There are a number of insects that can find their way into your body, enter through openings, or burrow under your skin. Some even lay eggs and multiply under the surface of the skin. Learn more about these creatures – and how to avoid them.
There is no place like home, and for some insects you are that home. Humans are warm, safe hosts to a wide variety of creatures that can burrow into your skin.
Ticks
Ticks are tiny eight-legged beetles that resemble a spider with shorter legs and a rounder body. As part of the arachnid family, they can vary in color from brown to red to black, and their size depends on how much they have fed on their host’s blood. A tick can be as small as the head of a pin by the time they need to eat, to the size of marble by the time they’re finished feasting on their host.
Ticks are attracted to people and animals and target warm, secluded places like armpits and hairy areas where they can feed without disturbance. Often times, you may not even notice a tick bite. However, what you may notice is the growing tick that clings to you as you eat.
Ticks don’t burrow completely under the skin, but parts of their head can get lodged under the skin while feeding. They are tied to a host for up to 10 days and fall off when too full to hold on any longer.
Tick bites are most dangerous not by the bite itself, but by the diseases that ticks can transmit. These include:
Symptoms of a tick bite or tick-borne infection may include:
- itching
- Rash, possibly with a bullseye pattern
- fever
- chills
- a headache
- fatigue
- muscle pain
- Joint pain
- Skin ulcers
- Swollen lymph nodes
Ticks live in the United States. Different regions also have different types. Forest areas are a paradise for ticks. If you develop an infection or reaction to a tick bite, you may need antibiotics. Treatment for other tick-borne diseases may vary. If you find a tick, carefully remove it so you don’t leave any part of it behind. See a doctor if you develop a rash, fever, or other persistent symptoms after finding a tick on your skin.
Prevention is key when it comes to ticks. Examine your pet and your own skin after spending time outdoors, use tick repellant, and wear protective clothing.
Human itch mite
The human itch mite (Sarcoptes scabiei var. Hominis) is a microscopic beetle that is one of the few that actually burrows and lives under human skin. Adult female itch mites burrow under the top layer of skin, where they can live undetected and lay eggs for weeks. They are not spread by animals, but rather through skin-to-skin contact with other infected people or through the skin that comes into contact with dirt that infected animals – especially farm animals – come into contact with.
Adult mites are tiny sac-like creatures that are less than half a millimeter in size and usually cannot be seen with the naked eye. What you can see are tiny raised tunnels in the skin from the burrowing mites or redness from scabies – the disease that is ultimately caused by these mites.
Symptoms can appear days or weeks after the onset of the infestation and usually begin with itching and a rash. They can become severe if people who have been infected develop raised bumps from scratches and even bacterial skin infections on the open wounds.
Scabies rashes most commonly appear in folds of skin, between the fingers, in the elbows and armpits, and along the neck or groin. A doctor can usually diagnose a scabies infestation by seeing the rash, but they can also take a skin scrape or extract one of the mites from your skin for confirmation.
Prescription topical medications, rigorous cleaning, and isolation if the infestation is clear are the best remedies for scabies.
Chigoe fleas
The Chigoe flea (Tunga penetrans) has several names such as:
- Chigoe flea
- Jigger
- Sand flea
- Nigua
- Pico
- pique
- Chica
- Suthi
Native to Central and South America, the Chigoe fleas are around 1 millimeter in size and live under dirt and sand in tropical areas. Both men and women bite people and animals, but only pregnant women go under the surface of the skin. After mating, female chigoe fleas will stick to your skin with their mouths and then scratch their way into your skin. They feed and care for up to 100 eggs beneath the surface of the skin for about 2 weeks and grow to about 1 centimeter before being scraped off with dead skin cells.
They can be difficult to see because only the back of the woman is visible. You are unlikely to notice their presence until the pregnant woman grows taller.
Swelling, itching, and irritation follow, and you can develop ulcers and bacterial infections in the area. The infection that stems from these insects is known as wolframis and can cause problems walking or more serious infections like tetanus and gangrene.
The initial digging is usually painless. Symptoms, including itching and irritation, usually begin to develop when the females develop fully into the overcrowded state. Inflammation and ulcers can become severe, and multiple lesions in the feet can make walking difficult.
Secondary bacterial infections, including tetanus and gangrene, are not uncommon in wolframosis.
