How Does Eczema Differ From A Heat Rash
Dr. Cohen: A heat rash is caused by excessive sweat blocking the skin pores, trapping the sweat under the skin, leading to red, bumpy or blistery skin. The skin is not dry and may be only slightly itchy. Eczema features very itchy, dry skin with blisters that can be fluid-filled and painful, sometimes even oozing. Eczema is also usually concentrated on flexural areas like elbows, knees and ankles, whereas a heat rash is more likely to appear all over.
Bed Bug Bites Vs Scabies Bites
Bed bugs and scabies both feed on your blood, but they are different types of creatures that leave their marks in different ways. Bed bugs are small, but not invisible, and bite exposed skin. Scabies are microscopic mites that burrow under your skin to feed on your blood and lay their eggs.
The difference in the bites is that scabies don’t actually bite. They burrow. When the skin first reacts to the scabies, it can develop red, itchy welts that may look a lot like bed bug bites. Over time, the welts caused by scabies appear more scaly and leave slight, raised trails in your skin. A rash caused by scabies can feel more intensely itchy at night, which can mislead people to believe they are bed bug bites. Scabies should be diagnosed and treated by a physician.
Differences Between Bed Bug Bites And Lice Bites
Lice bite causes immediate itching on the affected area. You may also witness pale blue spots close to the bite marks. Lice droppings often look like a dark brown powder deposited on your skin and clothes. As a reaction to the bites, you might get a low-grade fever or be unusually irritable. These signs all defer from the bed big bites explored earlier.
You May Like: Why Do I Have Eczema On My Fingers
Symptoms Of A Bedbug Bite
Bedbugs excrete a tiny amount of anesthetic before feeding on people, so you wont 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
- arranged in lines or clusters, with multiple bites grouped together
- you may also find blood stains on the sheets from scratching
Scratching bug bites can cause them to bleed or become infected.
Learn more about the symptoms of an infected bug bite.
How Do I Get Rid Of Bed Bugs
First, remove all affected areas such as bed linens, clothing, sheets and pillowcases and wash them in borax. For non-washable surfaces, as in drawers or cabinets, dust talcum powder on the affected area. Vacuum the area thoroughly and purchase an enzyme cleaner to clean all possible surfaces. If there are open spots or crevices in the wall, dust them with talcum powder and caulk them shut. This cleaning process should be repeated as often as possible to rid your home of the infestation.
Also Check: Can Eczema Look Like Bruises
How To Find Bed Bugs
If you have a bed bug infestation, it is best to find it early, before the infestation becomes established or spreads. Treating a minor infestation, while an inconvenience, is far less costly and easier than treating the same infestation after it becomes more widespread.
However, low-level infestations are also much more challenging to find and correctly identify. Other insects, such as carpet beetles, can be easily mistaken for bed bugs. If you misidentify a bed bug infestation, it gives the bugs more time to spread to other areas of the house or hitchhike a ride to someone else’s house to start a new infestation. Learn about identifying bed bugs.
Bites on the skin are a poor indicator of a bed bug infestation. Bed bug bites can look like bites from other insects , rashes , or even hives. Some people do not react to bed bug bites at all.
On this page:
What Differentiates Eczema From A Reaction To Poison Ivy Or Poison Oak
Dr. Brian Kim: Three things can often distinguish eczema from allergic contact dermatitis associated with poison ivy or poison oak. First, poison ivy/oak causes a hive-like eruption and then evolves into eczematous lesions. Eczema just flares into eczema, not hives. Second, poison ivy/oak tends to not respect typical eczema hot spots. You can see lesions in areas where the allergen was accidentally exposed, even the genitals. And therefore it will look more streaky, rather than a typical eczema distribution. Third, the blisters associated with poison ivy/oak are much more dramatic than those generally associated with classical eczema.
Don’t Miss: Can You Spread Eczema To Other Parts Of Your Body
Can Dust Mite Bites Make You Sick
According to the National Library of Medicine, dust mite allergy usually develops in childhood or puberty years. Sadly, it wont go away once its in a persons system.
When one has allergic rhinitis ongoing for many years, dust mite allergy can affect the lower airways or lungs. Thus, the case will fall into asthma.
Moreover, individuals who have dust mite allergies are also allergic to seafood such as shrimps, lobsters, crabs, mussels, and shellfish. It can also lead to sinusitis or inflammation of the sinus.
Symptoms Of Bed Bug Bites
Now lets take a look at the symptoms ofbed bug bites.
Bed bug bites:
- May cause redness, itching, and inflammation around them
- Can turn into blisters
- May take anywhere from seconds to days after infliction to become noticeable
Hypothetically, a bed bug can bite you anywhere. But Orkin writes, Bites are commonly found on the parts of the body that are more likely to be exposed to bed bugs during sleep the hands, neck, face, shoulders, legs, and arms. While not always the case, bed bug bites are often grouped together in a small area and at times may occur in a line or a zigzag pattern.
