What Happens When Bed Bugs Bite?

Bed bugs don’t transmit disease via their bites, as they don’t carry diseases naturally. They secrete a small amount of saliva into the skin as they feed. This saliva contains a mild anaesthetic to prevent the victim from feeling the bites as they’re happening. The saliva also contains an anticoagulant, keeping the blood flowing as they feed.

However, the longer you’re exposed to bed bugs, the more sensitive to their bites you become. This in turn, can lead to allergic reactions that vary unpredictably, some being lesser whilst others being rather intense.  The reaction usually manifests as an itchy rash with swollen centres.

To treat the bite, wash the reacting area with soap and water thus preventing infection of the skin and helping to ease the itching. If the itching persists, it’s advised to apply topical corticosteroid cream to the area the bite covers.  Of course a more crude method can be employed, toothpaste. The methanol contained within toothpaste makes for a good anti-itch remedy.