Dr. Taranath says, “You shouldn't scratch bug bites for one primary reason: infection. If you scratch hard enough, you can break the skin. Our hands, and especially under our fingernails, are notorious for carrying germs and bacteria.

Is it bad to scratch bug bites?

Scratching mosquito bites may make the itching worse. Mosquito bites itch due to inflammation. Rather than relieving the itching, scratching an already inflamed area increases inflammation. This makes the area even itchier.

Does rubbing a bug bite make it worse?

First of all, try your best not to scratch your itchy bug bite. That will only further inflame the lesion, and make the itching, swelling, and irritation worse, Day says. Instead, he recommends dabbing the bite with rubbing alcohol.