Bedbugs: bites, signs, treatment and how to get rid of them

The NHS says bedbug bites usually clear up on their own in a week or so. Things you can do include putting something cool, like a clean, damp cloth, on the affected area to help with the itching and any swelling, keeping the area clean, and not scratching the bites to avoid getting an infection.

You can ask a pharmacist about a mild steroid cream such as hydrocortisone cream to ease the bites (the NHS says children under 10 and pregnant women should get advice from a doctor before using hydrocortisone cream), and antihistamines, which may help if the bites are very itchy and you cannot sleep.

For the bugs themselves, the NHS says to contact your local council or a pest control service if you think you have bedbugs, because it is very difficult to get rid of them yourself. There are some things you can try, but these are unlikely to get rid of bedbugs completely.

The NHS says bedbug bites can be raised and itchy and are often in a line or grouped together. They are often on skin exposed while sleeping, like the face, neck and arms. Some people have a reaction to the bites, which can be very itchy with painful swelling, and a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) is also possible but rare.

On white skin, the NHS says bedbug bites usually look red or pink. On black or brown skin they may look brown, red or purple and may be harder to see.

The NHS lists signs of bedbugs in the home: bites, spots of blood on your bedding (from the bites or from squashing a bedbug), and small brown spots on bedding or furniture (bedbug poo). It says bedbugs can hide on bed frames, mattresses, clothing, furniture, behind pictures and under loose wallpaper.

• Raised, itchy bites, often in a line or grouped together

• Bites on skin exposed while sleeping, like the face, neck and arms

• Spots of blood on bedding

• Small brown spots on bedding or furniture

• Small, dark yellow, red or brown insects, around 5mm long as adults

The NHS describes bedbugs as small insects that often live on furniture or bedding. Their bites can be itchy but do not usually cause other health problems.

NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) lists bedbugs with mosquitoes as insects that bite by puncturing the skin with piercing mouthparts, and says reactions to insect bites and stings are usually mild and self-limiting. It says most insect bite reactions resolve within hours to several days, but occasionally reactions may persist for weeks or months, for example if an infestation remains untreated.

The NHS says bedbugs are found in both clean and dirty places, so they are not a sign of poor hygiene. Its prevention advice points to the main routes: bringing secondhand furniture indoors without carefully checking it first, and taking luggage or clothing indoors without checking it carefully if you have come from somewhere where you know there were bedbugs.

The NHS also advises not keeping clutter around your bed, since bedbugs can hide in many places including bed frames, mattresses, clothing, furniture, behind pictures and under loose wallpaper.

The NHS says to see a GP if bedbug bites are still very painful, swollen or itchy after trying treatments from a pharmacist, or if the pain or swelling around the bites is spreading, because you may have an infection and need treatment with antibiotics.

NICE CKS says complications of insect bites can include allergic reactions (ranging from angio-oedema to anaphylaxis) and secondary bacterial infection. It says emergency hospital assessment may be required for people with suspected systemic allergic reactions, and that urgent hospital assessment may be required for severe or worsening cellulitis or stings affecting the mouth, throat, tongue or eyes.

The NHS says children under 10 and pregnant women should get advice from a doctor before using hydrocortisone cream for bedbug bites. The NHS bedbug page does not give any other special advice for children or pregnancy, so the general advice about cooling the area, not scratching and seeing a GP if the bites worsen applies.

Bites are itchy, and the NHS advises not scratching to avoid getting an infection, which is worth emphasising with children. Ask a pharmacist which treatments are suitable for a child.

A pharmacist can help with the bites, and a GP can help if bites become infected or do not settle. The NHS says the bugs themselves are dealt with through your local council or a pest control service, not by the health service, and that you can find your local council on GOV.UK.

If you rent your home, the council or your landlord may be the right first contact for pest control; ask what treatment is planned and whether neighbouring properties will be checked, since the NHS says home treatment alone is unlikely to remove bedbugs completely.