Why? Some bug bites are relatively harmless, but others have the potential to bring on more serious health issues if you don't treat them appropriately, and fast. Here are some bug bites you might you may experience, and how to know when its a spot that warrants a trip to your doctor's office.
Bedbug bites
While bedbugs are totally freaky, theyre more annoying to deal with than an actual threat to your health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That said, this isnt something you want to mess with, largely because theyre super itchy, can keep you up at night, and can spread really fast. Also, the idea of little bugs feeding on your blood while you sleep isnt exactly fun, so .
People can have a range of reactions to bedbug bites, says Nancy Troyano, Ph.D., a board-certified entomologist with Ehrlich Pest Control. Some have no reaction at all, but most people will notice an itchy, red, welt-like mark, similar to a mosquito bite, she says. Bites may appear in a linear fashion if there are multiple bugs feeding, Troyano says. Bites can occur anywhere, but they are often found in areas where skin is readily exposed.
Bedbugs get around by hitchhiking onto your things, so prevention can be tough, says Angela Tucker, Ph.D., manager of technical services for Terminix. Knowing this, the best prevention for bedbugs is being watchful during your travels and regular home cleaning, she says. You can also keep an eye out for the critters (which are about the size, shape and color of an apple seed when fully grown) and their byproducts, reddish-brown blood spots on sheets or mattresses, Tucker says.
If you do happen to get bedbug bites, you can spot treat them with hydrocortisone cream to try to soothe itch, says David Cutler, M.D., a family medicine physician at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. Then, do your best to try to get rid of the infestations. Its important to see where the bed bugs came from, Dr. Cutler says. Then, call in a professional exterminator so you dont get any more bed bug bites.
Bee & wasp stings
Youll usually know it when you get stung by a bee or wasp, because it hurts like hell. At first, you may not even see anything on the skin. However, within a few minutes of being stung, there may be localized swelling and redness around the sting site, says Troyano. The area might also feel warm, and you might see a small white mark near the center of the swelling (thats where the stinger went into your skin), she says.
If you know you have an allergy to bee or wasp stings, youll want to follow instructions from your doctor and seek medical care immediately. But if youre not allergic, youll still want to take action. Bees lose their stinger after stinging, Troyano says, and youll want to try to remove it if its still stuck in you. Then, you can apply ice to reduce swelling, says David Gatz, M.D., an emergency medicine physician at Baltimores Mercy Medical Center. You also may want to take an antihistamine like Benadryl, he says.
To lower the odds youll deal with this in the future, do your best to avoid interacting with bees and wasps. In general, if you leave bees and wasps alone, they will leave you alone, says Tucker. If you want to be especially cautious when youre outside, she recommends avoiding wearing flowery perfumes or fragrances, covering foods and drinks, and avoiding swatting at or near bees and wasps.
Scabies
Soscabies are pretty gross. Scabies is a parasite infestation caused by microscopic mites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When you have scabies, the female burrows into your epidermis to lay her eggs.
Scabies usually shows up as a rash with small, raised pustules or blisters and is intensely itchy, Troyano says. If youve never had scabies before, you might not see the rash for several weeks after youve been exposed, she says. But, if youve had scabies before, you might see a rash within one to four days of being exposed.
Scabies is transmitted through prolonged direct skin contact and is highly contagious, Tucker says. Youll want to see a doctor to get rid of this, but its generally treated with permethrin anti-parasitic cream, Dr. Gatz says.
Mosquito bites
Okay, yes, mosquito bites are usually NBD. Theyre itchy and annoying, but nothing major to worry about. You probably already know what a mosquito bite looks like, but (just in case), theyre usually red, create a bump on your skin, and can itch, per Troyano.
Most mosquito bites are harmless, but mosquitos can carry diseases like Zika virus and West Nile virus, which can cause fever-like symptoms, rash, joint pain, and red eyes, the CDC says. If youve been bitten by a mosquito and start to feel off afterward, call your doctor ASAP.
For the bite itself, do your best not to scratch them-that raises the risk that the bite will get infected, Dr. Cutler says. Hydrocortisone cream should help take the itch out, he says.
While you can only do so much to prevent mosquito bites, Tucker recommends removing standing water around your place (these are areas that mosquitoes can lay their eggs). And, if youre planning to spend a lot of time outside, using a good mosquito repellent is key, she says.
Spider bites
Spider bites are actually pretty rare, Troyano says, but they can happen. There are only two species of spiders in North America that has venom thats toxic to humans, she says: the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider.
Spider bites can look like typical bug bites, so it can be hard to tell right away if you were bitten by a spider unless you see it scuttling away. In the immediate aftermath, Dr. Cutler recommends washing the area with soap and water and leaving it alone. Toxins from the spider can destroy the skin, so you want to rest it, he says. But if the wound area seems to be growing, is unusually red, is hot to the touch, is ulcerated, or youre having fever and/or joint pain, call your doctor ASAP, Troyano says.
To prevent spider bites, clean out cobwebs inside and outside of your house, wear long sleeves, pants, gloves, and a hat to protect your skin when youre working outside or in areas where things are stored and not used often, and try to keep your grass and bushes maintained, Tucker says.
Tick bites
Usually, a tick will still be attached when you discover a tick bite so the first thing youll want to do is remove it. Troyano recommends doing this to get rid of the bloodsucker:
- Use tweezers and grab the tick close to the skin
- Steadily pull upward and avoid twisting the insect
- Don't crush the tick once removed
- Submerse the tick in rubbing alcohol and save it or put it in a clear, sealable plastic bag in case you need to see a doctor or veterinarian or take a clear photo, then flush it
Once the tick is removed, wash the area with soap and water, Dr. Gatz says.
The tick bite itself may not leave a mark but the diseases ticks carry can leave marks and cause symptoms. If you notice a bulls-eye shaped rash around the bite site, pink rash on your wrists, arms, and ankles, an ulcerated area around the bite, or youre having a fever, chills, aches, and muscle fatigue, call your doctor, Troyano says.
To lower the odds youll be bitten in the first place, Tucker recommends showering quickly when you come in from being outside (you might be able to wash off ticks before they have a chance to bite you). Its also a good idea to wear long pants and sleeves when you go into tick-infested areas, like woods, and to wear bug repellent that contains DEET.