HOUSTON – As mosquito season ramps up across Southeast Texas, residents are dealing with itchy bites and irritated skin—and health experts say the worst thing you can do may be the most instinctive one.
Dr. Natalie Hone with The Skin People Dermatology joined KPRC 2’s Sofia Ojeda to break down how to treat mosquito bites, when to worry about infection, and how to prevent bites in the first place.
Don’t scratch—ice and topical treatments help most
According to Dr. Hone, scratching mosquito bites is one of the biggest reasons they worsen.
“The best thing to do as soon as you get it is don’t scratch. That’s the biggest problem,” she said. “Scratching then becomes a big problem. The area gets red and sometimes infected.”
Instead, she recommends simple at-home treatments such as ice and over-the-counter medication.
“What could be the best thing is ice tapping the area, or if it is really itchy, red, inflamed, a little bit of over-the-counter topical steroid hydrocortisone,” she said. “That’ll help you stop with the itching.”
Dark spots after bites? It’s usually temporary
For people noticing lingering dark marks after mosquito bites heal, Dr. Hone says it’s likely post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation—a common skin reaction rather than permanent scarring.
“You might have something called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, leftover discoloration,” she said. “Good news, it’s not a scar. It’s not permanent. It will get better with time.”
She added that sunscreen plays an important role in preventing discoloration from lasting longer, and stressed avoiding scratching to reduce long-term skin irritation.
Over-the-counter ingredients such as azelaic acid and niacinamide may also help improve skin tone over time, she said.
When a mosquito bite becomes a concern
While most mosquito bites are harmless, Dr. Hone said there are warning signs that may indicate infection and require medical attention.
“A bug bite will look red and a little bit inflamed,” she said. “But if it looks hot, if it’s expanding, if there’s any purulence or an open area that’s just not healing, that means it may have an infection.”
In those cases, she recommends seeing a doctor, as prescription medication may be needed.
Prevention: DEET, clothing, and other deterrents
When it comes to preventing mosquito bites, Dr. Hone says protection is key—even if it isn’t always convenient in hot weather.
“Protecting your skin is the best way,” she said. “I know it’s hard, but long sleeves, pants, that obviously helps.”
She also pointed to several effective repellents, including DEET mosquito repellant and picaridin, as well as natural options like lemon eucalyptus oil.
“Those are the things that help the most,” she said.
Some people also turn to vitamin B supplements as a deterrent, though Dr. Hone advises checking with a primary care physician first.
“Mosquitoes don’t like that,” she said. “Taking some vitamin B can actually be really good as long as your primary care is good with it too.”
Extra precautions for children
Children and toddlers require additional care when it comes to mosquito protection, Dr. Hone noted.
“DEET is the one that’s best for kids,” she said, adding that physical protection is often the most reliable method.
“Keeping them covered is really the best option that we have out there. Avoiding them being in areas of stagnant water.”
If children do get bitten, preventing scratching is key, and ice packs can help ease discomfort.
“Low ice packs help a ton,” she said.