Georgia/southern dwellers, am I being bitten or is it hives?

Chiggers? I think that's how you spell it. Sounds to me like some sort of bite - with a hyper-reaction to it....but one that is not what you saw before due to your current meds? What happens if you wear pant, socks, closed shoes so nothing can get at you?

Thanks, I hadn't thought about chiggers. Of course keeping the grass mowed definitely makes a difference and wearing pants and socks and shoes can, though I swear they get up my pant legs, but may be just a delayed reaction to an older bite. I they don't spread or anything, though with all the meds we are on I wouldn't be surprised if our blood doesn't kill them right off.

Whatever it is, its only seasonal during the wet season. My boyfriend says gnats, like no-see-ums, but I've gotten bit by them before and don't have this problem. I've never had chiggers before until now maybe. Usually gnats are irritating but I don't get a bite from them. this turns into a huge irregular lump, so chiggers probably is right.

They die pretty quickly though. Boy, my body must be toxic. My mom said chiggers are red and live under the skin (though she could be confused with scabies--confusion runs deep in our family, we're lucky if we can remember each others names and usually have to go through a list until we hit on the right one). But maybe thay arent burrowing, just biting and fleeing and I'm reacting.

Thanks for the help Lynnwood, Navy. I do get more bites than my boyfriend. I'll definitely spray my legs with off before going out--I hate using that stuff, need skin so soft--if it will work. And the calamine might be better. I have some triamcinolone acetonide which is stronger than the cortisone, I guess I could try a tiny dab of that. I'm supposed to be using it on my legs anyway to try to repigment, but I gave up.

This is like an invisible,under the skin thing. It is abnormal size, not round like a mosquito. Some bites form a large irregular sized patch almost two inches long but narrower with most of the swelling around the initial point of contact. It's the oddest thing, but the remedies are helping some. though some "bites" I've had for a good part of a week now and the itching is so bad.

Chiggers can be irregular - mine have come in all shapes. Google or check wikipedia for chiggers -- this sounds like a classic case to me.

And some of us taste better 'n others!

Poor bugs....drugs with dinner, huh? Cuts out a middle man, for sure.    My daughter lives in Georgia and said that fire ant hills are a big concern when she walks her dogs. I guess their hills are hard to miss and they are pretty tiny, too. We live in upstate NY and used to put Avon Skin So Soft on us and our horse to keep bugs away and it really worked. I wonder if you can still buy it?

sue

flower's, perfumes, girly soaps, a diet rich in fruits can really attract them as well.

ChiggerRX is at our walmart I was just there and thought of you.