What should I do if I am bitten by bed bugs?

Reasons for the increase in bedbugs

There are three main reasons for the recent increase in bedbugs in Korea.

First, the use of weak insecticides

As the harmfulness of harsh pesticides such as DDT became known, milder insecticides were used, and bed bugs became resistant to these milder insecticides, making them difficult to eradicate.

Second, the increase in the number of foreign inflows

After the coronavirus lockdown was lifted, the number of travelers to Europe and other countries around the world increased, leading to a surge in the number of bedbugs imported from overseas.

Third, reduce the number of cockroaches

Cockroaches are the natural enemies of bed bugs. As people work hard to eradicate cockroaches, the number of bedbugs has increased.

Symptoms of bed bug bites

The initial symptoms of bed bug bites are the formation of bite marks in a row, and hives occur in clusters or in the form of lines. Then, after a while, histamine is released, resulting in red spots with small holes or flat spots and blisters with a purple tinge.

What to do if you are bitten by bed bugs

Fortunately, bed bugs are not infectious disease vectors like Tsutsugamushi. However, bed bug bites cause severe itching due to an allergic reaction in the body, so scratching can cause secondary skin infections.

The best treatment for bed bug bites is to apply a strong steroid cream and take an antihistamine.

However, complete treatment is possible only by eradicating bedbugs. The basic principle for eradication is cleanliness. First of all, vacuum and use insecticides. After washing clothes and bedding, dry them at a high temperature, and chemical treatment through a pest control company is also effective in eradicating them.