Why Does Scratching an Insect Bite Make It Itch More at Night?
Disease description:
After being bitten by mosquitoes or other insects, the more I scratch, the itchier it becomes—I’m especially curious to know why scratching intensifies the itch.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Gan Liqiang
The itching intensifies with scratching at night after a mosquito or insect bite because mosquitoes inject saliva into the skin during feeding, which triggers an allergic reaction and inflammatory skin damage—leading to the phenomenon of “the more you scratch, the itchier it becomes.” After being bitten, avoid scratching to prevent secondary infection. Topical treatments such as calamine lotion or menthol lotion may be applied; alternatively, cold compresses with ethacridine lactate solution can be used.
