Bed bug bites can disappear after one or two weeks. However, they should be treated to prevent something bad from happening. Depending on the symptoms and their severity, the treatment to treat bed bug bites can be different.
One of the most common ways to treat bed bug bites is by applying a cream. Zonalon and Prudoxin (doxepin) are two creams that are able to be prescribed to relieve the itching caused by bed bugs. For those who are not that familiar with these two, two of them are considered as topical creams. There is an active ingredient in these products. The name of the active ingredient is a topical tricyclic antidepressant. This kind of ingredient is believed to work at relieving the itching. The way it works is by reducing histamine.
Not only the Zonalon and Prodoxin (doxepin) creams, hydrocortisone creams are also recommended to treat bed bug bites. Just like Zonalon and Prodoxin (doxepin) creams, hydrocortisone creams are also helpful to relieve the itchiness and swelling. There are a lot of 1% hydrocortisone creams to purchase from any drugstore or pharmacy. Go to the drugstore or pharmacy near your place to find one. Aside from that, you can also purchase one from a marketplace such as Amazon, Walmart, and so on. Some of the brands that you can find on the market include Ala-Cort, Ala-Scalp HP, Anusol HC, Aquanil HC, Beta HC, Caldecort, Cetacort, Cortaid, Corticaine, Corticool Maximum Strength, Cortisone-10, Cortisone-5, Cotacort, Delacort, Desmarest, Dermasorb HC Complete Kit, Dermtex-HC, Gly-Cort, Hydrozone Plus, Hytone, Instacort-10, Ivy Soothe, IvyStat, Keratol HC, Kericort 10, Lacticare-HC, Locoid, Locoid Lipocream, Medi-Cortisone Maximum Strength, Microcort, Mycin Scalp, Neutrogena TScalp, NuCort, Nupercainal HC, Nutracort, Pandel, Pediaderm HC Kit, Preparation H Hydrocortisone, Proctocream-HC, Recort Plus, Sarnol-HC Maximum Strength, Scalacort, Scalpcort, Summers Eve Specialcare, Texacort, Therasoft Anti-Itch Dermatitis, U-Cort, Westcort, Barriere-Hc, Cortate, Cort-Eze, Cortoderm Mild Ointment, Cortoderm Regular Ointment, Emo-Cort, Emo-Cort Scalp Solution, Hydrocortisone Cream, Novo-Hydrocort, Novo-Hydrocort Cream., Prevex Hc, Sarna Hc, and so on.
After getting a hydrocortisone cream from either a local drugstore or pharmacy or from a marketplace, you can just apply it to the area where it is affected.
Apart from these prescriptions, you can also treat the bed bug bites by using home remedies, such as:
- Soap and water
- Cucumber
- Ice packs
- Tea bags
- Lemon juice
- Oatmeal
- Aloe vera gel
- Apple cider vinegar
- Baking soda
- Banana peels
All of them are effective to stop the bed bug bites from itching and each of them is able to be found from your house.
In addition, there are also some non-chemical and chemical treatments that you can try, such as:
Non-chemical treatments:
- Heat treatment: Apparently, heat of 120 F for two hours is guaranteed to get rid of bugs. If the bed bugs are all over your places, including hiding behind some of the items in your house, you can try to wash these items in the water with 120 F or above. If it is not enough, you can also place them in a clothes dryer on hot heat for at least a half hour. If the climate is currently hot, you can put these items in a black plastic bag and leave them in direct sunlight for a day. Besides, you may also want to use the portable heating units. Not only that, you can also use a garment steamer for some items such as luggage.
- Cold treatment: Just like the hot s treatment, the items can be put in plastics. Once they are bagged, it is time for you to set the freezer to below 0 F. Do it for 4 days. Actually, you can also set it at 20 F. If you prefer this, you will have to do it for 7 days. Do not forget to make sure that the freezer is set cold enough. If you want to leave the items outdoors to freeze in the winter, it is important for you to make sure that they are in a dry, shaded location.
- Barriers: For a few things such as mattresses, box springs, and pillows, you can purchase bed bug proof encasement covers. Aside from that, remember to also get bed bug interceptors that can be used to be placed under each leg of the bed or furniture items. With these, you are allowed to see if there are any remaining bed bugs as they get trapped in the double rings of the interceptor disks. While trying this treatment, keep in mind to make the bed at least 6 inches from the wall and do not forget to make the bedding to not touch the floor.
Chemical treatments:
- Pyrethrins and pyrethroids: They are commonly used to treat bed bugs. However, there is no guarantee that the bed bugs will go away as some of them are resistant. Besides, using a fogger usually does not reach bed bugs in crevices.
- Desiccants: They include diatomaceous earth and boric acid. Since it is possible for them to be an inhalant risk, it is better for you to use them only in crevices. Make sure to only use those that are registered by the EPA and labeled for use against bed bugs.
- Cold pressed neem oil: This one is registered for use as a biochemical pesticide.
- Chlorfenapyr: This one is used as a pro-insecticide with the ability to disrupt the cells of the bed bug.
- Neonicotinoids: They activate nicotine receptors in the nervous system of the bug and overstimulate them.
- Insect growth regulators: They mimic the insect hormones and bother their growth.
Feel free to try any method to treat the bed bug bites. Once again, you are encouraged to come to a health provider to see a doctor first before trying any of them as they usually know what is best for you. Getting a suggestion from a doctor is recommended to prevent something that you do not want from happening because some treatments mentioned above are risky and might harm you and your surroundings.
