Flea bites are exactly what they sound like. These are red and discoloured bumps that show up on the skin when you have been bitten by a flea. These small insects can be brought into the house by pets or on things like rugs and blankets. Fleas do not only cause skin irritation; they can also expose you to diseases with their bites. Flea bites can look like other skin conditions, so it is important to be sure that you tell your doctor if you have pets or have gotten something like a used rug recently.
The common symptoms of flea bites are:
The most common cause of flea bites in humans is fleas that have been brought into the home by a pet that has them. This can happen even if your pets do not spend that much time outside. Fleas love to live in carpets and furniture, and once they have made their way into your home, they can be tough to get rid of.
The risk factors for being bitten by fleas are often obvious. If you have pets or you have purchased a used rug or some used clothing or bedding, you might have brought fleas into your home. Other risk factors for flea bites are:
Flea bites can sometimes look like other skin conditions, so your doctor might take skin scrapings to be sure that there is no other reason that your skin is breaking out. Flea bites are most common on the legs and most commonly don’t happen to other parts of the body unless you spend a lot of time sitting or lying down. This can also be an indicator that your rash is a flea bite rash and not another condition. Flea bites usually also appear in straight lines or in clusters, which helps doctors to diagnose this condition accurately.
Prevention of fleas requires that you maintain all of your indoor pets on a flea-prevention regimen. This will prevent fleas from infesting your home and biting you as well as your animals. You will also need to be sure that you are cautious about bringing rugs and clothing or bedding that you have bought second-hand into your home without fumigating or cleaning them first. If you like to hike or walk outside, consider wearing boots and long pants when you do so to prevent fleas from biting you.
Treatment of flea bites involves antihistamines in most cases and also topical hydrocortisone that is applied to the flea bites to stop itching. Aloe vera can also calm and heal the skin rash associated with these bites, and icing can be helpful if your skin has swelled or gotten inflamed due to the bites. Sometimes placing chamomile tea bags that have been wetted down onto bites will also help reduce swelling and discomfort.
If your flea bites are widespread, you might take an oatmeal bath to help soothe your skin. This is a great skin treatment to help with inflammation and to calm itching that is simple to apply at home.
Make sure that you vacuum your whole house twice a day for about a week and consider washing all of your bedding and clothing. This will kill adult fleas and remove them from surfaces like the carpet so that they stop reproducing. It can take about a week to get rid of fleas using traditional methods, or you might want to call in an exterminator to kill them with a chemical treatment.