Flea Bites: How to Recognize, Treat, and Avoid Them

Fleas are tiny insects, like the head of a pin.. With their claws they easily hold onto the skin of other animals or even people. These tiny parasites look for warm blood to suck and feed.

These insects are so small that their bites are really microscopic. Even so, the idea can be very unpleasant, and its effects are annoying and even worrying. When you suspect that someone has flea bites, you have to know how to recognize, treat and avoid them.

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Flea bite: everything you need to know to treat it

A flea attack is something that no one wants to experience for being very annoying and unpleasant. In both humans and dogs, the presence of these insects can be very inconvenient. In addition, ending them can also be martyrdom, as they reproduce easily.

Each flea can lay up to 25 eggs a day for a month. Thus they reproduce exponentially until the situation is uncontrollable, so it is best to avoid or eliminate them as soon as possible. But if perhaps a flea bite is already recognized, the case should then be treated.

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How do you know if it is a flea bite?

A flea bite appears as a small pimple with a dot in the center. They commonly appear in the joints of humans, and are found in clusters. They appear to be in a continuous line of three or four stitches, and can be very itchy.

This is because fleas bite to suck blood. Once they reach the skin of the human they are located in less exposed places or simply attack where they have arrived.

Once they bite and suck blood they take a next little jump and bite again. Thus they form what appear to be pickets in a continuous line. This bite, although very small, causes an injury to the skin, and therefore it becomes swollen and red.

In addition, the saliva of fleas enters the skin at the time of their bite, for this reason it causes so much itching and burning. In sensitive skin this can cause allergic dermatitis.

Sometimes it is seen how it jumps after a bite. Small red dots can also be seen on sheets or clothing, very obvious signs that it is one or more fleas.

Once the bite has been identified as a flea, action must be taken. These are simple, and they are necessary before a bigger problem occurs. Although it is not a medical emergency, it is necessary to check that the case is within expectations.

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What to do when faced with a flea bite?

When a flea bite occurs on the skin, avoid scratching. This is the first step to treatment. To try not to complicate the bite in any way, you have to put aside the temptation to scratch, and much more if it is with dirty hands.

Although it is very itchy or burning, scratching the bites causes more irritation. But the worst thing is that an infection can develop because microbes lodge in the nails. Also, scratching can cause more red-hot skin to be exposed.

It is advisable to wash the area with soap and water, as well as your hands before touching or handling any cream to apply it on the bite. The goal is not to cause an infection that complicates the discomfort from the bite.

After this, it is enough to apply a refreshing or repairing cream that provides relief and freshness in the area. In this way the burning is not felt as intensely. Calamine lotions or creams are a great option.

If the skin has become too red and has dermatitis, a topical corticosteroid can be applied to the affected area. This is usually more than enough to act after a flea bite.

After a day or two, the bites should diminish their reddish hue, as well as the swelling. If, on the other hand, the appearance is worse, it is very likely that they have been infected. The recommended thing then is to go to the doctor to prescribe the right medicine to fight the infection.

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How to prevent flea bites?

To eliminate flea bites there is no other remedy than to end them. A first solution is to use repellants, but this does not prevent it completely. The repellent can be used rather as a form of prevention if it is known in advance that there is a possibility of contagion.

An example is if you are near farm animals or others that are not exactly known if they have fleas or not. And be careful with children, do not forget that not all repellants are suitable for children under 2 years of age.

On the other hand, the origin of fleas and their bites may be in the domestic pet. If you are close to the infected animal, then what you should do is kill them by the roots, since they are also very annoying for the animals.

The type of flea that attacks humans is the same that is found in dogs, cats and other animals such as rabbits, sheep and other farm animals. Although fleas do not infect humans, it is best to eliminate them and not bother anyone else.

To eliminate fleas from pets, the most effective thing is to apply some type of flea pipette, put a collar on them or bathe with some flea shampoo. Any of these products must be applied correctly and watch that they do not reappear.

If they already appeared once, they could have lodged their eggs and sprout again. For this reason it is appropriate to vacuum rugs, armchairs and mattresses and even stuffed animals. All prevention is little to try to eliminate fleas definitively.

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Bibliographic references

• Buckland, P.C. and Sadler, J.P. (1989). A biogeography of the human flea, Pulex irritans L. (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae). Journal of Biogeography, 16 (2), 115–120.

• James, W.D. and Berger, T.G.; et al. (2006). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. Saunders Elsevier.

• Panagiotakopulu, E. and Buckland, P.C. (2017). A thousand bites - Insect introductions and late Holocene environments, Quaternary Science Reviews, 156, 25–35.