Now for the soothing part. Apply an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion—the pink stuff that makes you look like a low-budget clown. It calms the itch like a librarian shushing a rowdy kid.
Don’t have any? No worries. A dab of toothpaste (the plain white kind, not the gel with sparkles) works as a temporary itch-buster. I once used it on a bite and my arm smelled minty fresh for hours—small victories.
For the swelling, antihistamines like Benadryl can knock out the reaction from the inside. Just be warned: some antihistamines will make you feel like you’ve been hit by a sleepy truck, so take them at night unless you have a very boring day ahead.
