Summer weather makes it more tempting than ever to spend time outside, but humans aren’t the only creatures that become more active once the weather gets warm. Spiders, mosquitos and other biting insects also love the sunshine, and it’s impossible to go long without getting a painful bite.
Bug bites are itchy and uncomfortable, but most products used to alleviate the pain are filled with questionable ingredients. For a natural alternative, turn to essential oils for spider bites instead. As the “blood” of plants, essential oils have evolved to have many powerful characteristics that allow them to reduce irritation, itchiness and even infections on your skin. Using essential oils for spider bites can quickly break down the toxins in the bite and render it harmless in minutes, speeding up your recovery in the process.
Fast acting, all-natural relief for itchy bites, what’s not to like about essential oils?
What are Spider Bites?
While uncomfortable to deal with, most spider bites aren’t dangerous. In many cases, spider bites look like raised welts that itch and burn like a mosquito bites. Within a few days, the irritation should go away, but some bites tend to last longer than others.
Spiders aren’t the kind of insect that purposely attacks you, meaning that most bites are caused by them defending themselves. However, some spiders, like the brown recluse and black widow, are venomous. This means they pose a much bigger danger to you because the venom can travel through your body and affect you neurologically. If a spider bite leaves you with a fever, chills, cramping or a headache, you should go to your doctor immediately.
So long as your symptoms are nothing worse than itchiness and irritation, you can ease the discomfort right at home by using essential oils for spider bites.
Essential Oils: They Aren’t Just Snake Oil
Surprisingly enough, essential oils have been used to treat insect bites for hundreds of years. In fact, the term “snake oil salesmen” refers to businessmen that sold tea tree oil for a living. This essential oil was so valuable for treating snake and spider bites that many salesmen sold diluted versions or cheaper oils instead, which is why the term now refers to shady business practices. However, don’t let the history of the term scare you off- when you get the real oil, tea tree oil is one of the best essential oils for spider bites.
Lavender Essential Oil, a #1 bestseller on Amazon (click here to buy).
7 Best Essential Oils for Spider Bites
Essential oils are more powerful than you know. Not only can they transform your mood in a second, many oils have powerful properties to help you combat spider bites. Below is a list of some of the best essential oils for spider bites so that you can be prepared the next time you get bit.
1. Lavender Essential Oil
Naturally calming and relaxing, lavender essential oil is also full of potent medicinal properties. Not only does it naturally repel bugs and prevent them from stinging you in the first place, a few drops of lavender oil diluted in a carrier oil can also soothe spider bites. When you apply lavender essential oil for spider bites, your bites will heal faster with less scarring, and you’ll experience soothing pain relief in the process.
2. Eucalyptus Essential Oil
There are as many different uses for eucalyptus oil as there are species to choose from. Because it’s naturally antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic, eucalyptus oil is a natural way to combat the pain of bites and stings. Spider bites are soothed with eucalyptus oil, so long as you choose therapeutic grade for the best results. It’s natural antiseptic properties make it a perfect essential oil for spider bites, and it is one of the best oils for preventing and reducing infections.
3. Tea Tree Essential Oil
Well known for its ability to keep your skin healthy and strengthen your immune system, tea tree oil is one of the best essentials oil for spider bites. When using tea tree oil, make sure to get an oil that’s unadulterated to ensure that it has the most beneficial effects. The last thing you want are any synthetic compounds in your oil that lower its overall effectiveness. Due to its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, tea tree oil is perfect for cleaning out wounds and relieving itching, stinging and inflammation caused by spider bites.
4. Peppermint Essential Oil
Perfect for stomach problems and stuffed up sinuses, peppermint essential oil is also highly effective for treating spider bites. Research has shown that peppermint oil can remove the itch and sting from bug bites, so long as it is mixed with a mild smelling carrier oil like olive oil.
5. Rosemary Essential Oil
An ideal oil for dozens of different uses, rosemary essential oil is especially suited to helping you cope with painful bug bites. Not only does it repel a wide variety of species, but a bit of rosemary oil blended with a carrier oil can soothe spider bites and make them heal faster. Because rosemary oil is surprisingly potent, be sure to dilute it first to avoid skin irritation.
6. Basil Essential Oil
As medicinally effective as it is tasty, basil isn’t just for pesto anymore. This versatile essential oil is great for preventing bug bites because the strong scent keeps insects away. Applying the oil directly to a bite or still will also help the inflammation and other painful symptoms to go away, so long as you make sure to dilute it first.
7. Thyme Essential Oil
As a natural antiseptic, thyme makes a prime essential oil for spider bites. Adding a little thyme to the bite can prevent it from getting infected due to a chemical called thymol that soothes the itchiness and pain. For the best results, blend thyme and eucalyptus essential oil together.
Application Tips
Suffering through spider bites is never a pleasant experience, so it’s a smart idea to do everything you can to avoid getting them in the first place. Make sure to wear long sleeves when you work outside in the garden, and be careful to avoid places where you’ve seen lots of webs. Once you get a bite, apply essential oil to the bite right away and drink lots of water to help your body detox. Continue using the essential oil until the injury has completely disappeared and your skin looks as good as new.
Your spider bites won’t be soothed if all you do is put a few drops of essential oil on the bite mark. Most essential oils evaporate when exposed to air, leaving you with a short-lived and ineffective remedy. Instead, essential oils for spider bites need to be mixed with a carrier oil to prevent them from evaporating and help you spread the benefits farther. The best carrier oils to use are olive oil, jojoba oil or coconut oil, and the best dilution ratios for every kind of oil should be listed on the back of the bottle you use.
To ensure you’re always prepared, you can put together a pre-made mixture of carrier oil and essential oil for spider bite treatment. This allows you to combine any essential oils together that you choose while controlling the overall concentration levels of the oil.
If you prefer to use a spider bite paste, you can make one with distilled water, one tsp baking soda, and a few drops of your preferred essential oil. Combine the ingredients together and add just enough water to make a paste. Dab the mixture onto your bites until they fully heal.
Where to Buy Essential Oils for Spider Bites
Not all essential oils are created equal. Look on the market today, and you’ll see a wide range of prices that reflect different quality standards. The best oils tend to cost the most, but some brands try to charge more for cheaper oils in order to trick their customers. To get the best essential oils for spider bites, look for brands that use 100% pure, high-quality essential oils without any synthetic additives.
To help your search, below are three essential oil brands you can trust.
Pursonic 100% Pure Essential Aromatherapy Oils
Made with 100% pure essential oil, Pursonic oils don’t contain any fillers, carriers, bases or additives, meaning they are the perfect essential oil for spider bites.
Rocky Mountain Oil
With a strong commitment to working with suppliers that share their values, Rocky Mountain Oil makes it their mission to provide you with the best quality essential oils on the market today. Each oil is rigorously tested for purity, both from the manufacturer and then by Rocky Mountain Oil itself. This commitment to purity means every essential oil they produce can be used medicinally.
doTERRA
doTERRA oils are known for their commitment to quality. Believing that the distillation process is as much an art as a science, doTERRA carefully selects the plants for harvesting to ensure that they are picked at peak ripeness to achieve the best scents, ensuring you get the highest quality product possible.