Sand Flea Bite Remedy

A sand flea is known by many names like beach flea, punkie / punky, no-see-um, hop-a-long and others. It is most commonly mistaken as an insect; the one way to identify it is by its shrimp-like structure and its brown or pale color. It can swim or jump, usually attacking its victims in areas like the beach.

They can spring onto people's upper body parts, if they're lying down, say on the sand. Sandy areas have scores of sand fleas, that generally stay close to land where they breed. They produce a high-pitched whine, which is one way of spotting an area where sand fleas are present. They tend to jump onto one's legs, ankles or feet, biting down hard to suck blood. They won't let off easily, so try getting away as soon as possible from that area, once you feel its bite.

A sand flea's bite can cause swelling, itching and redness, prolonged over a period of several days. It injects its saliva into the blood stream of the victim, sucking out nutrients in order to help itself lay eggs. Like mosquitoes, it is the female flea that bites. They aren't easy to spot, being small in size, but if you ever do approach an area that is surrounded by sand, be on the lookout for these fleas.

How to Treat Sand Flea Bites

Sand flea bites are quite painful, causing one's skin to develop a skin rash or a large welt. The hives / welts are very itchy; scratching these will only invite the possibility of an infection. You'll also find home remedies for these bites from products at your disposal at home.

• Make a paste of baking soda mixed with water, and spread it evenly over the bitten areas.
• You can use aloe vera gel, which helps in easing itching, swelling and provides a soothing effect on bites.
• Hydrocortisone cream helps in soothing itchy spots.
• Antihistamines (Benadryl) help in relieving one from itching.
• Calamine lotion helps in easing pain and itchy areas.
• Anti-itch creams or gels, that are easily available in stores.

If bites go untreated it can lead to fever, anemia, damage to the spleen and liver, and other health problems.

How to Prevent Sand Flea Bites

To prevent bites you need to avoid these from entering your home. Being small in size, they can easily fit through mesh screen doors and window cracks.

• What you need is a mesh net which you can put up to frame your screen window, which is readily available at fabric stores. Just make sure you have no entry hole or cracks where these sand fleas can enter from.
• If sand fleas enter your home, call an exterminator to fumigate your home.
• You can also spray furniture and other areas, like rugs and carpets, with a bug spray to avoid a flea infestation.

Just remember to constantly use the above remedies to help ease the pain and heal bites faster when they are fresh. Don't wait for them to turn infectious, and do consult a doctor if you experience any of the symptoms.