Can I Be Allergic to Bedbugs?

Bed Bug bites can be mistaken for allergies because the bites appear as itchy bumps. The bumps appear in the morning, usually in a line pattern and fade later in the day. A lot has been written about bed bugs in the last few months. I have done a lot of research and really haven’t found a lot of information about people being highly allergic to bed bugs. That being said, everyone is different so you could still have a severe reaction to their bite. If you get big red welts from bed bug bites you probably are allergic and it’s best to stay away from them if you can. In some countries bed bugs are a way of life and are not considered a dangerous pest. To see pictures of a bed bug and what the bites look like go to my Allergy Comfort Zone Blog Site. http://allergycomfortzone.com/asthma-allergies.html

The most important thing about bed bug bites is not to scratch the the bites to the point of breaking the skin. The bumps can then become infected, which will cause increased pain and itch. If they are not scratched the bites will go away on their own in a few days.

How to get rid of bed bugs
Professional pest companies know how to exterminate bed bugs once you have them. Some of these companies can heat up a single room in your house hot enough to kill the bed bugs. This is expensive and hard on your furniture. Others use pesticides, that you may not want your family exposed to.

The best thing to do is stop them from coming into your house to begin with. Stores are now selling new items already contaminated with bed bugs, so protect yourself. Wash all NEW clothes, rugs and bedding with hot water and dry in the dryer. If clothes can not be washed, place them in the dryer and run on hot for at least 20 minutes before hanging in your closet or putting in drawers.

If you see bed bugs, vacuum all surfaces in the room carefully, your mattresses, drapes and rugs. Check the back of headboards, where they hide during the day. When finished, it’s very important to remove and destroy the dust collection bag in your sweeper so the bed bugs don’t spread. Seal your mattresses in bed bug proof protectors. Dry cleaning solutions should kill bed bugs, but your clean clothes can be contaminated by the bed bugs in other people’s dirty clothes if they are not carefully handled at the dry cleaners. I  run my freshly dry cleaned clothes in my hot home dryer for 20 minutes before hanging in my closet. Take out right away so they will not wrinkle.

When traveling, do not set your luggage on the bed or floor. When you arrive home, put all clean clothes in the dryer on hot for 20 minutes and wash and dry all dirty clothes. Put your luggage in a plastic bag and seal it tight, it could be carrying the bugs. Travelers have spread these bugs all over the world.

You can also pick up bed bugs at the theater, on a subway, bus, at work or on a plane. Anywhere you come in contact with surfaces other people use. If you have more hints for  getting rid of bed bugs, make a comment on the Allergy Comfort Zone Forum.