How to relieve itching from mosquito bites? Star – a saving balm from childhood

Summer, sun, outings into nature. How to get rid of mosquitoes in the house or protect yourself from them on vacation is a question that remains relevant today. Great discomfort is caused to a person not only by the unpleasant squeak of annoying insects, but also by their bites, accompanied by suction of the victim’s blood. The result is redness and swelling of the affected area, severe itching. An old folk remedy, Zvezdochka mosquito repellent balm, will help in such a situation.

Composition and properties

Golden Star (another name for “Star”) is a medicinal product for external use in the form of a balm, produced in a red round tin jar with a painted star.

The usual packaging of the ointment is 4 grams, it lasts for 2-3 years even with frequent use. Zvezdochka is also on sale in the form of a liquid balm, ointment, pencil, and liquid for inhalation.

The drug contains natural ingredients:

• crystal menthol,
• camphor,
• petrolatum,
• paraffin,
• natural essential oils (eucalyptus, mint, cloves, cinnamon).
• beeswax.

The balm is considered a multifunctional drug because it has the following effects:

• antiseptic,
• painkiller,
• decongestant,
• distracting,
• local cooling,
• anti-inflammatory.

About properties

Many people have known about the healing properties of Golden Star balm since the times of the USSR. The drug was widely used to treat acute respiratory diseases, influenza, headaches and rhinitis. Evidence of this were numerous reviews and great demand for it.

Thanks to the components included in the ointment, Zvezdochka also helps protect against harmful flying insects. After all, the basis of the ointment, in addition to menthol and camphor, is made up of plant components: eucalyptus, cinnamon, clove and mint oils. Each of these ingredients is a natural repellent, the smell of which mosquitoes are so afraid of.

Balm star

• Menthol is a local anesthetic that has a refreshing effect, thanks to which it perfectly eliminates irritation and itching in case of burns and allergic reactions. It relieves headaches well, and can also be used for sprains.
• Cloves are an excellent antiseptic that protects against various infections. Clove ethereal concentrate is also used to protect against bloodsuckers.
• Camphor is a surface anesthetic that relieves itching after insect bites. Used for neuralgia as a distraction.
• Cinnamon has an antiseptic effect and is often used to treat the respiratory system.
• Mint - perfectly refreshes, relieves pain and is a good antiseptic. Mint oil. It is used for colds, as well as inflammatory conditions of the skin. The herbal repellent is also effective against flying insects.
• Eucalyptus. Thanks to eucalyptus oil, Zvezdochka balm has antibacterial, antiviral and antiseptic effects. Its aroma also repels annoying bloodsuckers.

Effect of the product on bites

Thanks to the combination of natural repellents, Zvezdochka is used as an insect repellent, as well as a drug for the treatment of bloodsucker bites. The balm acts on fresh traces of mosquito attacks as follows:

1. Relieves itching and inflammation.
2. Removes swelling of the tissue due to the body’s reaction to foreign bodies trapped inside.
3. Eliminates redness of the skin.
4. Promotes rapid healing of the bite and tissue regeneration.
5. Disinfects the wound, preventing secondary infection.

The advantages of the drug over other drugs include:

• efficiency;
• ease of use;
• compact packaging (easy to take with you on the road);
• low price.

The product is not without its drawbacks, including:

• pungent specific odor;
• risk of allergic reactions;
• unpleasant sensations upon contact with mucous membranes or damaged skin.

How to use

To evaluate the effect of the ointment, you just need to smear the mosquito bites with Asterisk. The sooner measures are taken, the faster relief will come. Today the Asterisk is available for sale in several variations:

• liquid balm;
• pencil;
• ointment.

The pencil is good for nasal congestion or sore throat. You just need to inhale it a few times. It cannot be used to relieve symptoms after mosquito bites.

To relieve itching, reduce swelling and redness, use ointment or balm. They can be purchased in special stores, but it is better to do this at a pharmacy. There it is more likely that all storage requirements are met.

Forms of release of balm Zvezdochka

On a note!

The cost of the ointment is about 80-90 rubles, the balm costs a little more, around 140-150 rubles. The small size of the star, 4 and 5 g, and compact size allow you to always carry this effective product with you.

Mode of application

Use the balm for bloodsucker bites, rubbing 0.2 g of the product with light massage movements into the affected areas twice a day until the visible wounds completely disappear.

To relieve swelling if a severe allergic reaction to a bite occurs, the balm is applied to the entire surface of the skin with visible swelling. The tumor, according to reviews of people who have used the drug, goes away in 10–15 minutes.

Despite its completely natural composition, the product is considered potent, so its use is not recommended:

• for children under 3 years of age, pregnant and lactating women (the effect of the drug on these groups has not been studied);
• people with individual intolerance to the components of the product, skin hypersensitivity;
• for application to skin where there are wounds, scratches, inflammations;
• for existing dermatological diseases;
• with heat and fever.

If after using the drug an allergic reaction occurs in the form of increased symptoms, skin irritation up to the first stages of a burn, the product should be washed off the skin as quickly as possible with warm running water and soap.

