Mosquitoes

Since finding and buying liquid mosquito vaporizers, my life in Dominica has been much better. I have only had two bites since I started using them August. (As a comparison, I used to 6-12 bites PER NIGHT.) Well, Thursday night I got my second bite since I started using these amazing vaporizers. I think the mosquito decided to make me pay for not being mosquito dinner lately: IT BIT THE BOTTOM OF MY FOOT. I didn't think mosquitoes could bit there because it is thick rather than think skin. Well this tricky mosquito bit me right at the line where the skin turns from thin to thick skin (at the arch of my foot). I don't think I've ever experienced such horrible itching (probably because the foot has an incredibly high concentration of nerves). My usual tricks for alleviating the itching are not working (calamine lotion, diphenhydramine spray (Benadryl spray) and drying it out with rubbing alcohol). I've had to resort to icing it (except I don't have any ice so I'm "cold water bottle-ing it"). One of our professors said that part of the reason some people get so much more itchy than others is because some people have a hypersensitivity reaction (allergic reaction). I'm a text book example. I am itchy for about one hour after the bite then 24-48 hours I have the delayed reaction (itchy again) for another day or so. The cold is working and I think it is because it causes the blood vessels to vasoconstrict (contract) so less blood is getting to area of itching and thus my army overactive immune system cells and mediators are also not getting to the area of itchiness!

I keep telling myself that this stupid itching is due to end any moment (I should be nearing the end of the delayed reaction to the allergen), but then again, I didn't think mosquitoes could bit the bottom of your foot!