After practicing in Phuket, I found this article very interesting. Many people have been bitten by sandflies. They have a tiny bite with really strong reactions! If you have experienced a very strong bite reaction after getting back from the beach, you must have been bitten by the sandflies.
Better to know what they are and how to prevent sandflies from biting.
What are Sandflies?
Sandflies are actually many different species of tiny flies – between 1 to 3 mm. Like mosquitoes, the females of some species need blood in order to reproduce.
How to Identify Them?
They typically are grayish, but more reddish when filled with blood. The almost negligible size of the sandfly makes it quite challenging to spot it after a bite. Commonly found in seashore and mangrove forests. Usually contact cases from Nai Yang beach, Phuket.
What do Sandflies Bites Look Like?
Painful sensation in your skin, the pain can also be sharp and stinging. These bites create small lumps in the area where they have occurred.
Also, feel a lot of itchiness in such a spot. The bites might cause you to develop blisters around the affected area in some cases.
How to Treat Sandflies Bites?
- Apply cold compression to the area
- Use an over-the-counter antihistamine
- Use topical steroid cream to reduce the inflammation
- See a doctor if you are having an allergic reaction to the bites
How to Prevent Sandflies Bites
- Know when sandflies are active in your area, usually dawn and dusk
- Wear light-colored thick clothes that provide coverage
- Use topical insect repellent on exposed skin
- Cover up in permethrin treated clothes