Bug bite gone bad:( HELP!

Apr 10, 2014

Stephanie P.

:( go to the doctor love maybe it's something babe and for a natural scar remover Ala Vera is good for that.

Apr 10, 2014

Stephanie P.

*bad

Apr 10, 2014

Marleen B.

I'd see a dermatologist. I had cut my finger once and needed stitches & when it healed, there was this hardened lump of scar tissue under the skin. Not only did it make my finger look swollen, it hurt. So my Dr. gave me a series of steroid injections that shrank the scar tissue. I don't know if that is an option for you but I think the Dr. can recommend something that will be safe & not make it worse.

Apr 10, 2014

Monica M.

It doesn't hurt or anything. It's just there:( my sister is a nurse and she said it heeled wrong and it's just scared! I'm considering going to the doctor though because it's so ugly:( I hateee it.

Apr 10, 2014

Monica M.

No I don't even know what kind of bug. I don't even know if it was a bug! Lol I just assumed because I woke up like that! Mm I guess my only option is to see the doctor:(

Apr 10, 2014

Stephanie S.

Omg my friend has a scar that looks exactly like the second pic. he said he doesn't know where it's from though.

Apr 10, 2014

Emily W.

I'm going to guess that it was a spider bite. That is the only thing I can think of that would necrotize the tissue and lead to such extensive scarring in that manner. Unless you scratched at it when it was new (intentionally or unintentionally) and a secondary/opportunistic infection caused the scar tissue.

See a dermatologist, they can better assess the scar and give recommendations. I don't think regular scar remedies (Mederma, BioOil, Vitamin E) do anything for hypertrophic or keloid scars, unfortunately. Your best bet would probably be a surgical procedure to minimize it, but as a cosmetic surgery that can be expensive. However, if it hurts you, gets caught on clothing, burns or itches, your insurance might cover the surgery because it becomes a medical concern.

Apr 10, 2014

Marleen B.

I thought the same thing...a spider. I had a spider bite that was so painful & left a welt (sp?) on my skin. It took long time to heal but it eventually did and left no scar. My welt was only red, it never got dark. I made sure to keep it clean & didn't touch it. p.s. I could see the fang marks on my skin, thats how I knew it was a spider.

Apr 10, 2014

Emily W.

Marleen: Ouch! Good thing it didn't scar; you were right not to touch it.

I've been bitten/stung by just about everything in my life (several species of spiders, two tarantulas, a scorpion, a couple of snakes, countless bees and wasps, innumerable mosquitoes, ticks, leeches, a raccoon...) and it always sucks. My worst arachnid bite was a brown widow on my leg: entire calf swelled up for a couple of days, the bite itself turned into a massive bruise before it opened into a wound. One of the only times I have had to seek medical treatment for a bite (other times were snake bites and a rabies vaccine for the raccoon bite).

For common bites like mosquito bites, just wash them with soap and water. If it itches, use calamine lotion. In a pinch, a dab of dish soap on the bite will stop the itching for a while.

For bee stings where the stinger isn't left, apply a poultice of baking soda and water. It will stop the stinging and help the swelling.

For animal bites, always see a doctor immediately. You will probably need a round of antibiotics to ward off infection from the animal's saliva, and additional precautions may be necessary (e.g. rabies vaccine, antivenin).

Always watch for signs of infection such as prolonged swelling, redness, color changes, sudden or extreme bruising, or inflammation. Also be on the lookout for signs of allergic reaction: swelling, redness, itching, hives, difficulty breathing, gasping, wheezing, shortness of breath, swelling of the face or tongue. In cases of tick or mosquito bite, be cautious of flu-like symptoms, or unusual rashes. Always see a doctor if you are unsure about anything; better safe than sorry.

Apr 10, 2014

Emily W.

Sandra: We get both in my backyard most of the year. Just yesterday I had a small tarantula in my car's trunk, had to carry it outside into the bushes. I've carried all manner of critters/insects/arachnids out of my house/friends' houses/classrooms/work. I've never been bitten while handling creatures, only when I startle them accidentally. Bites are usually my own fault, for sticking my hands into the bushes without looking first and startling whatever is lurking there. The only one that wasn't my fault was that damned raccoon; it had it's babies on my porch and I happened to walk out my front door -- so it attacked me.

I definitely don't recommend handling any wild animals/insects/arachnids though. I have been trained to handle them safely and I accept the risks that come with it.

Apr 10, 2014

Marleen B.

I was watching that bite like a hawk! Making sure it was spreading or getting worse. I know the reputation of spider bites but then again, I didnt want to over react. Even though the bite marks were only about a 1/4 inch in diameter, but the welt was about 1 inch in diameter but the diameter of pain was about 3 inches. Worst bite I have ever had. But you all sound like you had it much worse.

Apr 10, 2014

Emily W.

I was more stunned than anything, it happened as soon as I stepped outside. I wasn't even sure what happened at first, I just backed the hell up and slammed the door! Little mama got me good right on my calf. My dad looked out the screen door and saw the raccoon with her babies, and figured out that's why she came at me (raccoons are fiercely protective).

I live in Northern California now, so rattlesnakes are my biggest concern now. Luckily, both times I have been bitten it was just a garden snake, nothing venomous. I'm much more cautious now.

Apr 10, 2014

Emily W.

Marleen: Ow! I'm glad it went away on its own! I had to have injections and had to clean the wound and stuff, it was nasty. That's good that you were vigilant! I waited a little too long (I took the spider to the entomology department at my university to identify it first because I was curious - whoops).

Apr 11, 2014

Emily W.

Oh you're way down south! Sorry about your dog, it's awful losing a pet especially like that. :( We have coyotes here too, they harass my neighbor's goats.

Apr 11, 2014

Marleen B.

I was bitten in my sleep & never saw the spider but we do have a lot of black widows, so it was probably that kind of spider. I almost thought it would scar because I had the scar for about 3-4 months but it eventually healed & faded.

Apr 11, 2014

Monica M.

Eeeepp somehow all these stories are scaring me:( lol I hope mine fades away! It has gotten a lot better. It was a lot worst. It turned into like a black black color scab and it just went away. But left that scar. I'm not going to lie I would scratch cuz it itched but very quickly I would stop myself! I'm going to try a scar cream and if it doesn't work I'm going to the doctor!

Apr 11, 2014

Emily W.

That's a good way to keep the creepy crawlies at bay, Sandra. I have also found that certain pests despise certain items (if you are averse to chemical pesticides). Scorpions hate lavender, slugs/snails will drown in beer, ants don't like to cross chalk dust or brick dust, and mosquitoes hate dryer sheets.