Infected Insect Bites Consultation

Please answer the following questions as honestly as possible so we can ensure your preferred treatment is the best treatment for your needs.

Estimated time to complete: 3 minutes

Buy Infected Insect Bite Treatment & Medication Online

Bitten by an insect, and the area’s getting worse? Redness, swelling, heat or pus could mean the bite has become infected. Explore treatment and prevention options with free consultation and fast delivery from our UK pharmacy.

Start Your Online Consultation

After completing your online consultation, you will be able to select your preferred treatment.

Takes less than 5 minutes

100% confidential

UK registered pharmacy

Ordered with us before? Click here to login and reorder from your account.

Buy Infected Insect Bites Treatment Online

Step 1: Online Consultation

Fill in a quick online consultation for our licensed pharmacists to review.

Step 2: Choose a Treatment

Our pharmacists will review your treatment to ensure it’s suitable.

Step 3: Quick & Discreet Delivery

Your treatment will be delivered to your door quickly & discreetly.

Prescription Infected Insect Bite Treatment

Fucidin Cream

  • Treats bacterial skin infections
  • Reduces inflammation & infection
  • Contains hydrocortisone & fusidic acid
From £9.99
More information
Desloratadine 5mg

Desloratadine 5mg

  • Non-drowsy antihistamine
  • Treats hay fever & allergy symptoms
  • Taken once daily
£13.99
More information
Fexofenadine allergy and hayfever tablet

Fexofenadine 180mg & 120mg Tablets

  • 120mg, 180mg
  • 30 tablets
  • Prescription-strength antihistamine tablets
From £9.95
More information
Levocetirizine 5mg

Levocetirizine 5mg

  • Treats hay fever & allergy symptoms
  • Taken once daily
  • Easily-to-swallow film-coated tablets
£11.99
More information
Neoclarityn 5mg (30 Tablets)

Neoclarityn 5mg Tablets

  • Non-drowsy antihistamine
  • Treats hay fever & allergies
  • Contains desloratadine
£19.99
More information
xyzal tablets

Xyzal Tablets (Levocetirizine)

  • Prescription-strength antihistamine tablets
  • Taken once daily
  • Contains levocetirizine dihydrochloride
From £9.95
More information

Hydrocortisone

  • Cream or ointment
  • Treats inflammation & allergic reactions
  • Contains hydrocortisone acetate
£13.99
More information

Betamethasone & Neomycin Cream

  • Topical cream
  • Reduces inflammation & treats bacterial skin infections
  • Contains betamethasone & neomycin
£64.99
More information

Eumovate Cream & Ointment

  • 30g or 100g
  • Reduces redness & relieves itching
  • Contains clobetasone butyrate
From £15.99
More information

Over-the-Counter Treatment For Insect Bite Infection

Germolene Antiseptic Cream 30g

  • Topical cream
  • Provides relief from minor skin infections & irritations
  • Contains chlorhexidine gluconate & phenol
£2.50
Add to basket

Benadryl Allergy Relief Capsules (24)

  • 24 capsules
  • Relieves allergy symptoms
  • Contains diphenhydramine
£9.49
Add to basket
Benadryl One a day 14 tablets

Benadryl One A Day (14)

  • 14 tablets
  • Provides daily relief from allergy symptoms
  • Contains cetirizine
Original price was: £7.39.Current price is: £6.49.
Add to basket
cetitizine tablets

Cetirizine Tablets (30)

  • 30, 10mg tablets
  • Relieves allergy symptoms
  • Contains cetirizine
From £0.95
Add to basket
chlorphenamine tablets

Chlorphenamine 4mg Tablets (28)

  • 28 tablets
  • Relieves symptoms of allergies & hay fever
  • Contains chlorphenamine
From £1.29
Add to basket

Clarityn Allergy Tablets (14)

  • 14 tablets
  • Relieves allergy symptoms
  • Contains loratadine
£5.49
Add to basket
loratadine tablets

Loratadine Tablets (30)

  • 30, 10mg tablets
  • Relieves allergy symptoms
  • Contains loratadine
Original price was: £3.99.Current price is: £2.10.
Add to basket
piriteze allergy tablets

Piriteze Allergy Tablets (30)

  • 30 tablets
  • Relieves symptoms of hay fever & other allergies
  • Contains cetirizine hydrochloride
Original price was: £9.80.Current price is: £7.99.
Add to basket
piriteze-allergy-syrup

Piriteze Syrup 70ml

  • Relieves symptoms of hay fever and other allergies
  • Contains cetirizine
£5.99
Add to basket

Piriton Allergy Tablets

  • 30 tablets
  • Relieves symptoms of allergies
  • Contains chlorphenamine maleate
From £4.99
Add to basket
piriton-syrup

Piriton Syrup

  • 150ml liquid
  • Relieves allergy symptoms
  • Contains chlorphenamine
£5.99
Add to basket

Eurax Cream

  • Topical cream
  • Relieves itching & skin irritation
  • Contains crotamiton
From £4.99
Add to basket

Hydrocortisone Cream 15g

  • Topical cream
  • Reduces inflammation & relieves itching
  • Contains hydrocortisone
£4.99
Add to basket
eumovate-cream

Eumovate Cream 15g

  • Topical cream
  • Reduces inflammation & relieves itching
  • Contains clobetasone butyrate
From £7.99
Add to basket

Savalon Cream

  • Topical cream
  • Provides relief from minor skin irritations and infections.
  • Contains cetrimide & chlorhexidine
From £1.99
Add to basket
calamine cream

