This can be done by treating ordinary hiking socks with 100% DEET. If necessary, it is possible to make your own leech socks. Treating leech socks with 100% DEET will offer greater protection. Leech socks should be worn over socks but under trekking boots. Leech socks come up over the knee and are made of tightly woven fabric that prevent leeches finding their way to skin. Personal ProtectionĪny traveller trekking in hot humid conditions where leeches are known to be a problem should wear leech socks to protect themselves. Taking a topical or oral antihistamine can help reduce any itching. The wound may itch as it begins to heel but it is important to avoid scratching as this can delay the heeling process and introduce other infections. An antiseptic should then be applied to clean the area which should then be kept clean and dry to prevent any infection. This can be reduced by applying pressure to the wound. Leech bite wounds can bleed for some time. There is a risk however that these methods of removal can cause the leech to vomit its stomach contents into the wound and cause infection. In an emergency, salt, a lighter flame or cigarette to burn the leech can irritate it enough that it will release itself from the skin.
The best thing to do is to wait until the leech has finished feeding and to detached itself.
Leech bites skin#
It is extremely difficult to detach a leech from the skin whilst it is feeding and if it is pulled off the skin, the wound is likely to bleed due to the anticoagulant they release to feed and there is a risk that the wound will become infected and ulcerated which may also cause scarring.
0 kommentar(er)
