This June, I was out with a friend at a Lavender farm, enjoying the sunshine. We were sitting down at a picnic bench eating the novelty Lavender ice cream, when out of the blue, I was bitten three times by a horsefly. I only realised that it was a horsefly when I got home and began researching the creature that I had seen attached to my leg. When I felt the discomfort in my lower leg (which happened after the 3rd bite), reaching down, my fingers clasped over something soft, which I squidged. When I pulled my hand up, I saw huge green eyes looking up at me.
Having never been bitten by a horsefly before, I didn’t realise either what the bites were or the creature that had made them, so I used some spit on my fingers to rub over them. It wasn't until hours later when I got home, and I was researching to see what I could do for the itchiness, that I realised that they were horsefly bites. My friend thought that they might have been Blandford Fly bites. Either way, by then my body had already begun its response.
What followed has been a slow, layered healing journey. It is a journey that I am still on, as although my bites are almost healed, the surrounding area remains red and uncomfortable by nighttime.
My healing journey has taught me more about inflammation, intuition, and the quiet persistence of the body’s wisdom.
To begin with, and overnight, the bite site was small, raised and red. And very itchy. So I used Tea Tree Oil in an Aloe Vera gel. Plus some Quercetin as it is an antihistamine that works well for me and which is available either online or from a Health Food shop. I used Solgar's Quercetin, which is a brand that I trust.
Fluid sac on my lower leg
By mid-morning, the day following our adventure to the Lavender Farm, the bites area had swelled and formed a fluid sac that lasted for weeks. It looked as if I had a large egg yolk on my leg.
I treated the site daily with antiseptics, homeopathic remedies, and plant allies including antiseptic Tea Tree oil, Aloe Vera gel as a healing vehicle, and homeopathic remedies such as Ledum (for bites), and Apis (for stings). Both homeopathic remedies took the edge off the issue along with covering the area with clean Melolin pads and a bandage every morning and night, so that I could monitor progress. I elevated my leg at every opportunity and remained hydrated. Quercetin and I are now best buddies!
I watched and monitored each day. Seeing the fluid sac turn a golden colour concerned me greatly but I resisted feelings of panic and continued to tune into my body and her signals.
By late July, one morning, the fluid sac started to leak clear fluid. A few drops gave way to a slow trickle and over the course of three days, the fluid sac eventually, completely emptied.
A soft scab developed from the remnants of the fluid sac. As the scab hardened and tugged, I stopped the homeopathic pillules, and instead opted for Bio Oil gel which I remembered from other injuries helps to heal and reduces scarring. No more need for pads or bandages either. And so my skin began its slow return to health.
But healing isn’t always linear.
Horsefly bite site scarring with continuing redness inflammation
Even now, my lower leg holds a pale red memory of the event, with swelling around my ankle that fades by morning. I’ve come to understand this as lymphatic congestion and post-inflammatory erythema ~ a sign that my body is still clearing the toxicity from the bites, and also what is no longer needed from the healing processes.
To support this clearing process, I’ve added in gentle walking, dry brushing (in sweeping motions heartwards), and Castor Oil on a warm flannel. When all of that is complete, I am also using Robin Logan's Seven 7 Cream (a proprietary homeopathic blend with manuka honey that is renowned for its healing potential) afterwards.
I was surprised by the Castor oil recommendation that I received from a friend, but having researched it further, I find that Castor Oil is rich in Ricinoleic Acid, which is thought to help stimulate lymph flow, reduce inflammation, and nourish the skin. When applied warm to the leg (via a flannel dipped in it, and with a hotwater bottle wrapped in a towel alongside) it acts like a gentle pump, encouraging the body to release what’s stuck and restore balance. It’s an old remedy, but one that still has value and validity (though a little on the messy side).
Additionally, I’m exploring Tamanu oil for its regenerative gifts, and still researching, but considering the homeopathic remedies of Sulphur, and Hepar Sulph, to help the skin release what remains including the redness.
I trust my body. I trust the plants & the energetics. I trust the slow rhythm of repair, although in our fast paced world, being patient is not always something that I find easy to do.
If you’ve ever felt unseen by conventional systems, or unsure how to respond to a lingering injury, know this: your body remembers how to heal.
Sometimes it just needs time, a helping hand, tenderness, kindness and a few wise allies.
Disclaimer
I share this set of reflective notes as an intuitive energy medicine practitioner, not as a licensed medical professional. The approaches described are part of my personal healing journey and are not intended as medical advice. If you are experiencing symptoms or uncertainty, please consult a qualified healthcare provider.