Zvezdochka is a balm for the treatment of colds, familiar to many from childhood. But its healing properties also help with mosquito bites, relieving unpleasant symptoms and speeding up healing. By using the drug in accordance with the instructions, you can protect yourself from bloodsucker bites and maintain your health.

Properties

The asterisk helps in a variety of situations. It is actively used to relieve headaches, colds, runny noses and even sore throats. The product is also used to relieve pain after bruises and falls.

The following ingredients are noted in the composition of Zvezdochka:

• menthol;
• camphor;
• cinnamon;
• mint;
• lavender;
• carnation.

The presence of only natural ingredients made it possible to use the drug for all categories of the population. It is allowed to use Zvezdochka balm against mosquito bites for children over three years of age. The skin of young children is very sensitive and should not be exposed to such strong substances.

Star balm against mosquitoes

The asterisk will have the following effect when applied:

• relieves itching after a bite;
• will serve as an antiseptic to prevent infection from entering the scratched wound.

You should not use the balm in the following cases:

• pregnant women;
• nursing;
• at elevated body temperature;
• if you are sensitive to the components of the product.

There is also an opinion that Zvezdochka can not only cure, but also prevent bites. In this case, it is also believed that the Asterisk can not only cure, but also prevent bites. In this case, it is based on the ability of its components to disorient mosquitoes. This is partly true. Vapors from essential oils quickly evaporate from the skin, and the insect will not be able to accurately detect the victim in order to bite. But such a folk remedy for mosquitoes cannot be considered effective, since the effect lasts very little time.

Compound

The original ointment contains only those substances that the Vietnamese themselves have been using in folk medicine for several hundred years. This, in fact, is one of the very few folk remedies that is recognized as useful by pharmacologists all over the world. The composition contains exclusively essential oils of medicinal plants - there was and is no chemicals here. The manufacturer lists the components included here in the accompanying instructions: there are clove, eucalyptus and peppermint oils, flavored with excipients from various herbs.

Features of using an asterisk during pregnancy

Pregnancy, during which a woman suffers from a runny nose, cannot become an obstacle to using asterisk, since the drug is characterized by high safety and natural ingredients, which means that, theoretically, it cannot harm the unborn baby. However, if a pregnant woman’s body is prone to allergic reactions, then it is better to avoid using the star.

Acupuncture points are smeared with an asterisk so that the balm does not get on the baby’s skin, after which hands are thoroughly washed with soap. Since the skin of newborn babies is very sensitive, even the slightest amount of balm can cause serious irritation to the baby's skin.

HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CHILD FROM MOSQUITOES?

“It’s great for children outside the city in good weather, but good in bad weather”!

Korney Chukovsky

Main types of anti-mosquito protection:

1. SPRAYS, CREAMS, LOTIONS

• They should be applied in a thin layer without rubbing into the skin. There are also wipes impregnated with an anti-mosquito compound.
• The substance should not get on wounds, scratches or mucous membranes (primarily in the mouth). It is better to leave the face and hands untreated. The repellent can get into your eyes or mouth, and from licked fingers it can end up in your stomach.
• It is better to treat children's clothing (headdress, T-shirt, shorts) as much as possible, rather than the skin. Don't be stingy with your clothes - they'll wash off. Have mercy on your skin - it will be absorbed!
• To protect “stroller” children, the product is applied directly to the stroller canopy (or clove oil is dripped).
• Any means of protection is applied no more than 2-3 times a day, and after returning from a walk, be sure to wash off the anti-mosquito composition from the child’s skin with warm water and soap.
• If you see that mosquitoes are still hovering around your child, do not apply cream every half hour.
• Any cream is designed for at least two hours. If it doesn't work, you may have bought a fake. Or mosquitoes are attracted to some kind of smell - your personal perfume, deodorant. Or they curl but don’t settle, this also happens. They can even sadly walk on the skin without digging in.

Attention - fakes! Mosquito repellents are one of the most frequently counterfeited products. Buy them not in street stalls, but in stores or pharmacies.

What to look for on the label:

• The word "Deta" on the label means poison. Its concentration should not exceed 40%. If it is less than 7%, even children can defend themselves with this remedy.
• Look for the word “prolongator” on the packaging. Children's repellents must contain prolongators, a minimum of toxic components and a maximum of essential oils - no other formulation is simply suitable for children.
• A substance with a prolongator allows you to reduce the amount of the active substance many times, and at the same time maintain the same time of protection from insects as from a standard repellent - from 2 to 5 hours.
• The maximum protection time is no more than 4 hours.

If you see on a label that someone promises 8, 9, 10 hours of mosquito protection time, then this label is not approved by the Ministry of Health!

2. FUMIGANTS

These are chemicals that, when evaporated, destroy pests within their range of action. To protect babies, odorless fumigants or special baby products are sold.

For example, Mosquitall plates and liquid, Fumitox “Nezhenka”, Raptor “Nekusayka”. In the room where the child sleeps, the electric fumigator is turned on in the absence of the baby 1-2 before bedtime - and no closer than 1 m from the crib, so that it has time to destroy insects. If a child sneezes, coughs, or has watery eyes, you must immediately turn off the device and ventilate the room.

