Bedbug Bites: Signs to Watch for (With Close-up Pictures)

Bedbugs are small bugs that hide during the day and come out to feed at night. They usually live near where people sleep, like in mattress crevices, on headboards, and in furniture seams. Bedbugs also like to hitchhike. If you find them in your bedroom, they may have traveled there from a hotel in your suitcase or on your clothes.

Bedbugs don’t carry diseases. But they can cause an intensely itchy rash when they bite. Some people may only have a few bites at a time, while others can have dozens. Bedbugs aren’t the only critters that bite though. So it’s important to know what bedbug bites look like and what signs to look for.

What does a bedbug bite look like?

Bedbug bites can cause small, smooth bumps that can be different colors, depending on your skin tone. For example, bedbug bites can look:

• Pink or red on lighter skin tones

• Brown, violet, or skin-colored on darker skin tones

Once the bites heal, they can also leave brown marks of hyperpigmentation. These can sometimes take months to heal.

Bedbug bites usually happen in clusters, often in a line or zigzag pattern. This is because each bedbug may bite a few times as they crawl around the skin. The bites also usually happen on body parts that are exposed at night, like the legs, arms, neck, and face.

Close-up pictures of bedbug bites

Let’s take a look at what bedbug bites look like on different parts of the body.

Bedbug bites on the arms

Here are pictures of bedbug bites on the arms.

Close-up of bedbug bites on the arm in a linear pattern.

Close-up of bedbug bites on the arm in different stages.

Bedbug bites on the legs

Here are pictures of bedbug bites on the legs.

Many bedbug bites on Black skin with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

A cluster of bedbug bites on the leg.

Bedbug bites on the torso

Here are pictures of bedbug bites on the torso.

A line of bedbug bites on the lower back.

Many bedbug bites on the lower back.

Signs of bedbugs to look for

In addition to having typical bedbug bites on your skin, here are other common signs of bedbugs to look for:

• Bedbugs in the seams of the mattress or couch, around the bed board, or in the folds of sheets or curtains

• Small red or black stains on the sheets (from specks of blood due to bites)

• Tiny black dots on the bedding (from bedbug fecal matter)

• Yellow outer shells that bedbugs shed as they grow

• Tiny, white, oval eggs in the mattress seams and crevices

• A sweet or musty odor if there are many bedbugs present

How to treat bedbug bites

Treating bedbug bites is all about lessening the itch and helping you feel more comfortable. Here are some treatments that can help lessen your symptoms:

• Antihistamine pills like Zyrtec (cetirizine) and Claritin (loratadine) to help relieve itching

• Topical steroid creams like hydrocortisone to help reduce itching, redness, and swelling

• Oatmeal baths to help soothe and moisturize skin

• Cold compresses to reduce itching and swelling 

Keep in mind that if you have bedbug bites, wearing loose-fitting and breathable fabrics (like cotton) can help avoid irritating your skin even more.

How can you get rid of bedbugs?

Bedbugs have become resistant to many pesticides, so getting rid of them can be tough. For most people, getting professional help from an exterminator is the best option. If you want to try and do it yourself, here are some things to try:

• Use a mattress cover to prevent bedbugs from getting in or out.

• Wash sheets and other items in hot water for 30 minutes followed by high heat in the dryer for 30 minutes.

• Declutter your room to remove bedbug hiding spots 

• Vacuum the entire area, including crevices like furniture seams and around the headboard and bed frame.

• Put non-washables in a plastic bag in the freezer for 3 days.

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• Ease the itch: While they don’t lead to any long-term medical problems, bedbug bites are extremely itchy. Try these at-home remedies and over-the-counter options for relieving irritation.

• Found bedbugs in your home? Learn more about do-it-yourself options for getting rid of bedbugs — and when to call in the professionals. 

• Preventing bites: As you work to get rid of bedbugs, these methods can help prevent them from biting you while you’re sleeping.

How can you prevent a bedbug infestation?

When it comes to bedbugs, the best treatment is prevention. Whether you’re traveling or buying used furniture, these simple tips can help you keep bedbugs from settling into your home:

• Regularly inspect and vacuum your room.

• Check secondhand furniture for bedbugs before bringing pieces into your home.

• Keep your room free of clutter.

• When using shared laundromats, transport clothes in plastic bags.

• If you’re in a multi-family home, seal cracks and crevices in between units to keep bugs from spreading between units.

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Written by:

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA

Maria Robinson, MD, MBA, is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist who has practiced dermatology and dermatopathology for over 10 years across private practice, academic, and telehealth settings. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatopathology.

Edited by:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Reviewed by:

Farzon A. Nahvi, MD

Dr. Nahvi is an emergency medicine physician and author of “Code Gray: Death, Life, and Uncertainty in the ER.” He works clinically at Concord Hospital in Concord, New Hampshire, and is a clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Prior to this, he worked as an ER physician and clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine at the Mount Sinai Health System, NYU Langone Health, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, and the Manhattan VA. He is a graduate of Cornell University and NYU School of Medicine.

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