# Chiggers



## Gazzalee (Jun 29, 2019)

Recently I came up itching on one butt cheek then the other and spreading. At first I suspected the new type of laundry detergent I had just used. As I had just been traveling and had stayed 4 nights in a hotel I thought maybe thats the source, but a friend advised it's simply a case of chiggers, common here in the Philippines. Anybody know how to be completely and fully rid of the pests??


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Gazzalee said:


> Recently I came up itching on one butt cheek then the other and spreading. At first I suspected the new type of laundry detergent I had just used. As I had just been traveling and had stayed 4 nights in a hotel I thought maybe thats the source, but a friend advised it's simply a case of chiggers, common here in the Philippines. Anybody know how to be completely and fully rid of the pests??


Love the name Gazza but alien to me so can't help, good luck with google.

Cheers, Steve.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Common for sure Gazalee and actually it could be just what's called crotch rot or some sort of fungal infection it always seems (I'm not a doctor not even close) to get us in the front and back area's.

The most affordable thing for my family to use and found in Mercury Drug and probably any Mom and Pop Pharmacy is "Katialis Cream" 50 pesos for either the cream or they also have a soap also 50 pesos when used after a shower it's applied lightly on the sores if the sores are a little larger I'll use a cotton bud and apply salicylic acid also found at these pharmacies the key is not to scratch it (nearly impossible) and change clothing and shower more often, if you don't want to go through applying the cream at night then I'd keep a bottle of rubbing alcohol near for use but not a powerful smelling one or a powder called "Fissan" but if you can find Gold Bond powder good luck! I've never seen it for sale here.

If money is no object the pharmacies sell creams but are they expensive and in tiny packaging but they didn't' work for me. You might need to use those sulfur type soaps also and like I mentioned Katialis also sells a soap but you can find the sulfur soaps anywhere.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Good info Mark but I have to say I hope I am never inflicted with this problem,,,,,,,, fingers crossed.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

I thought chiggers were a small insect that leaves bites on your lower legs that itch.


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## Gazzalee (Jun 29, 2019)

M.C.A.
Many Thanks for your advise on the chiggers fix, I've now got the Katialis Ointment, applied, so I'm hopeful. The pharmacist lady recommended Dr. Kaufmann's Sulfur Zinc Oxide soap so am giving that a try as well.


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## Gazzalee (Jun 29, 2019)

Gary D said:


> I thought chiggers were a small insect that leaves bites on your lower legs that itch.


Gary you are sort of correct, chiggers are wee tiny insects, approx 1/150th of an inch, that you can encounter outside in bushes or grass. It's the larvae that causes the problem with fierce jaws and very potent saliva which cause the itch and iteration, they can and will attack anywhere on the body they can find tender skin. Unlike mosquitoes they do not penetrate into the blood.


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## Steelcleat (Sep 10, 2019)

Gazzalee said:


> Unlike mosquitoes they do not penetrate into the blood.


Speaking of Mosquitoes, I seem to be their favorite snack. I get bit by them when none of my Filipino friends seem to get touched. I was using DEET based repellent but it made my skin very irritated. I'm using the AVON "skin so soft" repellent now and it works but you need to keep applying it after a few hours. It also smells better than DEET. 
Mosquitos seem to single me out no matter where i go. Ugghhhhh.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Itchy rashes*



Gazzalee said:


> M.C.A.
> Many Thanks for your advise on the chiggers fix, I've now got the Katialis Ointment, applied, so I'm hopeful. The pharmacist lady recommended Dr. Kaufmann's Sulfur Zinc Oxide soap so am giving that a try as well.


We suffer frequently from itchy rashes but I also work out in the yard frequently and we live next to Laguna de Bay (lake). 

Another issue here is what's called the Boy-boy (it has different names) but is known as a "Hagdad" this little creature can wreak havoc on your clothing setting out to dry to long especially in covered area's they die and even their dead hairs will cause you immediate burning and next severe itching. These hairy caterpillars are everywhere and in some area's really bad.

We have to frequently check our ceilings for them they go into a flat looking cocoon and never seem to come out and as the fan moves the air the little hairs hit you.


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

*Mosquitoes*



Steelcleat said:


> Speaking of Mosquitoes, I seem to be their favorite snack. I get bit by them when none of my Filipino friends seem to get touched. I was using DEET based repellent but it made my skin very irritated. I'm using the AVON "skin so soft" repellent now and it works but you need to keep applying it after a few hours. It also smells better than DEET.
> Mosquitos seem to single me out no matter where i go. Ugghhhhh.


That's what happened to me also and probably most of us the local Doctor told me that mosquitoes love the taste of foreigner's but it's mainly a joke so what's happening is that we aren't aware so much that we are getting bitten and have to take precautions and make sure our area's are free of standing water, spray every now and then especially when you notice an increase in mosquitoes or sooner in and around your living area.

I had two close calls with my health from mosquito bites and it dealt with bites on my upper foot area and it becomes itchy and you scratch it and it opens up a sore so put on socks/stockings or you'll end up with an infection because the fly's take over and start eating and laying eggs into your sores so if you have tiny infection keep it clean and put a band-aid on it and always wear the sock until it's fully healed, this happened to me twice and it nearly got out of hand the infection.

I don't wear any insect repellent.


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## BusyBC57 (Apr 13, 2015)

Steelcleat said:


> Speaking of Mosquitoes, I seem to be their favorite snack. I get bit by them when none of my Filipino friends seem to get touched. I was using DEET based repellent but it made my skin very irritated. I'm using the AVON "skin so soft" repellent now and it works but you need to keep applying it after a few hours. It also smells better than DEET.
> Mosquitos seem to single me out no matter where i go. Ugghhhhh.


I use to get bit by the mosquitos often when outside at night, but my wife got me some OFF 'soft & scented' by Johnson. It's a lotion that goes on easily and doesn't make your skin feel oily. We were out one night with the whole family and they got bit often. So they look at me and ask, are you getting bitten, and I said no. They were in shock because I was always the favorite target. I told them my secret and it worked for them also.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

It's a myth that the !ocals don't get bitten, they get bitten as offen as us foreigners. The difference is that they havs built a resistance to the chemicals that cause the red swelling so don't show the bites so readily.


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