3. ANTI-MOSKYTE CHILDREN'S BRACELETS

One of the recent inventions in the range of repellents. The bracelet does not contain toxic substances and is positioned as a product for children from birth. It fits on your wrist or leg and can be hung from the crib to protect your baby at night.

Mosquito repellent bracelets for children have not been tested. Many customers notice that bracelets smell too strong, which means they can cause allergies.

4. ULTRASONIC INSECT REPEALERS

• They generate a sound signal that is not tolerated by mosquitoes. The devices are considered absolutely harmless to humans.
• Anti-mosquito night lights for children are available; they work throughout the night, simultaneously providing light and protecting against mosquitoes.
• Manufacturers also offer ultrasonic children's keychains; they operate on batteries and are convenient to use outdoors. Their repellent effect extends over a short distance (only about 1 m).
• According to experts, ultrasonic repellers have absolutely no effect on mosquitoes.

But the most important thing is that ultrasonic repellers are not registered with Rospotrebnadzor and their sale is illegal.

Insecticidal coils and insect repellent aerosols should not be used in the presence of children!

5. OTHER MEANS:

The properties of some plants to repel mosquitoes have been known for a long time. Among them are citrus fruits, geranium, lavender and thyme. Candles made with citrus essences are a natural insect repellent, as the odor they emit is unpleasant to mosquitoes. For the same reason, aerosols based on lemon and geranium essential oils can be used to remove mosquitoes.

What is the best mosquito repellent?

• Repellent preparations are produced on the basis of the chemical agents DEET, AKREP and PREPARAT 3535.
• The duration of action against mosquito repellents based on DEET and drug 3535 is 1.5-2.5 hours. Repellents containing DEET and drug 3535 as active ingredients are ineffective against midges, ticks, and horseflies.
• More effective repellents are produced based on the substance acrep , which repel mosquitoes for 3–5 hours, horseflies for 1–2 hours. But acrepa-based repellents have a mildly irritating effect on people with sensitive skin - and, accordingly, are not suitable for children.

6. How to protect your baby from mosquitoes USING AVAILABLE MEANS:

Option 1. Mix vanillin powder with sunflower oil or baby cream. This mixture is applied to clothing or skin. You can also apply a few drops of clove or eucalyptus oil to clothing (if protecting a sleeping child - on a napkin, corner of a pillow).

Option 2. Mix 50 ml of vegetable oil, 30 drops of tea tree oil and 5 drops of clove oil. Pour the mixture into a dark glass bottle and shake vigorously. This natural repellent can also be used on very sensitive skin.

Be careful with oils! Any essential oils must be diluted with cream or vegetable oil. Otherwise, you risk getting a sunburn in the greased area.

Remedies AFTER bites:

• Homeopathy - Ledum, Apis;

• Boric alcohol, calendula tincture, onion juice (cut onion), “Star”, kefir or curdled milk, plantain leaf, garlic juice.

• You can make a soda lotion (1 teaspoon per cup of water).

• Anoint the bite site with zinc-salicylic paste, zinc ointment, Tsindol suspension (they relieve inflammation) or Fenistil gel.

BASIC RULES for mosquito protection:

• Bloodsuckers love the heat: the warmer the better.
• Don't wear dark clothes—it's dark, not light, clothing that attracts mosquitoes.
• Do not leave windows and doors open with electric lights on: the light attracts mosquitoes, and they will try to fly into your room.
• To protect your baby from mosquitoes, you can only use children's repellents that are appropriate for his age. Compared to adult repellents, they are less toxic.
• As a rule, anti-mosquito products are sold for children aged three years and older. There are medications for children too, they must be used with great caution!
• Do not apply mosquito repellent to your child “just because” if there is exactly one annoying mosquito hovering in the park where you are walking.
• Do not use cosmetics with a strong odor: perfume, eau de toilette, hairspray, deodorant, soap, lipstick - odors attract insects.
• Do not walk near ponds and wetlands - there are a lot of mosquitoes near standing water, because... they lay their eggs in stagnant water.
• If you go for a walk after sunset, dress so that only a small amount of skin is exposed.

HAPPY SUMMER TO YOU!

Goncharova Vera Alexandrovna

Pediatrician of the highest category, homeopath.

Lecturer at the “Family Lecture” at the Child Health Center

You can make an appointment or call a pediatrician at home by calling the Center in Moscow:

+7(495) 229-44-10, +7(495) 954-00-46

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In the original, the ointment was called “Vietnamese Star”, and, accordingly, it was produced in Vietnamese factories. The specific author of the original composition was scientists from the Vietnamese pharmacological company, Danapha Pharmaceutical JSC. American pharmacists translated the name Cao Sao vàng as “Golden Star Balm”; it appeared on our market with this labeling. The Soviet people did not “try” the ointment right away: for some reason it was supplied with instructions in their native language. Even in the first version, the ointment did not contain healing eucalyptus oil - its addition turned the drug into a real miracle.