Does Nail Polish Stop Chigger Bites from Itching

If youve ever experienced the torture that is chigger bite itch, youve probably tried anything and everything to make it stop. Desperate times call for desperate Google searches, which may have led you to try putting nail polish on the bite to banish the awful itch. This folklore remedy has been around for ages but is nail polish really an effective treatment for chigger bites? The short answer is no. The science behind chigger bites explains why. What Are Chiggers? Chiggers, also known as harvest bugs or red bugs, are the tiny, red, six-legged larvae of chigger mites in the Trombicula genus. Theyre found in tall grassy areas around the world, and their bites plague people, pets, and other assorted animals in the spring, summer, and fall seasons when were outside in backyards or rural areas. Like ticks, chiggers are opportunistic parasites that grab onto any host that happens to wander by. Unlike ticks, chiggers dont embed themselves in the skin. Instead, they target areas where clothing is tight and then grab hold of a hair follicle or skin pore. Chiggers arent adept at penetrating the skin, so they tend to prefer areas of the body where the skin is soft and supple, which explains why youre most likely to find chigger bites on your ankles, behind your knees, along your waistline, or in your armpits. Chigger Bite Chemistry Once the chigger has secured itself to a hair follicle, it pierces the skin and releases saliva which is loaded with digestive enzymes. These enzymes effectively liquefy skin tissue, making it easier for the chigger to feed. A healthy human immune system will quickly detect the invasion and take defensive measures, forming a red raised bump, called a papule, at the site of each chigger bite. Chiggers use the wall of this round welt (called a stylostome) like a drinking straw, slurping up a smoothie of skin cells. To get a good meal, chiggers need to feed for three to four days. They make out much better on hosts with fur which allows them to get a good grip and feed at a leisurely pace. Chiggers rarely have the chance to hang around very long on a human host. The slightest touch can dislodge them so if they havent been brushed away when you remove your clothing, theyll likely get washed down the drain the next time you shower. Why Nail Polish Wont Take the Itch out of Chigger Bites A bit of basic chigger biology explains why remedies like nail polish or Vaseline wont work to alleviate the misery of chigger bites. Theres a misconception that bright red spot in the center of the bite is the chigger itself. Its not. Thats the stylostome which only starts itching like mad four to six hours after the chigger bites. Although applying nail polish or Vaseline might temporarily soothe itching, you arent suffocating anything by coating the bite, nor are you killing anything by applying alcohol or any other chemical substance. The red, raised bump youre scratching is nothing more than your own skin trying to heal itself. While chigger bites can itch for up to 10 days as your body battles the foreign substances injected by the chigger, the varmints themselves are long gone. Avoid Infection Although bites from Trombicula chiggers are annoying and painful, fortunately, they arent associated with the transmission of disease. The primary danger posed by chigger bites is the potential for infection—especially if you keep scratching them. The best treatment for a chigger bite is the same treatment youd use for any small cut or rash. Keep the bite region clean. Wash the area with soap and warm water, and try not to scratch the bumps. Applying antiseptic to any welts, followed by an over-the-counter anti-itch product or antihistamine creams, hydrocortisone, or calamine lotion can aid in the healing process. Home Remedies for Itching A wide variety of home remedies can be applied to the welts to help alleviate itching: A saline solution mixed with aloe vera can take away some of the itch. Mix up a batch, put it in a spray bottle, and use as needed.Applying a paste of baking soda and water has been known to keep itching at bay.Combine mentholated rub and salt to form a paste and apply it during a pre-bedtime shower. It might sting on application but stopping the itch overnight should balance out any minor discomfort. Of course, you may find that the chiggers have bitten certain tender areas where topical treatments are not appropriate. If youve been bitten below the belt, cold compresses and oral antihistamines are your best bet for itch relief. Prevention Topical repellents such as permethrin (sold under the brand name Nix) and dimethyl phthalate have been proven an effective defense against bites but the best way to avoid chigger bite itch is to avoid chigger bites in the first place. If you think your yard may be infested, take steps to get rid of chiggers. If possible, avoid chigger habitats such as scrub vegetation and tall grass in rural areas. If you have to be where chiggers are likely to dwell, dress appropriately. Long pants and long-sleeved shirts are best to fend off a variety of biting insects. When you get back from being outdoors, take a long soapy shower and launder your clothing. Sources Banks, S. D., et al. Insecticide-Treated Clothes for the Control of Vector-Borne Diseases: A Review on Effectiveness and Safety. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 28.S1 (2014): 14-25. Print.Juckett, Gregory. Arthropod Bites. American Family Physician 88.12 (2013): 841-7. Print.Kitchen, Lynn W., Kendra L. Lawrence, and Russell E. Coleman. The Role of the United States Military in the Development of Vector Control Products, Including Insect Repellents, Insecticides, and Bed Nets. Journal of Vector Ecology 34.1 (2009): 50-61. Print.Pest Myths, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, Clemson University, accessed March 9, 2018Itchy Chiggers, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension, accessed March 9, 2018Chiggers - an itchy issue, University of Illinois Extension, accessed March 9, 2018As chiggers get thicker its no time to snicker, entomologist says, Purdue University, accessed March 9, 2018Chigger Myths Hurt More than Help, Kansas State University, accessed October 17, 2012C higgers, Entomology Department, Iowa State University, accessed March 9, 2018

