How do bed bug bites look

Tiny, blackish specks. If you see blackish specks on the bedding, mattress, headboard, or beneath couch cushions, it could be bed bug excrement. After mating, female bed bugs lay white, oval eggs in cracks and crevices. Keep in mind that these will be small, as a bed bug is only about the size of an apple seed.

The photo below shows a bed bug near eggs. The photo was magnified so that you can see the bed bug and eggs. If you do get bed bugs and have many bites or a bite that looks infected, see a board-certified dermatologist.

A dermatologist can treat an infection and help relieve the itch. A bed bug is a tiny insect with a broad, oval body. If it has recently eaten, it has a reddish-brown color. If you see bed bugs, they will likely scurry toward the closest hiding place. Any dark place such as inside a mattress or even a picture frame makes a good hiding place. As you watch bed bugs move, it can look like they are flying or jumping because they can crawl quickly.

Bed bugs cannot fly or jump; they can only crawl. If you find signs of bed bugs, call a pest-control company or your property manager. You should not use bug spray or a fogger. These products have little effect on bed bugs. Allergic reaction. Some people may require an injection of an antihistamine, corticosteroid, or epinephrine adrenaline for a severe allergic reaction.

An infection may require an antibiotic. If the infection is mild, your dermatologist may recommend an antiseptic medication that you can buy without a prescription. Your dermatologist will tell you which one to use. Your dermatologist also may recommend an antiseptic to prevent a skin infection. A prescription antihistamine pill or liquid can help.

You also can apply a corticosteroid to the bites. About the size of an apple seed, bedbugs hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, headboards, bed frames and any other objects around a bed. The risk of encountering bedbugs increases if you spend time in places with high turnovers of nighttime guests — such as hotels, hospitals or homeless shelters. It can be difficult to tell bedbug bites from other types of insect bites. However, they are typically itchy, and they may appear clustered or lined up in rough rows.

It can be difficult to distinguish bedbug bites from other insect bites or rashes. In general, the sites of bedbug bites usually are:. Some people have no reaction to bedbug bites, while others experience an allergic reaction that can include severe itching, blisters or hives. If you experience allergic reactions or severe skin reactions to bedbug bites, see your doctor for professional treatment.

Bedbug infestations usually occur around or near where people sleep. They hide in the cracks and crevices of:.

Bedbugs can move from one site to another by traveling on items such as clothing, luggage, furniture, boxes and bedding. Bedbugs can crawl about as fast as a ladybug, and can easily travel between floors and rooms in hotels or apartment complexes.

Bedbugs don't care if their environment is clean or dirty. Most people who are bitten by bed bugs experience symptoms that include irritation, sores, or itchiness. But how should bed bug bites be treated and can they be prevented? There are several ways of reducing the chances of getting bites, while the treatment options include good hygiene and antihistamines.

Bed bugs are small parasitic insects that feed on human blood. While they are a public health concern, bed bugs are not known to transmit disease through their bites. The pests are most active when humans are asleep, during the night and early morning.

An estimated one in five Americans have personally dealt with a bed bug infestation or knows someone who has encountered the pests.

Bed bugs can bite anywhere on the body where there is skin. Typically, bites tend to occur on areas exposed during sleeping, such as:. Many people do not feel the bite itself or develop clear symptoms other than the dots where the bug bit and some minor, surrounding inflammation and irritation. Others are considered hypersensitive to bites and develop more severe symptoms.

In most cases symptoms occur more or less immediately after the bite, but they can develop or progress over the following days as well. Without further irritation, symptoms typically resolve after a week or so. Almost all bed bug bites will produce some degree of discomfort, typically itchiness and inflammation.

Other signs and symptoms of bed bug bites include:. While fairly rare, some people have or develop severe reactions and symptoms from bed bug bites. Serious symptoms that require medical attention include:. The first recommended line of treatment involves cleaning the wound, ideally with soap and water.

If severe swelling, inflammation, or itchiness occurs or persists, a person should seek medical attention. A dramatic immune response may be a sign of an allergic reaction.

If this is the case, one of the following may need to be administered:. If infection occurs, antibiotics may be prescribed.

Severe itchiness may result in further complications, such as infection or scarring. If severe itching is experienced, people may be prescribed corticosteroid creams and antihistamine pills or liquid. One way to help prevent exposure and potential infestations by bed bugs is to be able to recognize bed bugs and distinguish them from other pests.