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Suggest Treatment For Bug Bites On The Upper Thighs

Posted on Tue, 13 Dec 2016

Question: Have a very stubborn case of mites or some tiny things burrowing into my upper thigh. There were only a few of them 12 months ago, and a few more now. I have been able to kill some and reduce them to just 1 or 2 dots when I treat agressively with tea tree oil, but when I forget to apply the tea tree oil, they spread. When I wake up in the morning, there is often 3 or 4 little red blood dots. I don't know what it is, and it does not itch. Probably got from either an animal which was close to me, or from a dirty towel or locker at my gym. either way, I want to kill them with a natural solution, not a drug. What are my options? Should I sit in the hot tub for 30min? I also tried sulfur cream, which actually made it worse, and got more raised pimple spots and red dots. I can upload a picture soon.

Answered by Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
? Bug bites

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.

The photographs show multiple tiny red papules over certain part of body.Mites are not visible to naked eye.
To me it appears like bed bug bites (as you find on waking up).The cosmopolitan bedbugs (Cimex species) hide in crevices of mattresses,bed frames.Their bite is painless.in such cases debugging is the option.
Tea tree oil might be repulsive to the bugs.

Regards

Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng

Follow up: Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (14 hours later)

With all due respect, I completely disagree with your diagnosis of bed bug. My wife has never had any bites such as these for the past year that I have been dealing with this and she sleeps right next to me. What ever I have does not spread fast but is for some reason limited to the one spot on my upper leg. When I treat it aggressively with tea tree oil, it gets better. I also notice burrowing 'lines' from some of the dots.

Answered by Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (12 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
? Bug bites

Detailed Answer:
Burrowing 'lines' from some of the dots,as you mention now is suggestive of Scabies.
Burrows can be unroofed with a sterile needle or scalpel blade, and the scrapings should be examined microscopically for mites, eggs, and fecal pellets. Microscopic
inspection of clear cellophane tape lifted from lesions also may be diagnostic. This can be done only by a Dermatologist.
Diverse kinds of dermatitis from other causes can mimic scabies lesions. Hence no definitive diagnosis has been given.

Regards

Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (1 hour later)

Thanks for your prompt update. What would explain the blood dots when I wake up then? Do the scabies mites exit the skin and then re-enter elsewhere causing them?

Answered by Dr. Tushar Kanti Biswas (16 hours later)

Brief Answer:
? Bug bites

Detailed Answer:
The female mite of scabies lives for about a month burrowing and ovipositing daily.They don't leave the burrow and re-enter. The young mites (coming out of the burrows)move about on the skin before maturing as adults. Males occasionally burrow into the skin. Blood spot is probably due to mite entry .The mite is very small and usually not directly visible.
Dermanyssus gallinae and Ornithonyssus spp. whose normal hosts are birds, bite humans, causing lesions which resemble scabies.

A dermatologist opinion (including physical examination) is required. It is difficult to reach a conclusion from mere photograph .

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. REMY KOSHY