1984 versusThe Giver - 806 Words

1984 by George Orwell and The giver by Lois Lowry have a similar themes that either the books itself shows or the characters show them. The main character, in this case Jonas and Winston, find themselves in a â€Å"perfect world† until they hit a stopping point and turn back to see reality. They see that information and knowledge has been kept from the people of the community, and how it affects the community. It keeps them from progressing altogether as a society. The freedom of expression has been taken way as well. The government or form of leadership is completely in charge and control the lives of the citizens. Human nature has been altered by the control of society, and the citizens end up being controlled by a power over them, and believe it is all for the greater good. That is something that the government themselves have lead on so the people believe and trust in them. The society in which Winston and Jonas live in have it made it almost impossible to express onese lf (Brown 1). It has made decision making turn into something that is a privilege that only authorities hold, and people themselves are not capable of anymore. â€Å"In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it† (Orwell 52). Their actions and words are monitored closely, keeping them where the government wants them. It seems that their stableness keeps anyone, including the government, from ever changing for the better. It keeps them in a

Do Teenagers Need a Part Time Job Free Essays

Do you believe that teenagers should have a part-time job before they graduate from high school? The purpose of this essay is the explain the reasons why teenagers should have a part-time job before they graduate from high school. First of all, this would allow teenagers to be prepared for the real world. Often some teenagers will go out on their own unprepared and dependent on family or friends for money. We will write a custom essay sample on Do Teenagers Need a Part Time Job or any similar topic only for you Order Now Secondly, this could help teenagers become more responsible. Furthermore, having a part-time job would allow teenagers to have spending money. By having a part-time job this allows teenagers to be prepared for the real world. Teenagers can expand their knowledge skills and gain experience for future full-time jobs. Often teenagers may not be aware of the knowledge needed in their employment. Having the experience from part-time jobs would allow them to be more prepared. Teenagers would also learn financial skills for when they go away from home to college or university. Another thing is that by having a part-time job while still in high school that teaches teenagers responsibility by saving their earnings. Responsibility is key to being successful and by having a part-time job, teenagers improve in their accountability. Due to the fact that some students are irresponsible, they may be more efficient to become punctual and reliable. Teenagers would better understand what it is like to hold a part-time job while keeping up in school and homework. Therefore realizing what their parents do on a daily basis. For example, holding a full-time job and meeting the family responsibilities. Teenagers could also think about saving their earnings for buying the things they would like. Money is something almost every teenager wants. If teenagers had a part-time job, this would allow them to have spending money they earned by themselves. With the check they’ve received or money saved from working, they can go out to the movies, go bowling, buy clothes or just buy anything they want. Teenagers would have to spend their earnings very wisely, so they are not asking their parents for money. In conclusion, I strongly believe that it is important for teenagers to have a part time job before they graduate from high school. Although, having a part time job could take time away from yourself such as working on homework or spending time with friends, teenagers can put time aside for a night they aren’t working to go to a movie or just do something they enjoy. Part time jobs have many benefits so I don’t see why some teenagers stay at home doing nothing or spending too much time with friends, when they can be working and getting prepared for the future. Teenagers need to learn life skills early in life. So they are not living at home, with no jobs after high school if they are not going to pursue there education. This is why teenagers should have part-time jobs. How to cite Do Teenagers Need a Part Time Job, Essay examples