Interestingly enough, there can be variationsin the exact appearance and symptoms of bed bug bites from one person to thenext.
Orkin explains this as well, stating, Sincepeople will have various sensitivities to the bed bugs bite, the size of thebite will vary, as well. Another factor that influences the size of a bed bugreaction is the number of times a person is bitten. Bite reactions of peoplebitten many times are also variable, and their response may be either more orless intense as the number of bites increases.
Intriguingly, there are people totallyunaffected by bed bugs. So, two people could sleep in one infested bed, and oneperson could break out into itchy bites, and the other might never even show asign of having been bitten.
Rarely, an individual can react withlife-threatening symptoms to bed bug bites, such as fever or labored breathing.
Recommended Reading: Why Does Eczema Flare Up In Summer
Can Dust Mites Bite Humans
Dust mites dont bite humans but only feed on their skin. A person sheds off skin nonstop, so 1/5 ounce of dead skin comes off every week.
Since humans spend 1/3 of their time sleeping, dust mites are attracted to bedrooms, specifically in mattresses and bedding. These mites are also drawn to areas where pets sleep because of dander.
Where Do They Come From
One of the reasons for the reemergence of these ghastly insects is due to the governments ban of DDT. While potentially harmful to humans, DDT was very effective at wiping out bed bug populations. When federal regulations mandated extermination companies to more natural means of insecticide, they began to flourish.
The female can lay three to five eggs per day, and up to five hundred eggs in the span of its lifetime. Mating is classified as traumatic insemination: the male bed bug slices through the body cavity of the female for insemination.
When the female is ready to lay eggs, she will travel to protected spaces, and lay eggs in ceiling cracks, behind wallpaper, and cracks of furniture.
You May Like: Ingredients To Avoid With Eczema
Identifying Bed Bug Bites On Humans
Bedbug bites tend to look similar to other insect bites. The bites are very itchy, and smaller than a quarter-inch across. In white skin, the bites usually appear red. On dark skin, they can look faint-pink or purplish, and turn deep brown the longer they remain on the skin.
However, they can also develop into large weals that can be larger than 2 inches.
Bedbug bites typically occur on parts of your body that are exposed while you sleep, such as your:
Bite marks often appear in the breakfast, lunch, dinner pattern a line or zigzag of three or more bites.
Bedbug bites can closely resemble several other types of bug bites. The following bugs are known to be active at night.
Bedbugs: Diagnosis And Treatment
Bites on your body: If you have bedbugs, youre likely to have bites. Bedbug bites usually cause itchy welts. These welts usually appear in a zigzag pattern as show in the photo above.
Youll seldom see bedbugs, so many people mistakenly believe that mosquitos, fleas, or spiders bit them. Sometimes people mistake bedbug bites for a common skin condition such as an itchy rash, hives, or chickenpox.
To make sure you have bedbugs, youll need to look for signs of bedbugs.
Also Check: What Detergent To Use For Eczema
Recommended Reading: How Long Do Eczema Flare Ups Last
Common Symptoms Of Insect Bites
Fleas and bed bugs arent the only biting insects out there. Ticks and mosquitos also view humans as a source of food and bite us to drink our blood.
Spiders, meanwhile, will only bite humans in self-defense: even then, a spiders fangs are too small to penetrate human skin.
Most spiders also lack venom strong enough to do any serious harm to humans: the most notable exceptions are black widows and brown recluses, who both have more potent venom and can be hard to get rid of.
After an insect bites you, youll notice swelling and redness around the area of the bite.
In some cases, youll see an open wound where the skin was broken. Spiders bites, for instance, will consist of 2 small puncture wounds in your skin.
Some bug bites will take on a distinct pattern. As mentioned earlier, flea bites and bed bug bites may appear in clusters or in zig-zag patterns. Ticks will leave behind a bullseye shape, with a large ring surrounding the actual bite.
skin irritation is another common symptom, as your immune system begins the process of eradicating the foreign bacteria injected by insects.
In addition to fleas and bed bugs, mosquitos also inject antihistamines and anticoagulants into the bloodstream to stave off itching and clotting while they drink.
If left untreated, bug bites will heal on their own. However, repeated itching or aggravation of the wounds can lead to serious infections this is why scratching bug bites isnt recommended by health experts.
Press A Warm Metal Spoon
First among our itch relievers is by putting a warm spoon on the affected area. Just heat up the metal spoon under warm water for two minutes. Then, press the metal spoon tightly on the bitten parts for a few minutes.
When you take it off, you will notice that the itch is already subsiding. The science behind this remedy is due to the high temperature the spoon has. Remember, bed bug saliva is responsible for the itch, but it cannot withstand high temperatures.
You May Like: Loma Lux Eczema Pill Reviews
Are Bed Bug Bites Dangerous
Fortunately, bed bug bites are partly not dangerous because they dont bring diseases into the human system when they consume blood. However, they can cause emotional distress if the symptoms persist.
