How to Treat Flea Bites

Fleas are blood sucking, external parasites, which belong to the order Siphonaptera. They usually infest on the skin of birds and mammals. Depending upon the host organism, they are classified into different species. Some of the well-known types are human flea, dog flea, cat flea and rat flea, of which the first three species can infest humans. Speaking more about the human flea bites, they are common during summer months. Also, fleas mostly bite in the legs, feet and areas where there is tight clothing such as the waist portion.

The noticeable symptoms of flea bites on humans are small reddish skin bumps, severe itching and hives. The itching symptom is due to the allergic reactions of the body. The severity of the signs and symptoms of flea bites vary based on the sensitivity of the person. Children are highly susceptible to flea bites than adults. Let's discuss about the effective remedies on how to treat flea bites.

How to Treat Human Flea Bites

Flea bites should be treated as early as possible. Otherwise, scratching at the flea bite area may lead to skin infections. To avoid such a condition, avoid scratching the area. Another dangerous effect of flea bites is that they can transmit tapeworm larvae and bubonic plague from one individual to another. Following are some effective tips that should be practiced to treat human flea bites:

Antiseptic Cleaning: In order to treat the human flea bites, the area should be cleaned frequently with antiseptic soaps and cold water. Avoid using warm or hot water as it may worsen the itching symptom in the affected skin area.

Ice Packs: Application of ice packs at the inflamed area for 3-4 times a day will help in reducing swelling and inflammation. Within a few days, the skin texture of the affected area will return to normal condition.

Tea Tree Oil: Another effective remedy to treat human flea bites is tea tree oil. You can soak cotton swab in tea tree oil and apply in the inflamed area for many times a day. The flea bite area will heal within a few days.

Topical Ointments: In order to alleviate itching symptoms, you can apply over-the counter skin ointments (for example, calamine lotion and hydrocortisone cream) in the inflamed area. This will also help in minimizing the chances of secondary skin infections.

Antihistamine Medication: For hypersensitive people, oral antihistamine is effective for the treatment of flea bites. This medication reduces the urge to scratch the inflamed area.

How to Treat Sand Flea Bites

In addition to the flea bites, sand flea bites also can cause severe skin irritation. As the name suggests, such bites usually occurs in the legs after exposure to sand. The symptoms appear as a series of red skin rashes. It is a common query among people about the remedies for curing sand flea bites. The answer for how to treat sand flea bites is that you can follow the same tips for treating the usual flea bites. You can also apply aloe vera gel and a mixture of baking soda and water on the affected skin area.

Well! This is in brief about the several ways to treat flea bites. For flea control, it is important to keep the household pets clean and healthy, as they often serve as carriers for flea parasites. You can make use of appropriate insecticides to kill the fleas. If necessary, contact professional pest control services to exterminate these parasites. Doing so will help in preventing flea bites in human.