It’s not uncommon to think you might have bed bugs when you start getting red, itchy bumps. Especially if you regularly get bitten by mosquitoes and no-see-ums in the warmer months.I mean, why else would they start bothering you in the dead of winter? And they don’t seem to be the same bites. Mosquitoes and no-see-ums bite more like a series of pinpricks – you hardly ever see one long row of red bumps. They’re just one itch spot, not a whole line of them. Bed bugs, on the other hand are all about those lines of itchiness. Itchy, itchy, itchy. I don’t know about you, but when I get bug bites, my first instinct is to scratch the bites…which of course makes them worse….which of course leads to more scratching. And more itching. It’s a vicious circle from which there is no escape…. Bed bugs bites are itchy and uncomfortable, especially immediately after they occur. Let’s talk about how to recognize them, how you could be getting bitten, and how long it takes for bed bug bites to show up in this post.

Bed Bug Bites A Week Later

Bed bug bites often go unnoticed at first

Bed bug bites can be difficult to spot, especially at first. Often, people don’t realize they’ve been bitten until they get up in the morning and see a red welt or rash on their skin. Bed bugs are small and flat, so their bites also tend to be flat and small.

They’re nocturnal creatures that come out to feed at night. They bite you while you’re sleeping because your body heat makes it easier for them to find a vein near the surface of your skin—they’ll dig into your flesh with their mouthparts and inject enzymes that break down blood cells, allowing them to suck up what’s left of your blood supply (which is why bed bug bites often appear red).

Bites may take up to a week to appear

It’s hard to say exactly how long it will take for bed bug bites to appear on your skin. People react differently, and some people can take up to a week to notice any bites at all. Other people may notice the bites within a couple of hours.

Bites tend to be small, round bumps that are grouped together in lines or clusters. The bites are often red in color and feel like little pimples on your skin—but unlike acne, they do not have pus in them! If you do have an allergic reaction due to bed bug saliva being injected into your body when they bite you (and this isn’t very common), there may be swelling around the bite area as well as itching or burning sensations.

Bed bugs can bite anywhere on the body

bed bug bites can be found anywhere on a person’s body. The common misconception is that bed bugs only bite your face, but this is not true. Bed bugs do not discriminate when it comes to where they decide to feed. In fact, one study showed that nearly half of all bed bug bites were on the upper extremities of the body (arms and hands).

Bed bug bites are usually red or brown in color and appear as small welts that go away after a few days. They may not even be painful, but some people do experience swelling or itching around the area of impact as well as irritation from scratching.

Most people do not react to bed bug bites at all

Most people do not react to bed bug bites at all, and those who do usually do not need medical attention. If you are bitten by a bed bug, you should not wash the bite or apply any lotions or creams to it. You also should NOT cover a bite with a bandage or adhesive tape as this may trap the saliva from the insect in your skin, causing irritation and infection.

If itching develops after being bitten by a bed bug, an over-the-counter antihistamine can help stop it from getting worse or getting infected (antihistamines are available without prescription).

A secondary infection can occur if a bed bug bite becomes itchy, scabbed or scratched

If you scratch or abrade the skin surrounding a bed bug bite too much, you can cause secondary infection. The wound may become red, swollen and itchy, which makes it even more tempting to scratch. If that happens, your body’s immune system will respond by making more blood vessels near the site of injury and sending in leukocytes (white blood cells) to fight off infection. This response can be both beneficial and harmful depending on how far along it goes. It’s important to keep scratching at bay because continued inflammation of any kind slows down healing time and may lead to scarring or systemic infection if left untreated. Moreover, scratching often leads to sepsis—a life-threatening condition where an overwhelming immune response causes widespread tissue damage throughout the body—and death in severe cases.

It’s important to look for signs of bed bugs in your home

As mentioned above, bed bugs are hard to detect. They can be as small as an apple seed, and if you’re not looking for them or don’t know what signs to look for, then it can be very difficult to spot one. In fact, it’s possible that a bed bug could travel around with you without your knowledge! For example, did you bring any new luggage or clothing into the house? Was there anything in the laundry room when you got home? Did anyone else come over recently and stay overnight in your home? If so, they may have brought bed bugs with them.

The best way to check whether your house has been infested by these tiny pests is to thoroughly inspect all areas of your home where people sleep or sit down for long periods of time (sofas, chairs etc). This includes under cushions on couches/chairs and behind baseboards in all rooms that are used frequently throughout each day (kitchen/dining room). You should also check any luggage/clothing that was brought into the house within three days after arrival; there might be eggs attached somewhere inaccessible from normal cleaning methods!