Although bedbug bites are rarely dangerous, they can be very itchy. In some cases, they become infected or cause an allergic reaction.
Bedbug Bites: Everything You Need to Know
Bedbugs are tiny insects that feed on blood from humans or animals. Over-the-counter treatments can help relieve itching and inflammation.
Bedbugs are flat, oval-shaped, and reddish-brown in color. They can live in your bed, furniture, carpet, clothing, and other belongings, and are most active at night.
Bedbugs don’t have wings, so they rely on animals or humans to carry them from one place to another. They typically get into your home after an overnight trip — by hitching a ride in your luggage or clothing. Or they can enter your home if you bring in secondhand furniture that’s infested. They can also travel from one apartment to the next if a building or hotel has an infestation.
Although bedbug bites are rarely dangerous, they can be very itchy. In some cases, they become infected or cause an allergic reaction.
Keep reading to learn about bedbug bites, what they look like, and how to treat and prevent them.
Bedbugs excrete a tiny amount of anesthetic before feeding on people, so you won’t feel it when they bite you. It can sometimes take a few days for symptoms of bedbug bites to develop.
Some people never develop noticeable symptoms from bedbug bites. According to Pest Control Technology, approximately 30 to 60 percent of people never develop a reaction to a bedbug bite. When symptoms do develop, the bites tend to be:
- red and swollen, with a dark spot at the center of each bite (they may also look like a hive or welt)
- arranged in lines or clusters, with multiple bites grouped together
- itchy
- burning
- fluid-filled blisters
- you may also find blood stains on the sheets from scratching
Scratching bug bites can cause them to bleed or become infected.
Where on the body do bedbug bites occur?
Bedbugs can bite any part of your body. However, they’ll normally bite areas of skin that are exposed while you sleep. This includes your face, neck, arms, and hands. If you typically wear pajamas to bed, the bug will bite along the line of the clothing.
Do bedbugs bite every night?
Bedbugs don’t always feed every single night. In fact, they can go several weeks without eating. That might sound like a good thing, but it can make it more difficult to notice that there are bedbugs in your home. In fact, it may take a few weeks to realize that the bites are part of a larger pattern. And that’s problematic because bedbugs can multiply very quickly. A female can lay eggs every 3 to 4 days.
In most cases, bedbug bites get better within 1 to 2 weeks. To relieve symptoms, you can:
- Apply an over-the-counter or prescription steroid cream to decrease inflammation and itching.
- Take an oral antihistamine to reduce itching and burning.
- Use an over-the-counter pain reliever to relieve swelling and pain.
- Take a Benadryl prior to sleep to decrease itching or have a doctor prescribe a stronger antihistamine.
In addition to over-the-counter medications, there are several home remedies that may help relieve the symptoms of bedbug bites. Try applying one or more of the following:
- a cold cloth or an ice pack wrapped in a towel
- a thin paste of baking soda and water
Allergic reactions and infections from bedbug bites
Although rare, there have been isolated case reports of systemic allergic reactions to bedbug bites. Reactions typically included hives, asthma, and in rare occasions, anaphylaxis.
In addition, constant scratching of lesions caused by bedbug bites may lead to secondary infections, such as impetigo, folliculitis, or cellulitis. To reduce the risk of infection, wash the bites with soap and water, and try not to scratch them.
If you suspect that you’ve developed an infection or allergic reaction to a bedbug bite, contact your doctor. Get emergency medical care if you develop any of the following after being bitten:
- multiple hives
- difficulty breathing
- wheezing
- swelling of the throat or mouth
- fever
- chills
- dizziness
- confusion
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If you suspect that your baby or child has been bitten by bedbugs, check their sheets, mattress, bed frame, and nearby baseboards for signs of the bugs.
Washing the bites with soap and water will help treat bedbug bites on your baby or child. For additional relief, consider applying a cold compress or over-the-counter anti-itch creams or low-strength steroids. Make sure to cut the baby’s nails short so they can’t scratch their skin.
Talk with your child’s doctor or pharmacist before using topical steroid creams or oral antihistamines to treat the bites. Some medications may not be safe for babies or young children.
If your child is old enough to understand your instructions, ask them not to scratch the bites. To prevent scratching, it may also help to trim your child’s nails and cover the bites with a bandage.
If you suspect there are bedbugs in your home, look for signs of them in your bed and other areas. They usually hide during the day in:
- household cracks or crevices
- walls
- luggage
- bedclothes
- mattresses
- bedsprings
- bed frames
- spaces under baseboards
- loose or peeling wallpaper
- electrical switch plates
- conduits for electrical cables
- sofas (if a person is using the sofa to sleep on)
Bedbugs typically live near where people are sleeping in the house. That’s because bedbugs are attracted to body heat and carbon dioxide. They don’t usually travel to other rooms if people aren’t sleeping there. Bedbugs typically feed from midnight until dawn and then hide during the day in the same place they were prior to biting.
You may not see the bugs themselves, but you may find drops of blood or small black dots of bug droppings in your bed. If you find bedbugs, call your landlord or a pest control company.
It’s very difficult to find bedbugs unless you’re professionally trained to do so. Most pest control companies will do a check free of charge. If they find bedbugs, they’ll typically give you several options to eliminate them.
Remember, until you’ve eliminated the infestation, do not visit or sleep at someone else’s house or a hotel as this may potentially spread the bugs to their home or hotel room.
Risk factors for getting bedbugs
Bedbugs can live in any home or public area. But they’re common in places that have a lot of people, a lot of turnover, and close quarters. That’s why you may be at increased risk for encountering bedbugs if you live or work in a:
- hotel
- hospital
- homeless shelter
- military barrack
- college dorm
- apartment complex
- business office
Bringing secondhand furniture into your home is another risk factor as is having visits from friends or relatives who may have bedbugs in their home.
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