- These parasitic flies are sometimes called:
- Tumbu flies
- Mango flies
- Maggots fly
- Bot flies
They are native to tropical areas around Africa. Adults live alone, but lay eggs on human or animal skin, stick them to the surface with a sticky substance, or insert them directly into wounds or open areas of flesh. As the larvae develop and grow, they burrow into their host’s tissue and live there for up to 10 weeks. As they grow up, they resemble small flies and fall to the ground so the host can begin its adult cycle.
The infestation by these flies is known as myiasis and is recognized as a lump under the surface of the skin. In some cases, larvae move beneath the surface of the skin. The lump can become irritated and infected and will require medical attention.
These flies eat the tissue around them as they grow, and the infestation must be surgically removed. The additional treatment depends on the extent of tissue damage caused by the larvae.
Some bugs don’t bury themselves under their skin. Instead, they bite and then inject larvae. Find out more about these unwanted tenants.
lice
Lice live and multiply mainly on the surface of the skin and cling to your hair shift. In some cases, the eggs can be buried just under the skin. Lice are easily transmitted between hosts and cause itchy rashes. When they bite their skin and feed on their host’s blood, lice can cause irritation, infection, and transmit diseases such as typhoid.
Loa loa worms
Some deer flies and black flies use roundworms called loa-loa worms to infect their host after a meal. Found in tropical areas, these flies carry the loa-loa parasite to a new host and pass it on with one bite. The little loa-loa worm penetrates its new host through the bite and lives in the tissue just under the skin. It can even get into the bloodstream.
Loa loa worm larvae have been found in spinal fluids, urine, and sputum. They can cause an infection called loiasis. This infection is often without symptoms, but loa loa can sometimes be seen moving under the skin or over the surface of the eye. Severe infestation can lead to brain inflammation, coma, and even death.
Treatment can be difficult, and can range from surgical removal of the parasite to the use of strong medications.
Onchocerca volvulus
Like the deer fly and the loa-loa worm, the worm-like parasite Onchocerca volvulus is passed on to a new host through the bite of an infected black fly. The infection that results from this infestation is called onchocerciasis. It causes itching, rashes, and raised lumps. In more severe cases, it can even cause severe skin damage or blindness.
Now that you know about all the insects that burrow into your skin and can call them home, the more important topic is how to prevent infestation and get rid of unwanted guests.
Home remedies
Home remedies are generally not effective at treating insects that burrow into the skin or cause infestation on their host. However, for parasites like lice, cleanliness, some household solutions, and manual removal can all help clear an infestation.
For ticks and other less invasive bugs, manual removal can also be an option, but you need to be careful to remove the entire bug.
With more invasive insects and parasites, trying to remove these creatures on your own can cause more problems and even serious infections.
A better solution is prevention through:
- cleanliness
- Insect repellants
- Protective clothing
- prophylactic drugs such as antiparasitics and antibiotics
OTC drugs
There are very few over-the-counter medications that can help with severe insect and parasite infestations. In most cases, you need to see a doctor.
There are some exceptions, as in the case of lice. There are a number of over-the-counter lice treatment products that you can try as an initial treatment. If lice are still present after these treatments, you should see a doctor.
Prescription drugs
Insects burrowing under the skin or sharing parasites with their host can cause a number of problems. One problem is bacterial infections associated with itchy rashes or painful ulcers and nodules. Some infections can even target your central nervous system and cause systemic disease and even death. Prescription medications such as antibiotics and anti-parasitics can be used to treat initial infections. Serious infections require more intensive medical care.
Medical treatment
If the infestation is severe, more detailed treatment is required. In some cases, insects that burrow into your skin or parasites that make a home inside you may need to be surgically removed. If the infestation causes severe tissue or other organ damage, medical care becomes more complicated and may include a range of therapies, depending on the extent of the damage.
While insect or parasite infestation may seem like a disgusting nuisance rather than an actual medical problem, see a doctor if an insect bite or mysterious rash leads to:
- Rashes that spread or don’t go away
- Nodules that grow or move below the surface
- Cellulite
- fever
- Difficulty breathing
- Visual disturbances
- Seizures
There are many dangerous signs of infection that can emanate from these creatures and you may not realize they have been bitten or attacked until later. Rashes or bumps that are painful and seem to get worse over time warrant a visit to the doctor, even if you don’t suspect an infection.