Calamine Cream 100ml

  • Topical cream
  • Soothes skin irritation & relieves itching
  • Contains calamine
From £2.79
Add to basket

Calamine Lotion 200ml

  • Topical cream
  • Soothes skin irritation & relieves itching
  • Contains calamine
£2.49
Add to basket

E45 Cream

  • Topical cream
  • Moisturises & soothes dry, itchy skin
  • Contains white soft paraffin & light liquid paraffin
£9.99
Add to basket

E45 Cream 125g

Original price was: £3.99.Current price is: £3.83.
Add to basket

E45 Itch Relief Cream

  • 100g or 500g cream
  • Relieves itching & soothes irritated skin
  • Contains lauromacrogols & urea
From £3.99
Add to basket

Insect Repellent

Jungle Formula Extra Strong - 90ml

Jungle Formula Extra Strong Spray - 90ml

  • 90ml
  • Repels mosquitoes & other biting insects
  • Contains deet
Original price was: £7.00.Current price is: £6.85.
Add to basket

Jungle Formula Lotion 175ml

  • Repels mosquitoes & other biting insects
  • Contains diethyltoluamide
£7.49
Add to basket

About Infected Insect Bites

An insect bite or sting can become infected if you’ve been scratching the bite and bacteria get into the broken skin. Warm, humid weather and bites picked up while travelling can make infection more common, especially if you react strongly to the bite.

The bite area is also more at risk if the bite area gets dirty, becomes irritated, or you’ve been exposed to insects or bacteria your body isn’t used to – particularly ones not found in the UK.

Symptoms of an Infected Insect Bite

Wondering how to tell if an insect bite is infected? Look out for these signs:

  • The area feels hot, painful or increasingly swollen
  • Redness is spreading around the bite
  • Pus or fluid is leaking from the skin
  • You feel unwell or have a fever

If you notice any of these symptoms, you may need treatment to clear the infection. The right advice and treatment depend on the severity of the bite and its location. Some mild bites can be managed with over-the-counter creams, while others may need prescription treatment.

Infected Insect Bite Treatment

Mild Bites

For mild bites with itching, redness or swelling, treatment options include:

These are often suitable for bites on the arms, legs or torso that aren’t showing signs of infection.

Infected Bites

If the bite is becoming more painful, warm, swollen or starts leaking pus, it may be infected and you may need antibiotics such as Fucidin cream.

How to Prevent Infected Insect Bites

Avoiding insect bites in the first place can help stop the cycle of itching, scratching and infection, especially if you’re heading outdoors or travelling abroad.

To reduce the risk:

  • Use Jungle Formula Extra Strong spray or lotion, or other high-strength repellents on exposed skin
  • Wear long sleeves and trousers in areas with midges or mosquitoes
  • Avoid using scented body products that attract insects
  • Keep windows and doors closed or use nets in the evening when insects are most active

Using a repellent regularly, especially in the evenings or when travelling, is one of the best ways to avoid bites that could become infected.

Infected Insect Bite FAQs

You can use steroid creams like Hydrocortisone and antihistamines like Levocetirizine together as they work differently. Antihistamines work internally to reduce your body’s reaction, while steroid creams calm irritation on the skin.

Hydrocortisone can be used for short periods on the face, but stronger steroid creams like Eumovate are not recommended for use on the face or other sensitive areas unless advised by a healthcare professional. Fucidin should also be used with caution on delicate areas. Always follow the instructions provided or speak to our pharmacy team if you’re unsure.

With professional advice and effective treatment, most infected bites improve within a few days. If there’s no improvement after 3-5 days, or if symptoms worsen, speak to your GP or pharmacist as you may need a different treatment.

If the redness or swelling keeps spreading, or you notice red streaks radiating from the bite, it could be a sign of cellulitis or an allergic reaction. It’s important to get expert advice quickly to avoid complications and make sure you get the right treatment.

When treating infected skin, it is important to keep the bite area clean and dry. If the area is weeping or at risk of further irritation, you can use a clean, loose dressing. This helps support treatment for infected insect bites and prevents the bite from getting worse.

In the UK, midges, mosquitoes, horseflies, fleas and bedbugs are the usual culprits. Infection is more likely if bacteria enter the skin after scratching the bite.

Bed bug bites often appear in lines or clusters and can be very itchy. They don’t usually become infected unless scratched.

For most people, antihistamine tablets like Clarityn and a steroid cream like Betamethasone are enough to calm the itching and inflammation. If the skin is broken or looks infected (red, swollen, or oozing), you may need an antibiotic cream like Fucidin to treat the infection.

Most tick bites are harmless, but you should remove the tick as soon as possible using a proper tick removal tool or fine-tipped tweezers.

After removal, clean the area and watch for signs of infection like redness, swelling, or pus. If the bite becomes infected, treatments like Fucidin cream or antiseptic creams like Germolene may help clear it up.

If you develop a circular red rash around the bite (sometimes called a “bull’s-eye” rash) or flu-like symptoms in the weeks afterwards, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. This could be a sign of Lyme disease, and you may need antibiotics.

Customer Reviews

Our Experienced UK-based Pharmacy Team

Clinical Consultant
MUDr, MRCEM, EBCEM, FRCEM
GMC no. 7176414

Pharmacist
MPharm
GPhC no. 2065469

Pharmacist
MPharm
GPhC no. 2046514

Page content authored by Dr Hussain Ahmad, last reviewed by Mr Mohammed on 4th October 2024.

More From Our Online Clinic

Looking for something else? Browse our online clinic to see all treatments available, or search for a condition or treatment below.

Get 10% Off Your First Order

Sign up to receive special offers via email and get 10% off your first order.