Bedbugs

Bedbugs often leave small red, slightly swollen marks on the skin. Sometimes a small dot can be seen in the middle. But skin can react in different ways to bedbug bites: As well as red marks, they can also cause blisters or nodules in some people.

Typical signs of bedbug bites are

• Several marks in a line or around one place, because if they don’t find a blood vessel the first time they bite, they will bite again.
• Marks on body parts that are often not completely covered by the comforter or duvet, like the arms, shoulders, face and legs
• Very itchy patches of skin

The skin reaction normally already starts the next morning. But sometimes the marks only appear a few days later.

Bedbugs are now more widespread than they used to be because of frequent travel and international trade. Bedbugs spread particularly quickly in Australia and the United States. A lot of chemical products (insecticides) are also no longer effective against the insects.

Bedbugs spread when things are transported, hidden among luggage or in gaps in furniture and goods, and usually unnoticed.

Bedbugs are often brought back from travels. The risk of getting bedbugs is particularly high in places where are lot of people stay. But bedbugs can also be found on trains, buses and planes.

Bedbugs can be brought into your home in second hand furniture, like from flea markets or online platforms. Second hand bed frames and mattresses are affected especially often. But the insects can also hide in electrical appliances, clothing, books and even CD cases.

Bedbugs spread quickly within a few weeks in lived-in places. That happens especially quickly where lots of people share a confined space. For example, bedbugs can easily spread to other rooms in residential homes.

Bedbug bites usually go away within a week. Scratching can slow down the healing process. As long as the parasites haven't been gotten rid of completely, you will keep getting new bites.

If the bedbugs reproduce a lot and bite more and more, more severe skin reactions are possible. Hives with reddened skin, wheals and itching or a bacterial infection are rare, though. Allergic asthma or anaphylactic reactions are exceptions.

According to current knowledge, bedbugs do not spread diseases.

Severe itching at night can cause loss of sleep and tiredness. But worrying about being bitten by bedbugs at night can also keep you from sleeping.

Lots of people find it difficult to cope with having bedbugs in their home. Mental stress caused by the parasites can lead to anxiety and nightmares, and in very rare cases to hallucinations. Medical or psychotherapeutic help is then needed.

Some people feel ashamed, others withdraw. But bedbugs have nothing to do with a lack of cleanliness.

It can be difficult to tell whether a skin reaction is caused by bedbugs, or by other types of bugs, fleas or mites. Other insects are a possibility in summer in particular. Allergies, various skin diseases and chickenpox can also cause red patches and itching. If you are unsure, dermatologists might be able to advise you. That can also help to rule out any diseases.

It is more likely that bedbug bites are the cause if you have been traveling. But it is only definite if you have actually found a bedbug, its eggs, body shell or droppings.

Bedbugs prefer to hide close to the bed during the day, which is why it is best to start looking for them in the bedroom. Gaps in the bed frame or mattress are popular. But bedbugs are also happy in other places like in cracks in the wall, wallpaper, picture frames, floors and skirting boards, curtains, sockets and clothing.

Bedbugs’ droppings can sometimes be seen as dark spots on the bedsheets, mattress or on the wall around the bed.

Small dots of blood on the bedsheets are also a sign of bedbugs. It might also smell a little stuffy and sweet if the bedbugs have already reproduced a lot. The smell often gets stronger if you clap the mattress.

It is difficult to find bedbugs, especially if there are only a few. Bedbug traps try to attract the little critters with fragrances. But it is not clear whether they can effectively find them all. It is best to contact pest control professionals.

If you find something you think might be a bedbug, you can also catch it and have an expert look at it. Sealable jars or boxes that the bugs can't escape from are good containers for that.

Two things are particularly good at stopping bedbugs from getting into your home:

• Check for bedbugs where you stay when traveling, particularly the bed and mattress. Dark spots and insect casings are a sign of bugs. You can then at least spot a severe infestation and look for different accommodation as soon as possible.
• Carefully check second hand items for bedbugs before taking them into your home.

There are various ways of getting rid of bedbugs on your belongings if you come into contact with them while traveling:

• Wash non-sensitive clothing at least at 60° Celsius (140° Fahrenheit) and dry it as hot as possible in the dryer.
• Seal smaller items and sensitive clothing in plastic bags and put them in the freezer for several days.
• Larger items like suitcases and wheelchairs can be treated with hot steam. You can use normal household steam cleaners.
• Vacuuming is also an option. But it is then important to seal up the vacuum cleaner bag tightly afterwards. It’s best to put the bag in the freezer for a few days to kill any bedbugs that might be in there. The normal seals on vacuum cleaner bags are not tight enough.

It is not a good idea to wait and hope that the bedbugs starve. They can live for up to a year without food.

The skin reaction normally goes away without treatment within a week.

To relieve the itching and speed up healing, it can help to

• keep the skin clean and dry,
• not scratch, and
• use itch-relieving ointments, creams or lotions available without prescription from the pharmacy.

Steroid creams or antihistamine tablets can be used for a few days to relieve severe itching. Many of those products are only available on prescription. Antibiotics might also be an option if the skin becomes inflamed.

Supportive psychological advice or treatment can help if the situation becomes very mentally distressing.

The German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) recommends seeking help from a pest control company to prevent further bedbug bites and to get rid of the bedbugs. But there are also some simple things you can do yourself.

It is extremely unpleasant to have bedbugs in your home. Especially the idea of them biting you at night can be very distressing and cause disgust or anxiety.

There are some things you can do straight away to tackle bedbugs, like vacuuming, but looking for all their hiding places and killing all of the insects and their eggs is difficult and takes a long time.

Especially if the bedbugs have already reproduced a lot, you might need to turn your home upside down, moving furniture away from the walls, dismantling it, or sealing gaps in the floorboards. Often perseverance is needed in addition to professional help. But with the right support and a little patience, sooner or later your home will be free of bedbugs again.

When people are ill or need medical advice, they usually go to their family doctor first. In our topic "Health care in Germany" you can read about how to find the right doctor – and our list of questions can help you to prepare for your visit to the doctor.