Bed bugs. The mere mention of them might make your skin crawl.
These little critters are all too common, with one out of five people in the U.S. reporting a previous infestation or knowing of someone who encountered them at home or while traveling, according to a survey from the National Pest Management Association. Unless they get infected, bed bug bites are almost always harmless. Still, that doesn’t make them any more pleasant.
If you suspect that you have bed bug bites, what’s the best way to treat them? When do you need to see a doctor for bed bug bites? Here’s some more information.
Bed Bug Bite Signs and Symptoms
There are a few signs that may lead you to think you have bed bug bites, including the following:
— Bites that appear after sleeping. Bed bugs are most active in the dark, says Dr. Adam Friedman, professor and chair of dermatology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C.
— Small droplets of blood on your sheets from where you’ve been bitten.
— Itchiness.
