Bed bugs are one of the most difficult and expensive infestations to deal with. Cockroaches are exterminated easier and faster than bed bugs. Bed bugs are capable of living in a warm area without blood meals for up to a year. They can hibernate through long periods and eggs can freeze solid and then hatch when they thaw. This is all part of the ever-evolving species of bed bugs. In the 1940s the first pesticide to kill bed bugs was invented and bed bugs were eliminated from the western world, from Europe to North America there were no bed bugs. However, in the 199os a new species of bed bug was reintroduced to the west. It was completely resistant to our old treatment and was immune to all of our pesticides. We had to invent a whole new way of killing them called a heat treatment which is a 24 hours treatment of extreme heat in every room of your house. This can be damaging to furniture and art so everything must be removed even wall-to-wall carpeting. This costs tens of thousands of dollars to do so other exterminators started using powerful pesticides combined with steam for an easier less dramatic treatment that kills the bugs but not the eggs. The eggs must hatch and enter their nymph phase where they cannot reproduce. This happens two weeks after the first treatment and kills the bed bugs already hatched but unable to lay eggs on their own. This treatment is very effective and easier on the owner of the home or apartment.
If you have a bed bug infestation and are dealing with it but still getting bitten then there are many options for soothing the pain and discomfort while also protecting yourself from further bites.
When the treatment, either your home treatment or a professional one is complete the first thing you should do is purchase a proper bed bug mattress and box spring covers. These are very tough materials with a locking zipper that leaves no entry for bed bugs to get into the mattress. They can still live on top of the mattress and then escape somewhere else when the sun comes up but it makes their process more difficult and will protect your mattress from infestation.
The first step in treating a bit is to wash the area with soap and hot water. Do this in the shower and make sure to scrub or use any scrubbing device which will aggravate the bits. Just hands and soap gently massaging your skin where the bites are. Avoid any sop with scents as this could aggravate the bites as well. Plain ivory soap is best. Then dry yourself off lightly or air dry and then apply one of the following options.
The best option is calamine lotion which is something you can buy from the drug store and will ease the pain of any insect bite. Alternatively, you can go for a home remedy like baking soda and water. They will make a paste that you can apply to the bites directly and will sterilize and reduce pain at the same time. Let the paste dry on your skin and then wipe it off with a cotton pad. One surprising thing is toothpaste which has a numbing agent to make your gums numb when you are brushing so it does not hurt. Which hazel is also an anesthetic and can be applied as a tincture. Aloe and lemon juice are also great options for calming the pain and reducing inflammation.
