“Bites look pretty much the same, so it depends on the distribution of where they are on the body, or how many bites you have,” he adds.Īnd while definitely unpleasant, a minor and uncomplicated bite usually heals within a few days to weeks and is nothing to lose sleep over, says Dr. There are simple bites, stings (where the bug that bit you actually has venom), and then there are infestations where a bug is actually living in your skin, says Meyer Horn, MD, a dermatologist and assistant professor of clinical dermatology at the Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University. To start, think about where you live and any recent activity that may have exposed you to certain types of creepy crawlers, especially if you've traveled to other regions of the world, had animal contact, or ventured into areas of dense vegetation (like a forest or a field), says Peggy Hunter, MD, a dermatologist with Palm Beach Dermatology. But in some cases, you could end up with painful symptoms that linger for days, so it’s worth doing some detective work to figure out the culprit and the best ways to treat any wounds or irritation. Most of the time they're just part of the deal when you're exploring or enjoying time outdoors.

There’s nothing worse than when mysterious (and usually very itchy) blemishes suddenly pop up on your skin. No one likes getting bug bites, no matter how big or small they are.

Shall I Take a Bite? by Drewscape