# What bit my boyfriend? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 2, 2006, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bit-my-boyfriend/371157 "2006-09-02T03:10:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bit-my-boyfriend/371157/1 "2006-09-02T03:10:34Z")
Well, I don’t know that it was a bite. He came in today with these two marks on his leg. They’re bright pink and have a lighter center, and the top layer of skin there is peeling off. I gave him a spot of ringworm a few weeks ago, but that seems to be done and it didn’t really look like that anyway. We think maybe it was some kind of insect or spider, but it doesn’t hurt or itch and he never saw any bugs. (By the way, never Google Image Search “spider bites”. Just trust this.) We do have brown recluses in this state - should I start calling him Stumpy? [Bite 1](http://www.flickr.com/photos/62555962@N00/231503470/) [Bite 2](http://www.flickr.com/photos/62555962@N00/231503469/) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bit-my-boyfriend/371157/2 "2006-09-02T03:15:17Z")
[Looks like chigger bites](http://www.surviveoutdoors.com/imgs/emergency/allergic/chigger-bite.jpg) [Chiggers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_mite) ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bit-my-boyfriend/371157/3 "2006-09-02T03:23:32Z")
If they don’t go away on their own over the next few days, or if they become infected-looking, he should see a doctor, preferably a dermatologist. Obligatory story: a couple of weeks ago a woman came into my (derm) office and told the doctor that her PCP had diagnosed her with a brown recluse bite on her lower leg a few months ago, and since then had been treating it with various topical medications, tea tree oil, compresses, this and that. This had gone on for months. The dermatologist biopsied it and what he’s suspected immediately borne out- it was a squamous cell skin cancer that was now at an advanced stage and she’ll need extensive surgery. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bit-my-boyfriend/371157/4 "2006-09-02T04:31:19Z")
I must dispute the condemnation of the malt liquor treatment for chiggers; in fact, whiskey is more effective yet. Chiggers can’t be boozers, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bit-my-boyfriend/371157/5 "2006-09-02T04:33:58Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > I must dispute the condemnation of the malt liquor treatment for chiggers; in fact, whiskey is more effective yet. Chiggers can’t be boozers, you know. Damn, I was going to tell that one! ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bit-my-boyfriend/371157/6 "2006-09-02T17:39:16Z")
Shame on both of you! :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bit-my-boyfriend/371157/7 "2006-09-02T17:46:34Z")
They look the same this morning. I dunno, when I’ve had chigger bites they’ve always been a lot smaller (and always where the elastic of my underwear is, for that matter.) These are bigger. ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bit-my-boyfriend/371157/8 "2006-09-02T17:51:16Z")
Can’t your boyfriend get into a clinic and have them looked at, just to be safe? Has he put anything on them like hydrocortisone or neosporin? If so, be sure he mentions that they had no apparent effect when he does go in. Good luck to him. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bit-my-boyfriend/371157/9 "2006-09-02T18:04:26Z")
I wouldn’t trust him if I were you. I think he’s picked up an infection from [tiny whores](http://www.zeppotron.com/unnovations/shopfront.html). ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-bit-my-boyfriend/371157/10 "2006-09-02T20:52:38Z")
He hoss bin bittun by nosferatu, zee whampyre. You must rub zee vounds mit garlic, the butter of a spotted heifer, rosemary, thyme, consecrated olive oil, and a dash of paprika. Zen, he must drink a cup of sun tea (with a bit of honey, absolutely no splenda) while inhaling the fumes from a burning copy of Chicken Soup For The Soul. Only zis kon zave him.