Chiggers are also called red bugs. They are small-sized or tiny larvae that belong to the family of arachnids. The bites of chiggers are very powerful irrespective of their very small size. They are tiny enough that the human eye can’t see them flying and sitting. A magnifying glass is required to see chiggers. The size of an adult chigger is one by the 60th part of an inch. They have eight legs in total and larvae chiggers do not have wings. They have six legs and have red-colored bodies. The size of tiny chiggers is one by 150th part of an inch.
They are red-colored, but after biting on human skin, they turn their color to yellow. When they form a cluster, they can be seen easily. The chigger larvae bite humans. They look for moist and warm regions of the body to bite. They use claws to fix on human skin. After fixing, they attach their mouth with the surface of the skin and inject their saliva. The poisonous saliva of chiggers breaks down the skin cells into liquid form.
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In response to their injected saliva, the skin cells become hard around the site. Then a tube or a cyclostome is created to suck the host fluid. They may remain attached to the body of the host for several days and remove four days before fall off. Reddish bumps appear when chiggers fall off the skin. The red-colored spots resemble pimples, blisters, welts, or hives. There is a specific red-colored spot in the center of red spots. This bright red spot shows the tube formed for injecting saliva.
The chiggers usually bite in groups and may grow larger in the coming days and weeks. The chiggers bite in the folded areas of the skin like the inner side of elbows. They also bite where the clothes are tight. Commonly they bite at the waist, armpit, crotch, ankles, and knees. Chigger bites are not painful or itchy. The symptoms start appearing after hours of biting. The person feels itching and tries to scratch that part. Chigger bites on the penis are painful and cause painful urination as well.
The chigger bites take almost one to three weeks to heal completely. If someone suspects a chigger bite, he or she should wash the region properly. Washing will remove all the excessive chiggers if present on the body. Applying antiseptic can also help. Scratching should be avoided to heal it on time. Hydrocortisone cream and calamine lotions are available as OTC products to soothe itching. Applying ice to the bites also helps to heal.
Hot showers or baths should be avoided. Infection grows in warm and moist places. If, after three weeks, the symptoms do not subside, a health care provider should be consulted. Chigger bites are highly uncomfortable and itching. Chigger bites are not harmful. The bites will disappear after completing a span of 3 weeks. If proper care is provided, then the symptoms may end up after a week.
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