How to Know When It’s a Chigger Bite

So if you can hardly even see the bug on your skin, how can you tell whether your itchy bite is from a chigger? Read on to find out what chigger bites look and feel like, as well as treatment steps and prevention tips.

“They actually bite at the hair follicle,” says Elmer Gray, PhD, an entomologist at the University of Georgia in Athens, who’s based in Arnoldsville, Georgia.

Because their bite “can cause some swelling around the bite site, that makes it look like the chigger has burrowed into the skin,” he says.

How to Tell Chigger Bites From Other Bug Bites

“It’s nearly impossible to differentiate between different types of insect or arthropod bites,” Dr. Gray says.

And as with all bug bites, reactions to chigger bites may differ among different people, says Jonathan Larson, PhD, an assistant professor of extension entomology at the University of Kentucky, which is located in Lexington.

“People can become sensitized to bites and start to react more; some people always have the same reaction, others may never react at all,” he says.

Chiggers tend to bite in skin spots that are hot and sweaty or in areas where your clothing is tight, Gray says.

According to Gray, common bite sites include:

• The skin at the tops of your shoes and socks
• At the underwear line
• At your waistband (and anywhere else your clothing fits closely to your body)
• On your ankles
• Behind your knee
• In your groin

“Mosquitoes don’t really bite at these sites because they are covered by clothing,” he says.

Chiggers are probably most known for the amount of itch they cause.

“Chigger bites are extremely itchy; there’s almost no type of bite that causes more itch,” says Gray.

• Topical anti-itch creams or lotions, like calamine cream
• Antihistamines, such as Benadryl
• Anti-parasite medication (permethrin)
• Cold compresses

The highest available strength of over-the-counter cortisone cream can also help calm the itch, says Gray.

Any areas where you would be worried about getting a tick bite, you should also be aware that chiggers could be around, says Dr. Larson.

Gray recommends the following tips to avoid chigger bites:

• Tuck your pants into your socks and your shirt into your pants.
• Treat your shoes, socks, and pants with a permethrin-based product. (This insect repellent is only approved for applications to clothing and should not be applied to the skin, he says.

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• Use bug spray or mosquito repellent.
• Stay on walking paths instead of making your way through tall grass or wilder areas.

“If you think you've been exposed to chiggers, the best prevention would be a very hot, very soapy shower with a vigorous washing of the skin with a wash rag. This will provide the best possibility of dislodging the chiggers and preventing bites,” says Gray.

In most cases, chigger bites don’t pose a serious health threat, says Gray.

• If the itchiness is interfering with your daily activities, and over-the-counter treatments aren’t enough to stop the itching or the itching continues for more than two weeks
• If the bites become open wounds because of scratching
• If the skin around the bite swells or leaks pus

• Chigger bites are caused by microscopic mite larvae that inject enzymes into the skin, resulting in intensely itchy, red welts. The bites are often found in clusters in areas like your ankles, waist, and groin.
• Though chigger bites can cause extreme itching, they usually resolve on their own. Treatments like antihistamines, anti-itch lotion, or high-strength cortisone cream can help manage the itch.
• Prevent chigger bites by wearing protective clothing, using permethrin-treated gear (not on skin) or insect repellant, and avoiding tall grasses or wooded areas.
• While chigger bites typically aren’t a serious health issue, see a doctor if the itching persists for more than two weeks or the bites become infected.