help the kids. Sure enough, within an hour or two there was no scratching or complaining of being itchy by any of the kids. A single dose pretty much took care of it for each of them though my niece asked for a second dose the next day. Four kids and five Benadryl dissolve strips later life was good again.

If this helps you out in any way, or not, please comment to let me know. Other suggestions are also welcome!