From buzzing bees, to swarming mosquitoes, to poison ivy, knowing how to avoid and treat the effects of insect stings, bites, and skin irritations can make spending time in the outdoors safe and enjoyable.

“Beyond the common effects of insect bites and stings, many people don’t realize that skin and respiratory reactions can also occur in other situations, such as when dangerous plants like poison ivy are burned in campfires,” says Dr. Sophie Hofstader, a dermatologist at The Scarborough Hospital.

From buzzing bees, to swarming mosquitoes, to poison ivy, knowing how to avoid and treat the effects of insect stings, bites, and skin irritations can make spending time in the outdoors safe and enjoyable.

“Beyond the common effects of insect bites and stings, many people don’t realize that skin and respiratory reactions can also occur in other situations, such as when dangerous plants like poison ivy are burned in campfires,” says Dr. Sophie Hofstader, a dermatologist at The Scarborough Hospital.

Important ways to prevent bites, stings and skin irritations include:

• Using insect repellents with DEET. Most over-the-counter repellents contain DEET, and formulations with less than 10 per cent are safe to use on children as young as two months old. Adults can use formulations with up to 30 per cent DEET.
• Wearing shoes and dressing in long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Bright colours should be avoided as they attract nectar-gathering insects.
• Staying away from areas with lots of weeds and blooming plants, as well as underbrush, and staying on paths in wooded areas.
• Pouring canned drinks into covered cups. Beverages, especially those that contain sweetener, attract stinging insects.
• Staying indoors at dusk, which is a peak mosquito time. Areas with standing water should also be avoided, as they tend to attract mosquitoes.

If an insect bite, sting or other skin irritation does occur, Dr. Hofstader offers the following tips to treat it:

• Remove stingers with a firm sweeping motion of a credit card. Squeezing or pinching the skin will cause additional venom to be released.
• Clean the area thoroughly with soap and water at the site of the sting.
• Apply a cool compress or ice to the area to reduce redness and swelling.
• Add hydrocortisone cream to the site of the sting to help relieve redness and pain.
• Take a pain reliever and an antihistamine to relieve any swelling, irritation and pain.
• See your doctor if you think you may have been exposed to a dangerous plant like poison ivy.
• Call 911 and seek emergency care immediately if a severe allergic reaction does occur, such as difficulty breathing or swallowing.