Mosquito Bites

[Semper]

Am I the only one who don't get affected by mosquitos. They bite me but that's it. No itching or marks on the skin.

[mstribling]

Oddly the only place I notice them is on my feet. I'll itch for 5 minutes and then nothing.

I used to think they never bit me until I stopped wearing shoes.

[Mobi]

When I was younger they used to bother me a lot. As soon as the sun went down I would get eaten alive, and itch all night unless I went indoors and closed all the doors and sprayed like mad.

But for quite a few years now, at least 10, maybe more, they never bother me. I used to think they didn't bite me any more until my gf kept showing them to me on my skin - legs, arms, and even face , but I don't feel anything and they never leave any marks or itches.

It is quiet bizarre because all the Thais around me are getting bitten to death and the bloody things are everywhere - I never bother to close my windows or doors when it gets dark, as they never bother me but they do everyone else.

There must be an explanation for this , but I have no idea what it is.

Anyone?

[BuckarooBanzai]

Many believe you develop a resistance to the irritant the mosquitos leave behind. I know I am no longer bothered by the inflammation, itch and bumps that used to drive me crazy as a kid. Seems that resistance is a reasonable assumption but I do not know of any scientific proof.

[nisakiman]

Maybe it's the blood alcohol level that neutralises the irritant!

They don't bother me either. Sometimes they itch a bit, but mostly not.

[remiss]

It's definetely gotten better for me too.. First time I visited Thailand it was a real pita and had to use both repellant and the green stuff.. Last time I didn't use any repellant and only a little bit green stuff and after applying once it wasn't itching anymore.. Previously I had to apply it for days on end..

[Tonto21]

Interesting, I’m in the majority, I think, if ‘lanced’ I get a small lump and it will itche like crazy. So, mossy spray first and last light for me does the job.

I have a question, if you’re lucky enough not to get the lump and itching after a mossy attack, do you still use mossy spray and all the other stuff we, (the tasty one’s) use to keep the buggers at bay? Personally if I didn’t get bitten much or was not openly affected by the bite, (lump and itching) I know I would be regularly tempted not to apply mossy spray as often and run the risk, small but still a risk of contracting either; yellow fever, dengue fever, Chikungunya or malaria if bitten. Maybe the itching is nature’s way of telling us to put on the mossy spray!

[BuckarooBanzai]

Interesting, I'm in the majority, I think, if 'lanced' I get a small lump and it will itche like crazy. So, mossy spray first and last light for me does the job.

I have a question, if you're lucky enough not to get the lump and itching after a mossy attack, do you still use mossy spray and all the other stuff we, (the tasty one's) use to keep the buggers at bay? Personally if I didn't get bitten much or was not openly affected by the bite, (lump and itching) I know I would be regularly tempted not to apply mossy spray as often and run the risk, small but still a risk of contracting either; yellow fever, dengue fever, Chikungunya or malaria if bitten. Maybe the itching is nature's way of telling us to put on the mossy spray!

I use OFF! anyway as there is no worse torture than a mosquito buzzing in your ear, gnats flying up your nose, and flies crawling over your flesh!

[Jebhead]

They never bother me now, never have used any repellant???

JH

[JPPR2]

Very seldom get blood stolen from me. When they do sneak in on a covert mission and get some, they never itch. My GF(Thai) gets routinely tore up. I do not use any repellent. They always seem to steal from me at the elbow area.

I do see some people I have great sympathy for...They are all out donors with welts to confirm location...

[Mobi]

Many believe you develop a resistance to the irritant the mosquitos leave behind. I know I am no longer bothered by the inflammation, itch and bumps that used to drive me crazy as a kid. Seems that resistance is a reasonable assumption but I do not know of any scientific proof.

That must be the reason. I do recall even maybe 5 years ago they would sometimes attack my fet and ankles and I would use 'Off' when sitting outside to keep them at bay. But now - nothing - not on my feet or anywhere on my body, yet my gf says that my house is a hot bed of mosquitoes - she spends half the night running around with one of those racket mozzy killers, murdering them all, in good Buddhist tradition.

When I took a previous Thai wife to live in the UK many years back, she would get eaten alive in the summer by the English gnats and refused to sit outside on summer evenings, but I don't recall her being bothered by Thai mozzies, even when I was suffering daily torture. So I guess it is all a matter of the body building up resistance

[Mobi]

I have a question, if you’re lucky enough not to get the lump and itching after a mossy attack, do you still use mossy spray and all the other stuff we, (the tasty one’s) use to keep the buggers at bay? Personally if I didn’t get bitten much or was not openly affected by the bite, (lump and itching) I know I would be regularly tempted not to apply mossy spray as often and run the risk, small but still a risk of contracting either; yellow fever, dengue fever, Chikungunya or malaria if bitten. Maybe the itching is nature’s way of telling us to put on the mossy spray!