A person affected by bed bug bites can be sleep-deprived and go through obsessive behavioral compulsions.
Bed bugs feed on blood at a fast rate, and this can cause considerable blood loss that ends up in anemia. It shouldnt happen to malnourished children as it can worsen their health.
What Can Be Mistaken For Bed Bug Bites
Based on what you know so far, its fair to say that avoiding bed bug bites is important to maintaining a comfy place to sleep. But what about all the other bites and bumps that can appear on the body? How do we discern whether we are covered in bites from bed bugs or mosquito bites? Or any other insect, for that matter.
Read Also: Medicine For Eczema On Feet
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 youve 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:
- swelling of the throat or mouth
Bed Bugs Can Cause Skin Problems
Kindly share this story:
08037202050
Four students who were boarders from the same hostel complained of skin rashes and severe itching on their backs.
They were treated for two weeks with the advice that they should be observant as to know what could be causing the skin reactions.
They were also told to change their beddings and report back to the hospital two times in a week. One of the students told the doctor that he saw two bed bugs under his bed cover .This ultimately solved the puzzle of what caused the skin reactions. It was a clear case of bed bug dermatitis.
Bed bugs are tiny insects that feed on human blood. They hide in dark places close to where humans sleep and usually crawl out to feed while people are fast asleep. They can be a problem in the cleanest of homes.
These insects need only human blood to survive and it is easy to bring them into your home. They can crawl into luggage, clothing, even furniture, unnoticed. Once inside the home, they will find a hiding place in mattresses, couch and tiny cracks or crevices in the wall.
Having bed bugs in the home can cause a great deal of anxiety and restless nights.
Signs
Having bite marks on the body is the most common sign of bed bugs. Most people are bitten while they sleep and do not know that they have been bitten until the next day. This is because bed bug bite is painless compared to mosquito bite which is painful.
Treatment
Prevention
Don’t Miss: Best Lotion For Eczema And Dry Skin
Bed Bug Bites Vs Hives
Hives are itchy, raised bumps on the skin that can be the result of an allergic reaction to foods, exposure to extreme weather conditions, medications or even insect bites. Hives look similar to bed bug bites in that they are small, itchy red bumps. The key difference is in the way these bumps change over time. Hives tend to migrate to other parts of the body or go away within 24 hours. The red bumps from hives also have a tendency to change shape and grow larger in a short period of time. Bed bug bites will eventually heal, but they don’t migrate and change shape the way hives do. Rather, bed bug bites will stay localized to the area where a bed bug initially bit.
Bed Bug Bites Vs Fleas
Both bed bugs and fleas feast on animal and human blood, and both leave similar itchy, red spots on your body. One key difference can be seen in the location of the bites. Fleas tend to bite on the lower part of your body, such as ankles and feet. By contrast, bed bugs target skin that is exposed while sleeping, which often includes the arms, shoulders, legs and face.
Fleas can carry disease-causing pathogens, including flea-borne typhus and cat scratch disease. Bed bugs do not spread disease-causing pathogens. However, intense scratching can break the skin and cause bleeding, which may lead to a secondary infection. Importantly, one of the best ways to identify what bug bite you’re dealing with is to find the bug itself.
You May Like: What Is The Best Prescription For Eczema
How To Tell Bed Bug Bites From Other Bites
Bed bug bites create red, itchy welts. Though theyre the first signs of infestation, these symptoms could have taken effect because of other reasons.
To confirm that bed bugs are the culprit, you have to look for their presence in your house. Use a flashlight as they like to dwell in dark areas like cracks and crevices.
Youll also find them in mattresses, beddings, and on the beds cracks or folds. When you see the bugs, place them in the bottle for an expert to identify them.
Some tiny marks and bloodstains can also be found in areas where bed bugs reside. These bugs usually secrete blood droplets after feeding. These marks also come up when you roll over them.
Bedbug Bites Vs Mosquito Bites
When it comes to the look and feel of mosquito bites, theyre generally larger and wider than bed bug bites, while the irritation and itchiness are often slightly less intense.
Mosquito bites are also often isolated, with multiple bites taking random patterns, while bed bug bites usually come in groups of three in straight lines or clusters.
One of the defining factors of a mosquito bite is that it will react to essentially all skin types, albeit to different degrees, within a matter of seconds. Bed bugs produce a small amount of anesthetic before biting, meaning bites may take up to a few days to show up and begin feeling itchy, which is why theyre harder to treat.
If youre wondering whether the bumps on your skin come from bed bugs or mosquitos, its important to consider your recent activity. If youve been spending time outside near lakes, ponds, and other bodies of fresh water, youre likely suffering from mosquito bites. Its also worth noting that mosquitoes can bite through clothing and sheets, while bed bugs cannot.
Recommended Reading: Crema Para Eczema Para Bebes