How Do Mosquitoes Break the Skin?

Hundreds of thousands of people die every year from diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. A few of the diseases mosquitoes can carry are malaria, West Nile virus, and dengue fever. If you are traveling to a country with mosquitoes, make sure to consult a physician.

Mosquitoes are small, and are capable of penetrating skin with their long, needle-like mouthparts. When bitten, they secrete saliva into the bloodstream, which acts as an anticoagulant. In addition, mosquitoes can suck blood with a force that ruptures blood vessels. This process causes red bumps to form on the skin.

The way mosquitoes break the skin is a bit frightening. A female mosquito will bite you after landing on your skin. She will then start feeding. She will locate a blood vessel and use her proboscis to pierce the skin.

When the proboscis pierces the skin, it will then pump blood up through a tube called a labrum. The labrum also has a sharp tip that cuts through the skin of a mouse. The video below shows this procedure.

Female mosquitoes will also leave behind parasites and viruses on your skin. Several of these diseases include dengue fever, yellow fever, and West Nile.

You should also avoid mosquitoes by wearing thick clothes, using screens on windows, and avoiding areas that are infected. In addition, you should use sunscreen.

There are also home remedies that can help with mosquito bites. You can apply baking soda to the bite area, which will help soothe the itching. You can also use an antibiotic ointment such as Polysporin. These remedies should be applied three times a day until the bites heal.