Unless you're fortunate enough to live in a location where mosquitoes aren't plentiful during the summer, being on the receiving end of a bite from one of the pesky little creatures is pretty inevitable - and painful! Maybe pain is the wrong word - irritating, annoying, itchy, well you get the picture. Whatever you choose to call them doesn't make them any more fun or enjoyable.

The only way to truly heal a mosquito bite is to give it time since it usually takes a few days to disappear. However there are still a few natural, at-home remedies you can do to ease the discomfort for yourself or the six-year old you repeatedly try to keep from scratching the affected area.

- A few months ago we wrote about the many uses of baking soda. You can also use it to treat bites by making a paste with baking soda and water. Use just enough water to make the baking soda sticky and apply directly to the bite.

- Get more out of your aloe vera plant or pure aloe gel than just a sunburn treatment. Rub some on a bite to reduce swelling and itching.

- Dilute lime juice with some water and apply to the bite with a cotton ball.

- Use a few drops of an essential oil such as lavender, rosemary or tea tree oil, all of which have anti-inflammatory and/or healing properties.

Above all, don't scratch the area no matter how tempting it is! You'll only increase swelling and irritation and provide a poor example to the aforementioned six-year old who is just waiting for you to prove how difficult ignoring the Big Itch is.

» LoveToKnow.com