Flea Bites on Humans
- Can Fleas Live on People? -

Can Fleas Live on People?

Not really. Think of us as a restaurant. They eat and leave once they are full. Fleas prefer carpets under furniture, other dark quiet places in the house and warm, damp shady places in the yard.

How About Fleas in Human Hair?

I hate to admit, I know how that tickles! It may be a landing or hiding point but they won't bite your scalp. They would rather wiggle on down where your shirt meets your neck for a bite to eat.

Chances are, if you have been bitten by fleas in your own home, they are living with you. They are not fun house guests. They also multiply at an astonishing rate. To understand how they proliferate, go to Flea Lifecycle . For ways to get rid of them without toxic pesticides, read Fleas in the House .

What Are Flea Bite Symptoms?

Usually you notice an itch and scratch it absentmindedly. A few minutes later it itches again so you look at it. You find a tiny pink bump. The surrounding skin may be pink too.

The more you scratch, the more it itches and the bigger it gets! A 1/8" bump can turn into an inch across with a flat top and a larger pink area around it. If you can keep from scratching, it should go away by itself but there are a few things listed at the bottom of the page to help you get over the hurdle.

Why Do Flea Bites Itch?

Like mosquitoes, they first insert saliva to help them thin the blood for easy ingestion. It’s that saliva that causes us to itch.

Where a Flea Bites on Humans

We can get bites just about anywhere. I find fleas prefer to hide under my clothes and bite where clothes are tightest. At the waistline or the lowest line of a bra, are good examples.

My husband who has rather hairy arms claims he gets more bites there. If its winter and I'm unlucky enough to be around a flea infested area, I have more clothing on so I get bites on ankles, armpits, and in the bend of the elbows and knees.

Flea Bite Treatment

Try any of the following for a flea bite remedy

• Stop scratching! (I wish it was this easy, but the more you scratch, the bigger it swells.)
• Try ice for a few minutes
• Make a paste of Epsom salts and water. Soak it up with a folded paper towel and hold it on the bite for a few minutes.
• Take vitamin C (around 500 mg.) so it can help get the flea saliva out of your system.
• hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion, or an antihistaminic cream can help.

No matter which of the above things you try, all should help relieve the itch for flea bites on humans, at least for a while. The KEY is stop scratching and let it go away.

It's been my experience that when humans get flea bites in their own home or yard, they have a huge infestation because fleas prefer your pets. Most folks don't realize that those adult fleas that bite you and your dog are only 5% of your flea population. Scary!

The Bottom Line About Flea Bites on Humans

Unless you just moved into a house full of fleas and you have no pets, I can tell you without hesitation, why you have them.

Dogs and cats on an unhealthy diet are magnets to fleas since fleas always prey on weaker animals. Instead of listening to commercials, read the information on this website and be informed. It took a long time to write it and I did it for you.

I don't want anyone to go through what I have. Learn from my mistakes. I thought I was doing the right thing, but I was misinformed and my pets suffered because of it.

Change your pets to a raw meat diet or a pet food made from real human grade food. If you must feed commercial food to your pets, be an informed pet owner. I am astounded at how many people believe commercials and put absolutely no thought into what they feed their dogs. A worthy investment for dog food comparisons is Petsumer Reports.

If you take my advice seriously, do the work it takes to get rid of these pests without pesticides and flea meds and feed a healthy diet, you will never again have to worry about dog fleas or flea bites on humans.

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