The appearance of an insect bite may indicate very little or it can tell a lot. It might be possible to tell what kind of insect has attacked by insect bite appearance, though appearance is simply one factor to consider if a bite occurs. Bites may also reveal some things about the home; for example, profuse bites might suggest flea or bed bug infestations, which need to be addressed. Additionally, the appearance of a bite can suggest if medical attention is needed.
Tick bites are one example of an insect bite that may be identified. A small tick bite might not be noticed, but many ticks hang on and may try to burrow into the skin. If a tick is present on the skin and appears attached, there are ways to remove it. Some people do this on their own or get a doctor to help with this, and to have the tick tested. Ticks carry many forms of diseases including Lyme disease. In fact, when people know a tick has bitten them, they should watch the bite site for a bull’s eye rash to develop, which is a common symptom of Lyme disease.
Mosquito bites are often pretty identifiable too, especially when they first occur. The bite may be raised and white or red, and it may have a perceptible puncture mark in the center. Bites may not mean much, and insect bite appearance suggesting a mosquito may not be cause for alarm. However, like ticks, mosquitoes may carry very serious illnesses, such as West Nile Virus. Should people notice a bite, they should be on the lookout for any symptoms of illness in the coming days and should report such symptoms to doctors.
Insect stings may or may not present with a characteristic stingers and bites from things like bees and wasps aren’t stings. The appearance of an insect bite of assault from most bees may result in puffy skin that gradually turns into a red bump. These are usually very painful and may be helped by applying ice. A stinger present in a bite should be removed but not by tweezers. Using credit cards or another flat-edged object to scrape off the stinger is preferable.
Spider bites may or may not be felt. Some bites leave characteristic signs and people should examine insect bite appearance for blistering over the bite, which might suggest contact with certain poisonous spiders. Sometimes bites leave fang marks, which are easy to see, but this doesn’t necessarily mean the bite has occurred from a poisonous spider. Reactions like profuse swelling, having stomach cramps or feeling sick along with a bite of any appearance are more likely symptoms to look for if a person thinks a poisonous spider caused a bite.
Individuals may have varying reactions to different insect bites, and some people become greatly allergic to certain bites. Instead of looking at the appearance of an insect bite so much, most people are better off noting if they have symptoms like hives, rashes, difficulty swallowing, or serious illness developing right after a bite occurs. This may suggest dangerous allergy. Allergies could develop slowly too, and if a bite is causing huge amounts of swelling within a few hours after it occurs, a doctor should take a look at it.
Other folks are mildly allergic and may have prolonged evidence of bites on the skin. When marks of an insect bite don’t immediately or soon thereafter fade, bites should be watched for signs for infection. If an insect bite appearance changes to include evidence of pus, red streaks running away from the bite, and/or if the bite feels hot to the touch, remains swollen, or if fever is present, infection is a real possibility. People should definitely see doctors when they note insect bite appearance changes like these.
