How to Treat a Hairy Caterpillar Rash

What are the ways to treat a hairy caterpillar rash?

• Calm down the affected person
• Remove all clothing
• Apply adhesive tape to the affected area
• Wash affected area with soap and water
• Apply ice
• Seek medical attention in extreme cases

Most of us have probably experienced the sting which comes from hairy caterpillar bites. Without having been aware of whether or not these insects have bitten us, these stings can first manifest as persistent, and irritating small red marks which we would constantly have to scratch, in order to provide relief. But not knowing how to treat a hairy caterpillar rash may have the potential to cause you discomfort, as well as inflammation of the bite area.

The bites caused by hairy caterpillars, called higad in Filipino, can swell if left untreated for a long period of time. When treating bites from these types of caterpillars, you should also anticipate the kinds of reactions you might get, like itchiness, welts, and the like. As such, it would be in your best interest to continue reading on some tips you can follow in order to treat a hairy caterpillar rash.

Calm down the affected person

The first thing which should be done in the event of a rash is to calm down the person who was affected by the bite. This is the first course of action in the event that locating the hairy caterpillar itself proves to be a difficulty.

While you should not waste time, you shouldn’t also further cause panic and anxiety to the one who was bitten. To help them calm down, you should take them away from the location where they were bitten, and as much as possible, tell them not to further scratch the bite area. Scratching might potentially worsen the situation and might also cause further wounds.

Let the person know that caterpillar stings, while extremely irritating, are most often harmless and will not turn into something that might affect internal bodily functions.

Remove all clothing

The trouble with hairy caterpillars is that they contain thousands of hair strands which cause irritation. For example, if someone has come into contact with these insects, their clothes would also be subject to these hairy fragments which can spread further and further, as the person tries to dust them off.

As mentioned before, if you aren’t unable to locate the insect, the next best move would be to remove all clothing. This prevents the tiny hairs of the caterpillar from further rubbing off into other parts of the body, preventing the development of more rashes.

Apply adhesive tape to the affected area

Since it has already been established that the tiny hairs coming from these caterpillars are the cause of the itchiness, another effective way of removing as much of them from the body, is through the use of adhesive tape.

For this step, an adhesive tape with a wider build would be most advisable in order to get the maximum coverage out of removing all the hairs. However, any kind of adhesive would do, so long as it is able to remove as much of the hairs as it can.

Wash affected area with soap and water

After removing most of the hairs with adhesive tape, you should then wash the area with soap and water. In some cases, the person would need to subject themselves to a thorough and full-length bath in order to remove as much of the irritation as possible.

In washing the marks, a good tip to follow would be to avoid scratching them, as this may result in an open wound. Coupled with soap and water, you should also be able to lightly scrub the affected areas, for maximum effect.

Apply ice

Applying ice on all the red marks should be done periodically within the day or whenever it’s necessary. Ice numbs the itching sensation, which can help prevent irritation. To lessen the sensitivity of the cold, it is advised to place the ice cubes inside a tightly sealed plastic bag which you can cover with a small face towel.

Seek medical attention in extreme cases

Finally, if none of these remedies prove to be effective in easing the irritation from the hairy caterpillar bite, you should immediately take the person to the nearest hospital and seek medical attention.

While cases like anaphylactic shock due to hairy caterpillar bites are rare, it’s still best to consider professional advice when none of these tips seem to ease the rash.

Key Takeaway

Rashes from hairy caterpillars can be irritating, if not remediated as soon as possible. If you don’t know how to treat a hairy caterpillar rash, it would do you well to arm yourself with these tips to help you deal with it.

The first thing you should always remember is to remove clothing that may likely have been contaminated with the tiny hairs of the caterpillar. After which, apply adhesives to where possible hairs may be found. It’s advisable to take a bath after the incident as a precaution.