Fundamentals of Financial Management A Report

Question: Mr. Smith is a busy entrepreneur. A financial advisor decides where to invest Mr. Smiths stock portfolio worth several million dollars. After a few years, Mr. Smith hires two consultants to independently evaluate the performance of his stock portfolio. These consultants were given daily data on the total dollar value of portfolio, as well as the data on the episodic infusions of cash from Mr. Smith. I cant trust these guys, says Mr. Smith. It is true they found the same return, but the riskà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ adjustment calculations dont match. Consultant 1 report that Mr. Smiths stock portfolio had an annual Sharpe Ratio of 0.43, and while a broad stock market index had an annual Sharpe Ratio of 0.39. He also found an annual CAPM alpha of 1.54% per year. In contrast, Consultant 2 report annual Sharpe Ratios of 0.41 and 0.40 for Mr. Smiths portfolio and for a market index, respectively, and an annual CAPM alpha of 0.12%. Can both consultants have correct calculations? Explain in detail. Answer: The following report is about scrutinizing about the reports given to Mr. Smith by his two consultants. Sharp ratio is calculated by subtracting risk free return from market return and then dividing by portfolio standard deviation. Higher the value of sharp ratio, more return the investor can expect to earn for extra volatility they are exposed to. Same risky investment should be compensated with same return. For one portfolio there can be only one value of sharp ratio. Two consultants gave two contrasting figures which are not acceptable as the same data and formula should be used to arrive at the figures. The two consultants figures match when they gave their return as they didnt considered the risk factor which is somewhat an inappropriate method to measure portfolio performance. Consultant 1 gave an annual sharp ratio of 0.43 while consultant 2 gave an annual sharp ratio of 0.41 which is contradictory. Since both portfolios gave same value of return, their value of risk should also be same. There also gave conflicting results on broad stock market index (Brigham Houston, 2004). Co nsultant 1 gave an annual sharp ratio of 0.39 while consultant b gave an annual sharp ratio of 0.40.though the differences in less but the value should be equal either of the result would be absolutely correct and hence either of them would be perfectly correct. Alpha is a method of portfolio measurement on a risk adjusted basis. Taking the volatility of a mutual fund into consideration alpha compares its risk adjusted performance to a benchmark index. Alpha is among five technical risk ratios. The other ratio are standard deviation, beta, Sharpe ratio which has explained earlier and r-squared. They are used in modern portfolio theory and are statistical measurement. They are all used to decide risk reward profile of mutual fund. In simplified terms alpha represents the value that a portfolio manager adds or subtracts from a funds return (Paramasivan Subramanian, 2009).they are all risk adjusted way of evaluating a portfolio. Both consultants cannot have the correct calculation. Annual CAPM alpha of less than 0 implies the portfolio has earned too little for its risk while than of more than one implies the investment has earned more than its risk .annual capm value equal to zero implies that they the port folio has earned equal to their value of risk 3. Consultant 1 gave an annual CAPM alpha of 1.54 % while consultant 2 gave an estimate of 0.12%. The two consultants have given two quiet different figures for the alpha and hence either of the two can be correct (Shim Siegel, 2000). They should give the same figure as they have used the same data for calculating the risk. Thus it can be concluded that Mr. Smith should consider choosing either consultant 1 or consultant 2 opinions as it is not possible that both of them are correct. He should arrive at his judgment after seeing how these figures are calculated and after proper scanning as he might be mislead by different results. References Brigham, E., Houston, J. (2004).Fundamentals of financial management. Mason, Ohio: Thomson/South-Western. Paramasivan, C., Subramanian, T. (2009).Financial management. New Delhi: New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers. Shim, J., Siegel, J. (2000).Financial management. Hauppauge, N.Y.: Barron's.