Onion Slices for Mosquito Bites

Onion illustration

Mosquito bites seem to affect everyone differently. Some people recover quickly and have minimal itching, while others have bites that swell up dramatically and remain swollen and itchy for weeks. Onion slices are a commonly used method for reducing the swelling and itching. They work well if they are applied right away, but occasionally reapplications are necessary later. Some people have also used this method successfully to treat bee and wasp stings.

Using Onion Slices to Stop Itching from Mosquito Bites

Method

• Slice an onion. This method does not work as well if you use onions that were sliced earlier – the onion should be freshly sliced.
• Sprinkle salt on the inside side of the slice of onion.
• Press the onion against the mosquito bite. Make sure that the inside of the onion, the side you salted, is the side pressing against the bite.
• Depending on the situation, you may want to apply the onion for only a few minutes, or tape it on with first aid tape and leave it in place for several hours. If onion has been applied immediately, a few minutes may be enough, but if the bite has already been swelling for quite some time, you may prefer to leave the onion in place for several hours.
• Remove the onion when the bite stops itching and is no longer swollen.

Why It Works

Onion is a good remedy to have on hand whenever you need to reduce swelling. It tends to pull fluids out. Adding salt increases the onion’s ability to pull fluids out, but an onion slice will also work well by itself without salt.

Precautions

If you are allergic to bites or stings, be sure to seek medical attention. However, applying an onion slice can be helpful as first aid while you are on your way to your medical provider. Also, if you leave the onion on for several hours, beware that the people around you may complain about the onion smell, and that you may end up with onion juice dripping down an arm or leg. Some children find that the onion stings if salt is applied—if so, you can also use the onion slice by itself without adding salt.

More Remedies

• Click here for all Mosquito Bite remedies