In this guide, we will study some remedies that will help you treat bed bug bite scars and marks, but if you do not take care of your bed bug infestation, then chances are that you will continue to need these remedies over and over. So, use bed bug prevention and management strategies in order to get rid of bed bugs in the first place.
How do you know you have bed bugs?
If you are going to bed at night but waking up from time to time due to intense itching then there is a high probability that you are dealing with a bed bug infestation. You might even have mosquitoes but if you are already using electric mosquito repellent then that possibility is rare. Chances are that you are dealing with a bed bug situation which, if left untreated, might escalate out of control.
Here are some tell tale signs of bed bugs:
- If you check the corners of your mattress you might see some rust colored stains.
- Bed bugs usually hide during the daytime and feed at night; so you might not catch one in action. If you wake up in the middle of the night and are lucky, you might see one crawling on your bed.
- Bed bug bites start with red wheals which later turn into firm papules having a central puncture mark.
- Bed bug bite reactions occur in people who are sensitive to the protein in the bedbug’s saliva. Others may not experience any reaction owing to the fact that they have become immune to the bug bites.
- In children, bed bug bites can lead to permanent scarring and marks on the skin. These are generally harder to treat especially if prompt medical treatment is not administered.
Do bed bug bites scar? Or is it something else….
Bed bug bites per se do not scar; it is the scratching action performed with sharp or dirty fingernails that can cause scarring. Since bed bug bites usually occur at nighttime when one is fast asleep, it is not possible to control the urge to scratch. Scratching the bed bug bite can lead to rashes and can even form pus and secondary infections of the skin. Even after a few days of the bite, the skin still continues to itch. If the victim scratches the site of the bite, s/he might accidentally remove the scab that is forming on the skin while it heals. This leads to scar formation.
How to get rid of bed bug bite scars and marks?
There are many remedies- some home remedies and others surgical procedures obtained at a professional- that can help you get rid of bed bug bite scars and marks.
20 top remedies to treat bed bug bite scars
- As soon as the bite occurs, wash your skin with warm water and some soap. This will remove the protein form the bug’s saliva from the skin and lessen its reaction. Pat the skin dry.
- Apply some antibacterial cream like Neosporin to prevent infections.
- If your skin is very itchy, apply some over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream. This will reduce itchiness and help prevent scar formation.
- If you do not have the above products at home, you can use some raw organic honey to soothe the bite marks. Honey reduces inflammation and also its antibacterial action can prevent scars and marks.
- One of the best remedies to treat bed bug bite scars and marks is to liberally apply Calamine lotion all over the bite. Calamine cools the skin and reduces itchiness. Children can benefit from this remedy as it can soothe all kinds of insect bites and stings-so always keep a bottle of Calamine lotion with you if you are traveling or happen to stay at bed bug infested motels.
- Another mention-worthy natural remedy to treat bed bug bite scars and marks is Aloe Vera gel. These days, products containing Aloe vera gel are readily available in the markets. Alternatively, you can directly cut open the leaf of the Aloe plant and apply the gooey gel on the bites.
- Vitamin E is another useful scar prevention remedy. This natural antioxidant heals and nourishes the skin to reduce permanent scarring from all kinds of bug bites.
- If the bed bug bite scars are very deeply set, you can apply scar treatment creams available at drugstores. Some common creams that reduce scars include MeDerma® Advanced Scar Treatment Gel.
- Salicylic acid is a powerful acne remedy that controls scarring. It can also prevent bed bug bite scars.
- Witch hazel is another natural skin healing remedy which contains natural salicylic acid that is effective against scarring. So you can apply some witch hazel on the bed bug bite marks to reduce scars.
- Baking soda is another simple home remedy that can help you get rid of bed bug bite marks. Apply baking soda paste mixed with some water on the bed bug bite marks to get instant relief from itchiness, redness, pain and inflammation. This will prevent you from scratching the bites in order to stop scars and marks.
- John’s Wort is another completely natural remedy that can treat many conditions one of which is getting rid of bed bug scars and marks.
- In case of extreme bite marks all over your body, it is best to take a hot tub bath or hot shower. You may even fill up the bath with hot water and some essential oils. These include Tea tree oil, peppermint oil etc. Since these oils have antibacterial properties, they help reduce chances of an infection.
- You can dab some essential oil of Basil directly on the bite marks. This helps bring out the saliva of the bed bug to the surface of the skin and can prevent scars and marks from forming.
- Applying some Crotamiton cream and Lotrix cream for two weeks can also clear up bed bug scars.
- For children with intense allergic reaction to bed bug bites, some Benadryl can help relieve itching temporarily.
- Vitamin K based creams are also known to help treat scars of all kinds. Many good products are readily available in drugstore containing this vitamin that heals, soothes, protects and nourishes the skin.
- Silicone gel is another proven remedy for treating bed bug scars. It is available in stores in the form of sheets or gels. If you are using silicone gel sheets, simply apply it over the scar so that your skin absorbs it. Note that this is a slight expensive treatment for getting rid of bed bug bite scars and marks.
- Massaging the scars can also help even out the pigmentation on the skin. So, once the bites have healed, go for a body massage or you can even DIY massage at home before bathing. Use quality oils for massage such as Sweet Almond oil, coconut oil, Olive oil etc.
- In case you have bed bug bite scars on your face, neck, upper back or other exposed body parts and you wish to regain perfectly healthy skin, you may consider some of the expensive surgical solutions to get rid of scars permanently. These include laser therapy that can be obtained at a dermatologist.
Apart from these 20 home remedies that treat bed bug bite scars, make sure you also visit our extermination section to get rid of bed bugs permanently.
