School has been in session for a few weeks now and you know what that means—bed bug season is right around the corner! But hang on just a minute. Have you ever stopped to think about how similar a bed bug bite is to a poison ivy rash? While they might look alike, they are completely different. So if you’re confused when someone tells you they have bedbugs, don’t worry — here’s a quick guide to help you tell the two apart. In my search for answers on how to cure poison ivy rash, I came across blogs and forums that confused me further. It was like they were written by toxicologists who wanted to confuse the layman! What I mean is that people throw around words like urushiol and airborne all the time…as if we’re experts in the field. While bed bug bites can be itchy and annoying, they aren’t dangerous. They aren’t fatal or even a sign of a more serious illness. The truth is: bed bug bites can look strikingly similar to other skin conditions. Scratching your bites can cause infection and surrounding rashes, and make you look at the wrong treatment. The next time you decide to scratch that rash, consider one of these three conditions before you scratch them again…

Bed Bug Bite Vs Poison Ivy Rash

Both bed bug bites and poison ivy rashes can cause skin irritation and inflammation, which can make it difficult to tell the difference between the two.

The skin reactions caused by bed bug bites and poison ivy rashes are very similar. Both can cause pain, inflammation and swelling. Both can also be itchy, red and have bumps or blisters. If the rash doesn’t resolve within a week or two, you should see your doctor to determine what is causing the reaction.

A bed bug bite usually looks like a red or inflamed dot on your skin.

Bed bugs are small, brownish insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. These parasites live in cracks and crevices near sleeping areas and can be found in hotels, movie theaters, buses, trains and even private homes. In some cases, bed bug bites look exactly like mosquito or flea bites — which makes it difficult for you to tell whether you have been bitten by a bed bug or another insect.

Bed bug bites usually appear as red dots on your skin (though they may also look like blisters) that often itch intensely for several weeks before healing completely without scars. Bed bug bites can occur anywhere on the body but tend to concentrate around areas where people sleep — such as their face or arms. If you think you have been bitten by a bed bug:

• Examine your skin carefully in good light using magnifying glasses if necessary; check all parts of your body including under fingernails when possible (bed bugs will hide inside clothing if necessary).
• Look carefully at any stinging sensation associated with the bite itself; sometimes this may indicate an allergic reaction rather than an actual bite from an insect.

You may have multiple bed bug bites that appear in a zigzag pattern or in rows of three.

• You may have multiple bed bug bites that appear in a zigzag pattern or in rows of three.
• When a cluster of bed bugs feeds on you, the bites will be fairly close together—often within an inch or two.
• Bed bugs usually feed in clusters, so if you find one bite on your arm and then another at the exact same spot later that day, it probably wasn’t from something else.
• Although bedbugs are not known to spread disease, they can still cause irritation or other symptoms when they bite humans.

Bed bug bites can cause itching and burning along with other symptoms such as swelling and a rash.

Bed bug bites can cause itching and burning along with other symptoms such as swelling and a rash. The bites are usually small red bumps on the skin that can be itchy and painful. If the bites are scratched, they can become infected. Other symptoms of bed bug bites include:

• Redness
• Swelling
• Blisters
• Hives (a raised red rash)

A poison ivy rash is characterized by an itchy, red rash that often has bumps or blisters.

Poison ivy rashes are characterized by an itchy, red rash that often has bumps or blisters. The blisters are your body’s way of trying to trap the sap from touching your skin and causing further irritation.

The symptoms of a poison ivy rash may include:

• Redness on the skin
• Warmth in the affected area
• Flaking skin that looks like dandruff or scabs (if scratched)

The rash develops along the line of contact with the poison ivy plant.

Most people who come into contact with the plant will develop a rash within two to three weeks. The rash develops along the line of contact with the poison ivy plant, which is its leaves and stems.

It’s important to note that poison ivy can be spread by pets (dogs and cats), as well as people. It can also be spread by clothes, shoes or other items that have been in contact with an infected person or animal.

If you think you’ve been bitten by bed bugs, check your mattress for blood spots from where they fed, as well as small black marks from their feces

If you think you’ve been bitten by bed bugs, check your mattress for blood spots from where they fed, as well as small black marks from their feces. You may also find the insects themselves if you look closely enough at your mattress or box spring. Bedbug bites can cause itching and burning along with other symptoms such as swelling and a rash. The bites typically appear on exposed skin such as the arms and legs but sometimes form in clusters on areas like the back or neck.