Symptoms of Bed Bug Bites and Ointment Treatment Methods
In summer, people like to lay a bamboo mat on the bed to feel a bit cooler, but did you know: if you don't clean the bamboo mat properly in summer, it is very likely to cause bed bug bites, leading to “dermatitis”. So what should you do if bitten by a bed bug? What symptoms appear after the bite? Which ointment is best?
What are bed bugs?
Bed bugs are a type of small insect that easily breeds in straw mats. They are very small, but can still be seen with the naked eye if you look carefully.
Bed bugs are mostly found in the Jiangnan region, and they like temperatures from 28°C to 35°C the most. Right now is the transition between summer and autumn, which is when bed bugs are most active.
Characteristics of insect bite dermatitis
Besides bed bugs, mats also harbor even smaller dust mites, and may even have fleas.
Insect bite dermatitis caused by bites from these insects, also known as papular dermatitis or infantile papular dermatitis, is a common allergic skin disease in infants and young children.
Common season: summer and autumn
Common sites: exposed areas
Rash characteristics: local redness and swelling, papules, wheals or petechiae, with blisters and bullae possibly appearing on the surface, and bite marks visible at the center of the skin lesions
Subjective symptoms: stinging pain, burning pain, intense itching.
How to treat insect bite dermatitis?
1. When itching symptoms are relatively mild
Calamine lotion is a commonly used medication in hospital dermatology departments in summer. Its ingredients include calamine and zinc oxide, and it has astringent and protective effects, as well as a weak antiseptic effect.
Calamine lotion is suitable for acute itchy skin diseases, such as hives and prickly heat. Babies with prickly heat will feel quite itchy, and applying it can relieve the itching.
In addition, it is an over-the-counter medication and can also be bought at ordinary pharmacies, making it very convenient, affordable, and effective.
2. When there are allergic symptoms and obvious itching
The conventional treatment is oral antihistamines + topical glucocorticoid ointment.
Antihistamines (loratadine, cetirizine, chlorpheniramine, etc.) are used to fight allergies and relieve itching;
The role of glucocorticoid ointment is anti-inflammatory: choose weak hormones, as adverse reactions are relatively smaller;
If there are many rashes and the itching is unbearable, you can use oral + topical treatment;
If there are only a few bumps, topical use alone is enough. Apply it to the insect bites, 1 to 2 times a day, for no more than one week continuously.
3. When there is a wound from scratching or infection
Once similar insect bite symptoms are found, keep the affected area clean and dry, and do not scratch frequently, to prevent secondary infection.
Once there is a break in the skin and infection, it is best to go to the hospital. The doctor will, depending on the situation, use some antibiotic ointments to achieve a better therapeutic effect.
4. When there is relatively large-area redness and swelling
If the bites are severe and there is relatively large-area redness and swelling, you can use a weakly alkaline solution such as sodium bicarbonate for wet compresses.
What should you do if bed bugs grow on the mat?
The mat should be scrubbed, sun-dried, and scalded with boiling water. But these methods can only reduce bed bugs, not completely eliminate them.
To better eliminate bed bugs, you should also beat the mat forcefully, or roll the mat into a roll, stand it upright, and strike it like driving a pile, using inertia to knock the bed bugs off. Then, carry out scrubbing, sun-drying, scalding with boiling water, and so on, to eliminate the remaining bed bugs.
Straw mat: it has the weakness of being prone to insect infestation. Before using a new straw mat, it is best to expose it to sunlight, beat it repeatedly several times, then wipe away dust with warm water, and dry it in a cool, shaded place. When reusing the straw mat the next year, wipe it once with disinfectant water, or wash away mildew spots with soapy water, drain it with warm water, and then dry it in a cool, shaded place; if the straw mat used every day has sweat marks or dust, it should be wiped once with warm water before use.
Bamboo mat: it is best to wipe it once with warm boiled water both before going to bed and after getting up, which can make the bamboo mat turn red earlier and thus feel cooler. In addition, bamboo mats should not be exposed to the sun, to avoid becoming brittle.
Linen mat: linen mats are very convenient to use and clean. Before washing, it is best to soak it in warm water at 40°C for 10 minutes. When hand washing, do not wring it forcefully; after smoothing it flat, let it dry naturally in the shade. When machine washing, use the anti-wrinkle function, and no dehydration is needed.