When will the oak mite reign of itchiness end?

[Anonymous]

Just came back from a 2-week vacation a few days ago and now I have bites all over me. How long do the mites live? Do we have to wash the bed sheets every day? Do they live there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've switched to showering at night and haven't gotten a bite since. Maybe a coincidence, but I recommend it.

Yes I'm showering anytime I go outside. Also, the name is a bit of a misnomer. I don't have ANY oak trees, but they're very clearly in my yard.

This. I don't want to jinx myself but showering after going outside, even hours later, helps. I even wipe any exposed skin with rag or baby wipe when I get in because I'm a spaz and don't want to deal with this again. Also - I don't think they're falling exclusively from oak trees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son got a bunch of bug bites on his torso. They are small red bumps with a tiny white dot in the center. At first I thought it’s flea bites but now I realized it’s oak mite bites. Never heard of it before. Ugh… what else is there?

These actually sound like molluscum to me? Dr always said to look closely and if the white dot is slightly recessed likes teeny volcano

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've switched to showering at night and haven't gotten a bite since. Maybe a coincidence, but I recommend it.

Why is this? Do they get washed off in the shower before biting?

Yes. I believe they also burrow in to your skin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have two bites, one on my stomach and one by my armpit. Both by the bra line. But I noticed then in the morning. From mites or something in my bed? Very red. Itchy for a few days.

Has anyone had a dermatologist explain if or why oak mites bite at night? I think what I have are oak mite bites and not bed bug bites. But why am I waking up with them? (I haven’t traveled. So no reason to have bed bugs. I do have a dog if they carry oak mites on their fur.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two bites, one on my stomach and one by my armpit. Both by the bra line. But I noticed then in the morning. From mites or something in my bed? Very red. Itchy for a few days.

Has anyone had a dermatologist explain if or why oak mites bite at night? I think what I have are oak mite bites and not bed bug bites. But why am I waking up with them? (I haven’t traveled. So no reason to have bed bugs. I do have a dog if they carry oak mites on their fur.)

+1. I am so glad I saw this post. I thought I had bed bugs but haven’t traveled in months. I have bites all over my stomach, butt, and arm pit. I always wake up with them.

[Anonymous]

There are definitely differences in how one reacts to these. DH is getting destroyed!! Like huge, painful, and crazy itchy welts all over his torso and legs. He never reacts badly to bug bites so this is a complete first.

Me on the other hand? Haven’t noticed even a single bite and I’m outside a lot and as much as him. No reactions whatsoever. Really odd thing is that I have a particularly robust allergic reaction to mosquito bites. They become super huge and if i itch one then itch somewhere else, I get a rash in that next place. I’m usually covered in bites and rashes.

Of our three kids, we have one who is getting bit alive by these and covered in big welts and two who aren’t reacting at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are definitely differences in how one reacts to these. DH is getting destroyed!! Like huge, painful, and crazy itchy welts all over his torso and legs. He never reacts badly to bug bites so this is a complete first.

Me on the other hand? Haven’t noticed even a single bite and I’m outside a lot and as much as him. No reactions whatsoever. Really odd thing is that I have a particularly robust allergic reaction to mosquito bites. They become super huge and if i itch one then itch somewhere else, I get a rash in that next place. I’m usually covered in bites and rashes.

Of our three kids, we have one who is getting bit alive by these and covered in big welts and two who aren’t reacting at all.

Yes, the funny thing is that the people in our family with super sensitive skin that overreacts to mosquito bites don’t really have any bites. Or very small reaction if they are bites.

People with regular skin are covered in huge welts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have AB and mosquitoes and now oak mites avoid me. Hmmmm.

I'm AB and am a mosquito magnet

[Anonymous]

I'm curious where do you folks think you're coming in contact with these things.

We try to spend a lot of time outside with the kids (hikes, bike rides, just playing) but haven't encountered this yet (although there was one night my 6 year old was complaining about a super itchy bug night but it was better when she woke up).

I'm only asking because I want to know if there are specific activities/locations we should avoid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have AB and mosquitoes and now oak mites avoid me. Hmmmm.

I'm AB and am a mosquito magnet

I'm B- and covered in mosquito bites after cutting the grass last night, with bug repellent on. I'm the poster who now showers at night, but before that, I was miserable with the mite bites too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two bites, one on my stomach and one by my armpit. Both by the bra line. But I noticed then in the morning. From mites or something in my bed? Very red. Itchy for a few days.

Has anyone had a dermatologist explain if or why oak mites bite at night? I think what I have are oak mite bites and not bed bug bites. But why am I waking up with them? (I haven’t traveled. So no reason to have bed bugs. I do have a dog if they carry oak mites on their fur.)

Because the bites take 10 hours to show up apparently. So usually you wake up in the am with some new ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have two bites, one on my stomach and one by my armpit. Both by the bra line. But I noticed then in the morning. From mites or something in my bed? Very red. Itchy for a few days.

Has anyone had a dermatologist explain if or why oak mites bite at night? I think what I have are oak mite bites and not bed bug bites. But why am I waking up with them? (I haven’t traveled. So no reason to have bed bugs. I do have a dog if they carry oak mites on their fur.)

I don't think they necessary bite at night it just takes a while for the bites to show up so you notice them the day after your exposure. I was getting them at our pool and this weekend I went in the water more and showered directly after we got home and didn't get any more bites. I felt like I won a war! But they have me afraid to go outside if I'm not able to come home and shower immediately after.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious where do you folks think you're coming in contact with these things.

We try to spend a lot of time outside with the kids (hikes, bike rides, just playing) but haven't encountered this yet (although there was one night my 6 year old was complaining about a super itchy bug night but it was better when she woke up).

I'm only asking because I want to know if there are specific activities/locations we should avoid.

DH and one of our kids have been getting them from our back and front yard (me and the other kids aren’t getting reactions). Every time they go outside to play, they get more. DH and one of my kids who hasn’t been getting reactions camped in our backyard the other day in a super nice tent that typically keeps all bugs and insects out. Well, oak mites apparent get through everything. DH has at least 20 huge welts everywhere from that. My son who was out there with him doesn’t have a single bite - at least not any that reacted and we can see. My baby got a few the other day just by running outside in our lawn. She was only out there for like 20 minutes 😩

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious where do you folks think you're coming in contact with these things.

We try to spend a lot of time outside with the kids (hikes, bike rides, just playing) but haven't encountered this yet (although there was one night my 6 year old was complaining about a super itchy bug night but it was better when she woke up).

I'm only asking because I want to know if there are specific activities/locations we should avoid.

I just started to notice them this week. 6 year old and I are the only ones with bites, but mine are worse. We play in the backyard and go for hikes on weekends (Kingman island, Potomac overlook). Also go to the pool which is surrounded by trees.