When it comes to bed bug bite treatments, one of the solutions most commonly mentioned is diatomaceous earth. I’ve done a lot of research on this topic and there are hundreds of products and suggestions out there. Some are highly effective while others are a waste of money. In this article, I’ll break down the best bed bug bite treatments you can use to help eliminate these pests from your home. Did you recently get bitten by a bedbug and are wondering, “What can I do to treat my bed bug bite?”. If so, you’re in a great place. I’m going to tell you about how you can treat your bed bug bites with common home remedies and products that you most likely already have at home. Bed bugs are the scourge of the sleepover, tiny bloodsucking monsters that leave itchy, raised welt-like welts on your legs and other exposed skin. While once you were able to rely on grandma’s cure of mayonnaise to soothe away the misery, scientists are now reporting that if you want to get rid of bed bug bites fast and effectively, you need a little bit more than a jar of Hellman’s in your medicine cabinet.
Bed Bug Bite Treatments
Bed bug bites are small and look like a mosquito bite.
Bed bug bites are small and look like a mosquito bite. Bed bugs are very small, flat and oval-shaped. They can be brown, red or black in color and they may be the size of a grain of rice. Although they’re small, they’re not visible to the naked eye.
If you spot any symptoms of bed bug bites, it’s important to address them.
If you think you have been bitten by a bed bug, it’s important to take action.
If you aren’t sure where the bite came from and want to rule out a mosquito or other biting insect first, consider these factors:
- The location of the bite: Bed bugs tend to bite on exposed skin while it’s sleeping, so they’re usually found near joints like elbows and behind knees. If your bites are somewhere else on your body—like what appears as an angry red welt on your upper arm—it’s unlikely that they’re coming from a bed bug.
- The severity of the reaction: If your bites cause swelling and pain for some time after being bitten, chances are good that they were caused by something other than bed bugs (like mosquitoes). If they simply itch or cause no real noticeable reaction at all after being bitten, however then they may well have come from one of those pesky critters lurking in your mattress!
Be mindful that while most bites are harmless, some may become infected or cause an allergic reaction.
Not all bites are harmful, but it is always best to be mindful of the symptoms of infection or allergy. The following are signs of an allergic reaction:
- A rash
- Swelling around the bite
- Wheezing or difficulty breathing if bitten on the throat or face
You can find bed bugs in any kind of living space.
Bed bugs are hard to find. They can hide in furniture, bedding and clothes. Bed bugs will also hide in carpeting, which makes it hard for you to kill them.
Symptoms include redness and swelling.
The most common symptoms of getting bitten by a bed bug are redness and swelling from where the bite occurred. For some people, these areas can begin itching shortly after the initial bite. This is because bed bugs inject their saliva into your skin when they bite you, which contains an anti-coagulant that prevents your blood from clotting to prevent it from spilling out. Once this occurs, welts may develop at each site of injection along with hives or blisters on top of them in some cases.
If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms after sleeping in a new place or sharing public transportation with someone else who has been traveling recently (i.e., before arriving home), then there’s a good chance that you may have been bitten by bed bugs while traveling!
Treatments for bed bugs include treating the bites with topical ointments or medication.
You can treat bed bug bites at home with a topical ointment or medication. The type of treatment you need depends on how severe the bite is, but most treatments include:
- Applying a topical ointment directly to the bite. This will help soothe and relieve itching, pain and irritation.
- Taking oral medication to prevent infection from developing around the bites. The dose of this depends on the severity of your reaction to the bite; ask your doctor for advice on what’s best suited for you.
Here’s how you can treat bed bugs yourself at home.
- Use ice packs or cool water to reduce swelling.
- Apply anti-itch creams or calamine lotion.
- Use topical ointments.
- Take antihistamines, such as Benadryl.
- Avoid antibiotic ointments and/or oils that have antibacterial properties, which may actually make your skin more vulnerable to infection (as well as what you’re trying to prevent). This includes vitamin E oil, tea tree oil, and lavender oil—but lanolin is an exception; it’s the fatty substance in sheep’s wool that makes it waterproof and can be used on humans too if applied sparingly!
- Don’t scratch at bites—this can cause infection or further irritation down the road when your nails hit dirt during sleep time after scratching all night long…yes this happened once upon a time when there were lots of bugs around our home but no money for expensive treatments so we had no choice but try our best with what was available at hand! Scratching will only spread infection even further into surrounding tissue while depositing bacteria into wounds by way of broken skin cells being exposed during this process which leads me straight back onto my point: DON’T SCRATCH YOUR BEDBUG BITES!!
Seeing a doctor is one option for treating bed bug bites.
Seeing a doctor for your bed bug bites can be a good idea. Some doctors have experience with treating these bites, and they may have some advice to offer you. Doctors can prescribe antihistamines, antibiotics, or other medications as needed to treat infections or allergic reactions that occur as a result of the bite. They may also help you identify the source of your infestation and make recommendations to prevent future ones.
To prevent future infestations, wash your sheets and clothes regularly.
To prevent future infestations, wash your sheets and clothes regularly. Wash items in hot water and place them on a high heat setting in the dryer for at least 30 minutes to kill any bed bugs that may have been hiding there.
If you happen to have items that cannot be washed or baked, such as stuffed animals or curtains, you can try throwing those into a dryer on high heat for 15 minutes then freezing them for 24 hours. Cleaning your home thoroughly is also important: vacuum rugs, bedding, and furniture; sweep cracks between floorboards; scrub upholstered furniture with soapy water; wipe down window sills; empty closets; clean out drawers in dressers by wiping them down with lemon juice (which has natural antiseptic properties).
Bed bug bites don’t need to be treated unless they become infected or cause an allergic reaction
Bed bug bites don’t need to be treated unless they become infected or cause an allergic reaction.
Most people who are bitten by bed bugs won’t develop any symptoms, even if they have an allergy to the insects. However, if you’re allergic to bed bug bites, you may need to seek medical attention. Bed bugs aren’t known to spread diseases but can cause skin irritation and rashes in some people.