No I don't and maybe I should now that I know that I am still being bitten, even though I don't feel it. About 3 years ago I went down with a bad case of dengue fever and I was VERY ill - nearly died. But I doubt whether I will change my habits....

[Tonto21]

Apparently mossy’s first search in a random Patton until they detect carbon dioxide and organic substances produced for warm blooded critters! It is believed they will lock onto their target and will try and strike out of the victim’s eye line, the other thing about mossy’s they love the smell of the same chemical produced in smelly feet and stinky cheese.

So, if carbon dioxide levels are a major factor in the target section of mossy’s this would explain why my Ex-wife never got bitten, she did so little she didn’t do enough to burn any oxygen, hence give of a carbon dioxide trail for the mossy’s to lock onto.

[jimbeam1]

You guy's are lucky. When I was living in the wilds of Korat, I was bitten so much, I got dizzy spells,went to doctor, he tells me I've got Hematology fever. Two days in hospital on a drip. People laughing at me? They found it funny that Farang in hospital with yung fever, as by the age of around 20 you become immune to it. For about a year after I was still getting giddy spells when I laid my head down. Not good.

jb1

[tim armstrong]

When I was younger they used to bother me a lot. As soon as the sun went down I would get eaten alive, and itch all night unless I went indoors and closed all the doors and sprayed like mad.

But for quite a few years now, at least 10, maybe more, they never bother me. I used to think they didn't bite me any more until my gf kept showing them to me on my skin - legs, arms, and even face , but I don't feel anything and they never leave any marks or itches.

It is quiet bizarre because all the Thais around me are getting bitten to death and the bloody things are everywhere - I never bother to close my windows or doors when it gets dark, as they never bother me but they do everyone else.

There must be an explanation for this , but I have no idea what it is.

Anyone?

G'day Mobi,

Do you have an unusual blood type? Most westerners are type 'O'. But I'm told that there is another type that doesn't get bitten. But I don't know the truth of this story. Regards, Tim

[perkie173]

I've also heard that eating a lot of vitamin B also deterrs the dam_n things. Unfortunately I get eaten alive every time I leave the house after dusk. Even in my hourse I have an electric mozzie pad thing and outside the door I have the coils... I still manage to wake up with around four or five itchy bites. I've got to the stage now where I scratch them until they stop itching... yes it scars. Wonder why they prefer some people more than others?

[seekingfriends]

Oddly the only place I notice them is on my feet. I'll itch for 5 minutes and then nothing.

I used to think they never bit me until I stopped wearing shoes.

same here they bite my feet . and after 5 min its ok . no marks ot itch . james

[dominique355]

For me, the irritation and the itch of a bite depend on where I got it.

Here in Bangkok, the mozzies seem to be rather mild, a bite itches for around 20 min and then all is gone.

But as soon as I am at the beach, especially Kho Chang, but also Hua Hin, these bites itch for days and leave a dark red mark. Only Hydro-cortisone skin cream helps. Someone suggested that these are not mosquitos but sand bugs. Actually I never saw a beast biting me, so I don't know.

[Mobi]

Oddly the only place I notice them is on my feet. I'll itch for 5 minutes and then nothing.

I used to think they never bit me until I stopped wearing shoes.

same here they bite my feet . and after 5 min its ok . no marks ot itch . james

I used to be the same. Wait a few years and even your feet will be itch free. I am now convinced that your body slowly builds up a resistance, which eventually extends to your extremities.

[Mobi]

Wonder why they prefer some people more than others?

They don't. They bite everybody. I used to think they avoided me until I was shown them on my legs, arms and even sometimes on my face - large buggers that were sucking like mad.

They were biting me OK, I just no longer have any kind of allergic reaction to them. Through many years of constant exposure to them, my body has learned to cope. Simple as that.

[zzaa09]

Many believe you develop a resistance to the irritant the mosquitos leave behind. I know I am no longer bothered by the inflammation, itch and bumps that used to drive me crazy as a kid. Seems that resistance is a reasonable assumption but I do not know of any scientific proof.

No scientific evidence is needed. Just observations and numerous examples. Comes down to becoming accustomed and system acclimated. Resistance development is more than likely to occur.