What do bed flea bites look like? - briefly
Bed flea bites appear as tiny, red, raised spots, often grouped in a line or cluster, each with a central puncture mark and intense itching. They commonly affect the ankles, lower legs, and occasionally the torso.
What do bed flea bites look like? - in detail
Bed flea bites present as small, raised punctures typically ranging from 1 mm to 3 mm in diameter. The initial lesion is often a pinpoint red spot that quickly swells into a firm, dome‑shaped papule. A central punctum may be visible where the flea’s mouthparts penetrated the skin.
The surrounding erythema is usually uniform, without the concentric rings that characterize spider‑mite reactions. In many cases, two or three bites appear in close proximity, forming a short linear cluster that follows the direction of the flea’s movement across the body. The lesions are most frequently found on exposed areas such as the arms, hands, neck, and face, but can also occur on the torso if clothing is thin.
Typical symptoms include immediate itching that intensifies within minutes to hours. Scratching may produce a secondary flare, causing the papule to enlarge and develop a pale, wheal‑like halo. Over 24–48 hours, the redness fades, leaving a pinkish or hyperpigmented macule that can persist for several weeks.
Key distinguishing features compared with other arthropod bites:
- Size: Smaller than mosquito bites, which are usually 2–5 mm.
- Pattern: Linear or clustered arrangement, unlike the scattered pattern of bed‑bug bites.
- Central punctum: Often visible, whereas flea bites from other species may lack a discernible point.
- Duration of itch: Intense and persistent, similar to flea bites on pets, but shorter than the prolonged pruritus of chigger bites.
If multiple lesions appear simultaneously and are accompanied by a pronounced, localized itch, the described characteristics strongly suggest bites from the common household flea.