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Re: chigger bites and nail polish

Subject: Re: chigger bites and nail polish
From: Tom Dietsch <>
Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2003 13:55:16 -0400 (EDT)
Chiggers (larvae in the mite family Trombiculidae) don't actually burrow
into your skin.  They only insert their proboscis and secrete digestive
enzymes.  Usually they can't penetrate far enough to reach digestable
tissue, so they move to another area and eventually drop off humans.  The
swelling and reaction are a response to the digestive fluid that passes
with time.  So, nail polish won't do anything other than cover the hole.
A more effective treatment is to use an ointment to reduce the swelling
and to prevent infection.

In other words, Don't Scratch!

cheers, Tom


On Tue, 29 Apr 2003, Robair, Gino wrote:

> Chuck wrote:
> <<BTW - nothing kills chiggers but tactical nuclear weapons, so keep your=
 trousers tucked in to your socks and don't sit down......>>
>
> A friend of mine from Chattanooga suggests putting clear nail polish over=
 a chigger if you get one. Apparantly it suffocates them. Haven't had a cha=
nce to try this yet, thank goodness...
>
> ginorobair
>
>
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