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Another sign that bed bugs may be around your space is their byproduct, meaning you might see reddish-brown blood spots on sheets or mattresses, Tucker says. You can also keep an eye out for the critters, which are about the size, shape, and color of an apple seed when fully grown. “Knowing this, the best prevention is being watchful during your travels and regular home cleaning,” she says. These pesky insects get around by hitchhiking onto your belongings, so prevention can be tough, says Angela Tucker, PhD, the manager of technical services for Terminix.

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They may appear pink or deep purple on darker skin tones and red on light skin.Ĭontrary to popular belief, attracting bed bugs has nothing to do with bad hygiene or a dirty apartment. “Bites may appear in a linear fashion if there are multiple bugs feeding, and bites can occur anywhere, but they are often found in areas where skin is readily exposed,” Troyano notes. Some people have no reaction at all, while others will notice an itchy, red, welt-like mark that looks similar to a mosquito bite. People can have a range of reactions to bed bug bites, says Nancy Troyano, PhD, a board-certified entomologist with Rentokil North America. (Also, the idea of little bugs feeding on your blood while you sleep isn’t exactly a comforting thought.) The bigger issue is that they can spread really fast and lead to an infestation, and it can be an inconvenient and expensive process to get rid of one. Bed bug bites are primarily just super itchy and can keep you up at night.

While the thought of bed bug bites may skeeve you out, they’re more annoying to deal with than an actual threat to your health, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Bed Bug Bitesīed bug bites on woman’s back. Look through these 15 identifying insect bites pictures to find out which pesky critter left its mark. Geeta Yadav, MD, is a dermatologist and the founder of FACET Dermatology.Įven for mild cases, it helps to know what exactly bit you so you can have peace of mind and be on the lookout next time. Nancy Troyano, PhD, is a board-certified entomologist with Rentokil North America. Peggy Hunter, MD, is a dermatologist with Palm Beach Dermatology. Meet the experts: Meyer Horn, MD, is an assistant professor of clinical dermatology at the Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University.

However, if you experience fever, chills, muscle cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, neck stiffness, lip swelling, or wheezing, you should contact your doctor ASAP since these are signs of an allergic reaction. “Bites look pretty much the same, so it depends on the distribution of where they are on the body, or how many bites you have,” he adds.Īnd while definitely unpleasant, a minor and uncomplicated bite usually heals within a few days to weeks and is nothing to lose sleep over, says Dr. There are simple bites, stings (where the bug that bit you actually has venom), and then there are infestations where a bug is actually living in your skin, says Meyer Horn, MD, a dermatologist and assistant professor of clinical dermatology at the Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University. To start, think about where you live and any recent activity that may have exposed you to certain types of creepy crawlers, especially if you've traveled to other regions of the world, had animal contact, or ventured into areas of dense vegetation (like a forest or a field), says Peggy Hunter, MD, a dermatologist with Palm Beach Dermatology. But in some cases, you could end up with painful symptoms that linger for days, so it’s worth doing some detective work to figure out the culprit and the best ways to treat any wounds or irritation. Most of the time they're just part of the deal when you're exploring or enjoying time outdoors. There’s nothing worse than when mysterious (and usually very itchy) blemishes suddenly pop up on your skin. No one likes getting bug bites, no matter how big or small they are.