How to Remove a Bee Stinger From the Skin

Few things hurt more than a bee string. And if you are stung several times, the pain can be quite alarming. This is why the conventional advice about bee sting removal is so frustrating, since it entails taking your time and removing the stinger the "correct" way by scraping it off with a tool like a credit card. Fortunately, recent research has pointed in a different direction.

Things You'll Need

• Ice pack
• Benadryl

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Instructions

• 1

  Quickly remove yourself from the immediate vicinity where you were stung, since the bee that stung you may well have released pheromones that will drive his fellow bees in the area to sting you as well.

• 2

  Use your fingers to pull out or brush away the stinger, doing so as quickly as you can. This will not, as was previously believed, pump more of the venom into your system.

• 3

  Use a pair of tweezers to remove the stinger if it is embedded and cannot simply be brushed away. But the key is still to remove it as quickly as possible.

• 4

  Apply an over-the-counter topical anesthetic if the area of the sting is too sore to touch, and if you have the anesthetic readily available. Then quickly remove the stinger.

• 5

  Apply an ice pack and take an antihistamine (such as Benadryl) to reduce swelling. If the victim seems to be having an allergic reaction (known as anaphylaxis) to the sting, seek immediate medical attention.