Hello i said id post a question for my mum. Shes been to Goa 3 times and everytime shes been she got bit and her legs ended up blistered, red and infected. She used mossie spray etc, but this didnt seem to work. After her first visit she visited our gp when we got home and he thought it was caused by mossies and advised her to use some stronger protection etc. Then on her second visit the same thing happened again. She went back to the doctors and he said the same thing. Then on the third visit she was in a lot of pain and we had to call the doctor out. He said it was caused by sand flies, and suggested that she stayed away from the beach.
Just wondereing if anything like this has happened to people on HT and is there any way of stopping this from happening ( any kind of protection etc)
Thanks
p.s. i forgot to mention, Goa is the only place which it has happened. She went to the maldives last year and she was ok.
Thanks again
Anti-histamines could help with the blistering and give a bit of relief but how to avoid them i don`t know.
I use to get bitten by the sand flies as well, but this year i used the sun lotion from Avon with the insect repellent and it seemed to help, now the only other thing i have to watch is the sun loungers especially if they have dogs around them, i have noticed fleas on some of them and these tend to like the way i taste as well 
perhaps someone else has the answer to this problem; i dont encourage the dogs but if you walk along the beach early in the morning (as i tend to do) you do see the dogs asleep on the sunloungers so its no surprise that fleas can be a problem.
Jayne
perhaps someone else has the answer to this problem; i dont encourage the dogs but if you walk along the beach early in the morning (as i tend to do) you do see the dogs asleep on the sunloungers so its no surprise that fleas can be a problem.Jayne
Hi jayne, does that avon lotion give protection at night from the mossies? or is it only suitable for the sand flies etc.
Thanks
Thanks
The insect repelent you use for mozzies will also work for sand flies (Deet or natural) Although its the first time I have read about it being a problem in Goa.
Mids
Mids
Thanks. So she should wear the mossie spray durin the day?
My husband and myself have been bitten by sand flies before and also had some nasty sores and we were told by locals to use lemon juice or lemon scented lotions. It does work.
Thanks everyone for your advice. Maybe my mum can come back to goa without being ate by sandflies 
Maybe a couple of drops of citronella from an essential oil shop dropped into your suntan lotion would help ? would be a cheap alternative if you can`t find a lemon scented lotion.
Use fresh Aloe Vera once she has been bitten.
Pull off a chunky leave and slice it along the centre and rub the gunky sap on. Sounds horrible but it really does work.
You can keep whats left over in the fridge for a few days no problem.
The bottled versions aren;t nearly so effective.
There is a thread somewhere on this forum about where you can and can't get it in Goa.
Pull off a chunky leave and slice it along the centre and rub the gunky sap on. Sounds horrible but it really does work.
You can keep whats left over in the fridge for a few days no problem.
The bottled versions aren;t nearly so effective.
There is a thread somewhere on this forum about where you can and can't get it in Goa.
believe it or not (vick vapour rub) is the best of all it gives of an aroma all beasties hate.....a lady in the caribbean told me about it some years ago and i never go away without it 
.just a little on your ankles ...feet...and a dot here and there does the job.....not everone likes the smell but its better than getting eat alive...
tiger balm has same effect.
Remember not too much of the aftershave and perfume and you be ok!!!
(re mossies- offf sand flies topic - sorry!)
Remember not too much of the aftershave and perfume and you be ok!!!
(re mossies- offf sand flies topic - sorry!)
hey jayne,
I was looking at the avon website and could only find the after sun with insect repellent...is that what you were talking about?!
Charlie X
I was looking at the avon website and could only find the after sun with insect repellent...is that what you were talking about?!
Charlie X
We have used the Avon shower gel and moisturiser (Dry oil body spray) - adding either citronella or euclyptus oil to the moisturiser - this was last year in Tobago where sand flies are a real nuisance. Not at all sure that the avon stuff really helped - personally think the most effective stuff is the mossie spray,but certainly the natural oils really make a difference (make it smell OK!). On the Avon stuff, we got the Skin-So-Soft - gather this is what our gallant troops all use to ward off the mossies in Iraq!!! And of course keep them young and beautiful!
well i was n goa for 6 weeks in dec/jan and got bites every single night which we thought were mossie bites but i think they may actually be sand flies bites. Going back in 2 weeks for 12 weeks so ill have plenty of time to test all your remedies!! We also got told that eating lots of garlic stopped you from getting mossie bites 
Gin and tonic helps too with keeping the mozzies away, it's the quinine (don't think thats spelt right sorry ) in the tonic that they don't like (well I think it's the tonic it might be the Gin).
Donna
XX
) in the tonic that they don't like (well I think it's the tonic it might be the Gin).Donna
XX
Gin and tonic helps too with keeping the mozzies away, it's the quinine (don't think thats spelt right sorry ) in the tonic that they don't like (well I think it's the tonic it might be the Gin).
Good excuse to have a lot of G and T's then Donna
Thanks for the info everyone
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