Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Bed bug bites, skin, etc.
Is it possible for old bites to flare up FOUR months later?
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Metermaid
newbite
Joined: Dec '08
Posts: 24
Posted 11 months ago
Thu Mar 26 2009 10:04:08
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Ughh! I'm going nuts hoping this isn't a new infestation. My son had bad bites about four months ago. The ones on his belly and arms faded away, but the ones on his instep were visible for longer but then started to fade. I noticed that after a warm bath you could still see the red marks on his feet, but it was getting better. Last night after his bath, the marks on his feet were VERY angry looking and he said they were hurting and burning. I looked closely and I *think* they are the same bites from 4 months ago. They are in the exact same place and are not raised anymore, but were very red. I put some cortisone cream on them with bandaids and by this morning they had faded again. Is it possible that these are the same bites from four months ago and the warm bath water just aggravated them? If so, it's weird that it doesn't happen after every bath. And why would they be suddenly burning when they've never burned before?
Since our problem in November, we've been living with my parents. I'm SURE there are no bedbugs at their house. In fact, just yesterday, in a fit of paranoia, I took apart the bed we've been using and encased the box spring and mattress in Allerzip covers and while I was at it, inspected every inch of the bedframe. There is NOTHING there. And, besides this flare-up, my son hasn't gotten any new bites since November.
I'm really paranoid now because we're finally ready to move back into a new apartment which I've just bought all new furniture for. I'll lose my mind if we bring this problem to our new place.
Pls talk me off the ledge!
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bitten123
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Joined: Sep '08
Posts: 343
Posted 11 months ago
Thu Mar 26 2009 13:20:02
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I can positively assure you bites can flare up after 4 months and much later. I know that one of my kids was bitten in a nice Hotel over 4 years ago, but when we encountered them in August, the old bites on her ankle and some on her arm re-activated immediately. She had scarring left from those bites and had severe reaction with many visits to a pediatric dermatologist so we were absolutely positive where those bite marks were and 4 YEARS later the same bites flared up for almost 10 days... I had a bite flare up just a week or so ago that was from October 08... So yes it happens and I'm pretty sure we have been clear almost 4 months. Hang in there, I know the stress is hard.
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Hi,
Yes it is possible for old bites to flare up. I can be due to the following:
- New exposure to bed bugs, think of it as an early warning sign. I employ at least one highly allergic person in our screening team because she gets a specific itch in certain previously bitten places. I will however stress that it does not mean that you have been exposed just that it is possible
- I have seen old activity flare up due to high levels of environmental stress, areas of high pollution and high dry temperatures.
- I have also seen them induced by other insects unrelated to bed bugs. This is best described as chitin hypersensitivity but it is not a particularly well documented or researched medical area.
- It is also possible to get a flare up of the same bites through low immune levels, being run down and even just being too stressed about bed bugs.
The biggest problem with looking at bites is that they are so variable. What one person reports as a bite can be so wildly different from what others experience. This is fundamentally because we are all individuals and will react differently both in terms of skin reactions and how we mentally process the bed bug issue.
I know it is hard but as much as we need to know about skin responses and bites the only really accurate way to establish what is causing them is through very thorough inspection and recording what you find.
Hopefully in your case it is just a reaction tot he bath water either the temperature or any additives you had in there.
David Cain
Bed Bugs Limited -
Metermaid, I'm not sure how common this is but it's certainly normal for some of us. It can be frightening but I hope it will go away and/or you will learn to cope with it... I have bites on my temple that resurface and burn under certain conditions. I can't say I've gotten used to this but it happens rarely now.
I'm so sorry for your son. If you end up talking to his pediatrician about it, I suggest this article about insect bite-induced hypersensitivity in children:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/peds.2005-2550v1.pdf
(do not download this yet if you think photographs of bite reactions on children will upset you, you can just save the link for when you talk to your doctor)I've found it incredibly useful in understanding bite reactions. The issue of reactivation is briefly discussed (the authors suggest circulating antigen reactivates previously sensitized sites) and, well, it may be helpful, especially if your doctor is not yet familiar with bedbugs.
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bitten123
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Joined: Sep '08
Posts: 343
Posted 11 months ago
Fri Mar 27 2009 14:28:14
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hopelessnomo, thank you for giving that link, it is incredibly interesting and I plan to give to my kids pediatrician. thanks again.
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