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Bed bug bite treatment available online today

In order to treat your bed bug bites, consult with one of our board-certified primary care doctors online today to learn how to decrease itching or inflammation. Get a new prescription to treat bed bug bites or refill an existing prescription today.*

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Learn about bed bug bites

Bed bugs are small, reddish-brown, blood-sucking insects. Bed bugs hide in the cracks and crevices of beds, box springs, and bed frames.

Bed bug bites can happen on any area of skin exposed while sleeping. People who don't realize they have a bed bug infestation often misdiagnose their bites as other insect bites, such as mosquito bites. To confirm bed bug bites and get rid of an infestation, it's important to find and identify the bed bugs.

Bed bug bite causes

Bed bug infestations are the most common cause of bed bug bites. However, if you spend time with someone who has an infestation, you're also at risk of bites.

If you wake up with red, clustered, itchy welts, you might have bed bugs. In addition, your risk of running into bed bugs is higher if you spend time in places where guests frequently come and go, such as hotel rooms, hospitals, or homeless shelters.

Bed bug bite symptoms

Bed bug bites appear red and swollen, with a dark spot at the center of each bite. Sometimes, bites may resemble a hive or welt.

Some other symptoms of bed bug bites include:

Itching and irritation worse in the morning
Bites arranged in lines or clusters, with multiple bites grouped together
Bites located on the face, neck, arms, hands, or other skin exposed while sleeping
Fluid-filled blisters
Blood stains on bed sheets from excessive scratching

Some people have no reaction to bed bug bites, while others may experience an allergic skin reaction or skin infection. Talk to your doctor if you're experiencing severe itching, blisters, or hives.

How to treat bed bug bites

Most bites heal within a few weeks. Some over-the-counter remedies can help treat bed bug bites, including:

Over-the-counter steroid and anti-itch creams to decrease inflammation and itching
Oral antihistamines to reduce itching and burning
Over-the-counter pain relievers to relieve swelling and pain

In addition to OTC medications, applying an ice pack wrapped in a towel can help relieve symptoms. It's important to wash the bites with soap and water to prevent skin infections. Depending on your symptoms, your health care provider may also recommend medication to treat bed bug ailments:

Allergic reactions: Some people require an injection of an antihistamine, corticosteroid, or epinephrine to treat an allergic reaction.
Infections: Skin infections from bed bug bites are rare, but if they occur, they may require antibiotic treatment. If the infection is mild, your health care provider may recommend an OTC antiseptic medication.
Itching: A prescription oral antihistamine can help relieve itching from bites.

Bed bug bite medication

In many cases, the best bed bug bite medication is an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or lotion to relieve itching and reduce swelling. OTC antihistamine pills, such as Benadryl, can also help treat symptoms.

Antibiotics

If there is a bacterial infection, possibly caused by scratching, antibiotics can be prescribed.

Amoxicillin Doxycycline Keflex Cipro (ciprofloxacin) Cleocin (clindamycin) Flagyl (metronidazole) Z Pack (Azithromycin) Levaquin Augmentin (amoxicillin and clavulanate) Bactrim Avelox

How to prevent bed bug bites

Bed bugs don't have wings. Instead of flying, they travel by hiding in items, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, blankets, and luggage. Because they can live for months without feeding, it's easy to accidentally bring bed bugs into your home without realizing it.

Fortunately, there are some basic steps you can take to prevent bed bugs:

Wash your bed sheets and other bedding using hot water
Regularly vacuum your mattress and box spring
Avoid storing items under your bed
Wash and dry your clothes after returning from any trip
Use luggage racks when traveling to keep your clothes off the floor
Store your clothing in vacuum-sealed bags when traveling
Carefully inspect secondhand furniture, clothing, or linen before bringing it home

Related conditions to bed bug bites

In some cases, it can take a few weeks to identify an infestation. Before realizing that the bites are part of a larger pattern, many people attribute them to other insects, such as mosquitoes or fleas. Some insect bites that resemble bed bug bites include:

Chiggers

Bites from bed bugs and chiggers both appear as red, raised, inflamed spots. While bed bug bites appear in random clusters, chigger bites are typically grouped near tight-fitting clothing.

Bees

Bee stings include an instant, sharp, burning pain at the sting site. In most cases, swelling and pain subside within a few hours.

Spiders

Spiders leave distinct side-by-side puncture marks, while bed bug bites are small red dots with dark centers.

Fleas

Fleas leave small red flea bites that cause intense itching. Flea bites are sometimes grouped in threes.

Mosquitoes

Unlike bed bug bites, mosquito bites are often isolated. They tend to appear randomly over parts of the body that clothing does not cover.

Kissing bugs

Like bed bugs, kissing bugs feed at night. They often leave clustered bite marks in one area, which can cause redness and swelling. Kissing bugs tend to bite around the mouth and eyes.

Bed bug bite treatment FAQs

How soon do symptoms of bed bug bites appear after exposure?

Bed bug bites can take up to 14 days to develop, and some people never develop noticeable symptoms. According to Pest Control Technology, between 30 and 60 percent of people never develop reactions to bites.

When symptoms do develop, bed bug bites tend to be:

Red and swollen, with a dark spot at the center
Arranged in lines or clusters
Itchy or burning

How often do bed bugs bite?

Bed bugs may feed on humans up to three times per night. This typically leaves a distinct cluster of bites—a telltale sign that you have a bed bug infestation.

However, bed bugs don't feed every single night, and they can go for several weeks without feeding. This can make it difficult to notice that there are bed bugs in your home.

Can bed bug bites make you sick?

No, bed bug bites do not directly make humans sick. Bed bugs are not known to spread disease. When humans become ill after bed bug bites, the underlying cause is often related to an allergic reaction or skin infection.

Most bed bug bites can be treated with at-home remedies and do not require medical treatment. However, dealing with an infestation can lead to significant anxiety and restless nights.

Do bed bugs stay on your skin after you shower?

No, bed bugs cannot stay on your skin after you shower or bathe. Unlike fleas or lice, bed bugs don't infest your hair. Instead, bed bugs tend to live in mattresses, upholstered furniture, linen, or cracks in the walls.

What happens if bed bug bites go untreated?

In some cases, untreated bed bug bites can trigger a skin reaction. Bed bug bites can also become infected from scratching, leading to scarring and other issues.

If you notice bed bug bites, it's important to treat them early. At-home remedies, such as OTC antihistamines and steroid creams, can help reduce swelling and itching. If you experience an infection or allergic reaction, your health care provider may prescribe prescription antibiotics or antihistamines to treat your bites.

Step 1

Book a bed bug bite treatment appointment.

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Step 2

Talk to your medical provider regarding your bed bug bite symptoms.

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Step 3

Pick up a prescription to treat bed bug bites, if provided

We can send prescriptions to any local pharmacy.

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