The itching and swelling of bed bug bites and flea bites are some of the most annoying things you can experience. People who have been bitten by bed bugs or fleas will tell you that it’s not even the pain that’s so bad, it’s the itching. The itching seems to drive us crazy, with no relief from scratching. I have been recently dealing with flea and bed bug bites on my body. While I find both of these pests annoying at the very least, it had never occurred to me to compare the two of them. This was until I had a large amount of bed bug bites on my leg and arm, as well as flea bites all over my legs. Bed bugs. For some people, they’re the stuff of nightmares, while for others they’re practically invisible — but that doesn’t mean they’re harmless. If you’ve ever had a run-in with a bedbug, you’ll know how unpleasant it can be — itchy rashes and bites don’t just occur at the sight of these tiny bloodsuckers, but can occur elsewhere on the body too (it’s impossible to be ‘safe’ from them). The question is, what causes bedbug bites when other animals like fleas cause bites in broadly the same way? Are bedbugs and fleas related? And what can we do about all this?

Bed Bug Bites And Flea Bites

Bed bug bite itchiness and swelling can last for days or even weeks after the first bite.

Bed bug bites and flea bites are usually surrounded by a red, itchy circle. That’s why they are sometimes called “redbug” bites too.

Bed bug bites can be very painful and may swell up to several times their normal size. They stay that way for at least 12 hours before getting better, but in some cases they can last for days or even weeks after the first bite.

The best treatment for these irritating skin irritations is to apply hydrocortisone cream or an antihistamine cream to reduce itching. If you have sensitive skin, try applying ice packs or cooling lotions instead of creams so as not to irritate your skin further!

Bed bugs will feed on any area of exposed skin, including the face, neck and scalp.

Bed bugs will feed on any area of exposed skin, including the face, neck and scalp. They can also bite through clothing. If you see a rash or bite marks in the morning (or after waking up) and you’ve slept in a hotel room recently, it’s likely because of bedbugs.

A bed bug bite resembles an insect-borne disease such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever; however, there are several key differences: Bedbug bites do not have red centers like Lyme disease does. The only true way to tell if you have bed bugs is by seeing them with your own eyes or finding evidence of their existence before and after nights spent at hotels or Airbnbs (e.g., fecal matter).

Bed bug bites generally don’t become inflamed or swollen.

Bed bug bites are generally not associated with inflammation or swelling. The redness of bed bug bites is caused by a body’s immune response to the bed bug’s saliva, which contains an anti-coagulant. This same reaction causes the swelling and itching associated with flea bites.

Flea bites are itchy as soon as you get them, although the itching may become worse several hours after the bite.

Fleas are parasites that live on the blood of humans and other animals. They can be found in your bed, carpets, rugs, furniture and anywhere else they can find a warm spot to hide. If you have pets, there is a good chance you will see fleas in your home. A flea bite will typically cause an immediate reaction with itching or pain at the site of contact.

Flea bites usually appear as small red bumps that become itchy as soon as they are bitten by a flea (even hours after). The itching may worsen several hours after the initial bite because of histamines produced by cells surrounding the area where the fleas bit making it even more uncomfortable for you to cope with throughout the day!

Fleas only feed on blood from humans and other warm-blooded animals.

Fleas are parasites, and they feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals. They are most common in the summer, especially in homes with pets. They also like moist areas such as wooded areas, grassy fields and certain types of weeds.

Flea bites can look like mosquito bites or be more noticeable than that. In some cases, there may be several clusters of them at once or even just one spot where an adult flea is feeding on your pet’s skin for an extended period of time.

The swelling and inflammation caused by flea bites can last longer than bed bug bites.

While bed bug bites typically take about a week to heal, flea bites can last for up to a week. This is because fleas are much smaller than bed bugs and their saliva contains more allergens. Flea bites also cause swelling and inflammation that can last longer than bed bug bites.

In addition to being much itchier, flea bites can also cause a rash or hives (urticaria). Most people don’t have any reaction to bed bug bites but some may break out in a rash or develop an itchy spot on their skin after they get bitten by one of these insects

Even without treatment, bed bug bites will fade within a few days to two weeks.

Even without treatment, bed bug bites will fade within a few days to two weeks. If the bites become itchy, you can apply an over-the-counter cortisone cream or antihistamine.

You may also want to take steps to prevent the spread of bed bugs:

• Keep your sheets clean and your mattress protected with a specially designed cover that seals in heat. Wash sheets every week on hot and tumble dry them for 20 minutes. Remove drawers from dressers and empty them out during cleaning—bed bugs can hide inside dresser drawers and furniture crevices. Vacuum cleaners are not effective at killing bed bugs; steam cleaners can kill them but are expensive ($150-$300).

There are steps you can take to treat both flea bites and bed bug bites at home using over-the-counter medications.

There are steps you can take to treat both flea bites and bed bug bites at home using over-the-counter medications. For example, you may want to treat any bacterial infections with an antibacterial ointment and then apply calamine lotion, which helps ease itching.

You should also consider using antihistamines or hydrocortisone cream on the affected area to help relieve the itchiness associated with fleas, or even insect bites. If you begin experiencing symptoms of an allergic reaction such as hives or swelling of your face after being bitten by a flea, seek medical attention immediately.

Learn how to spot bed bug bites vs flea bites

To begin, you should be able to identify the difference between flea bites and bed bug bites. First off, let’s look at bed bug bites:

• Bed bugs usually bite in a straight line or cluster of three to five small dots.
• Flea bites will often appear as round red spots with no clear pattern.

Next up: flea bites:

• Fleas are tiny insects that feed on blood from humans and animals (cats and dogs). You can find them on your pets or even in your house if they wander out of their homes while looking for food! They usually bite ankles, lower legs or ankles.
• Flea bites may also appear as small red spots with no clear pattern (like bed bug bites). However unlike bed bug bites which occur around the ankles/lower legs area; flea bites tend to occur all over the body including areas such as back/shoulders/neck etc.