How to Treat Flea Bites

If you're wondering how to treat flea bites, odds are good that you're desperate for quick relief. Unfortunately, dealing with fleas is usually a long process, so you'll need to settle in for a long battle unless you were fortunate enough to be bitten by fleas that are infesting someone else's house. Flea bites itch terribly, and they take days to weeks to go away.

Flea Bite Symptoms
Flea bites look like clusters of tiny raised red bumps that itch. They are usually found on the ankles, behind the knees, in the groin, in the armpits, or in the crease of the neck. Fleas typically live off animals, but they will feed off people if they get the opportunity.

Flea Bite Treatment
To treat flea bites, you'll want to take a hot soapy bath, then apply hydrocortisone cream on the affected areas. Repeat this process as necessary to deal with the itch.

Try not to scratch because you don't want to cause scarring or a secondary infection. Flea bites are exactly that-bites-so don't let anyone scare you into thinking the fleas are burrowing into your skin or anything like that. To deal with flea bites completely, you have to rid the source of the fleas of the infestation.

The real issue is how to get rid of fleas in your home, as a few flea bites usually means you've got a full-scale flea infestation. Fleas come into the home on animals or material infested with flea eggs. The flea eggs hatch, live off dandruff, dead skin cells, hair and other organic matter in the home, then become pupa, then fleas. The fleas will feed, mate and lay eggs. The whole cycle continues until you have sprayed for fleas and washed your pets in flea dip at least once a week for at least three weeks. You may need to fumigate your home, wash all your bedding in hot water and spray with flea killer several weeks in a row before you interrupt the cycle and eliminate all the fleas from your home.