| Thank goodness for seasons; they spark ideas for articles and can provide what we call a peg, something that makes a story timely. Earlier this summer, we ran articles about shade and sunscreen and hyperpigmentation (which can be worsened with sun exposure). This week, reporter Allyson Chiu tells you how to cut down on mosquitoes around your home; do your best to avoid being bitten; and deal with any bites you do get. The idea came to me as I was Father's Day shopping for my husband, who is one of those people who are bitten more often than others (Allyson's story addresses possible reasons for this disparity). After reading a lot of reviews, I bought him a pen-shaped, battery-powered gadget that is supposed to alleviate the itch and pain of insect bites and stings by applying heat to the area. Then, figuring a lot of people were dealing with mosquitoes, especially as coronavirus concerns keep many of us outdoors, I asked Allyson to work on a story about them. Along with her other questions, I said, could she please ask her experts if they would recommend products such as the one I had just purchased. As Allyson did her reporting, Father's Day came and went. And in a rare instance for our family, I was the one who suffered a mosquito bite first. I used the device – and it was hot. (Though it says it can be used on children, I would not recommend that.) But it really seemed to get rid of the itch. But then, I heard back from Allyson: Not only had the experts not even heard of this mosquito-bite-treating tool, they said that applying something cold to a mosquito bite would likely help more than applying heat, because cold reduces inflammation while heat can exacerbate it. That was a bummer, though it left me prepared when my husband was stung by a hornet or wasp while weed-whacking. The bite, which was both painful and itchy, was on his cheek near his ear, and he wasn't about to try the heat device on his face. So, I urged him to put ice on the bite – and it helped. Then, he went back out to do more weed-whacking (you may wonder why; I did, too) and was stung again, on his hand. This time, he tried the heat device, and it worked, but not any better, he said, than the completely cost-free ice. And, he pointed out, the electronic gadget is more painful. Thus, Allyson's experts were vindicated. And while a smart person would have assigned an article about mosquitoes before spending $40 on an itch-reducing device, well, that wouldn't have been as funny. In other stories, Allyson looks into the pros and cons of working from home, and what bosses and employees should keep in mind as they navigate the working world going forward. And Richard Morgan tells us about a rare but frightening condition that overzealous exercisers can develop, known colloquially as rhabdo. It, too, has a seasonal component; experts fear a rise in cases this summer. So, in addition to avoiding mosquitoes, watch out for overexertion. Take care! |
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