Spiders aren't the only ones who can bite and cause skin necrosis -- Centipedes can too.
If you get unsettled when you think about insects, then thinking about insect bites will probably make you squirm even more. However, you shouldn't tune out. There is important information you need to know about insects, so that you can avoid dangerous insect bites that can lead to skin necrosis.
Understanding Necrosis
Necrosis is the unnatural death of cells or tissue, due to external factors such as lack of oxygen or infection. Necrosis is destructive because it manages to damage and inflame the cells and tissues around the infected area. In terms of insect bites, it is the cytotoxic venom that is responsible for damaging the cellular tissue.
What Happens
Two to eight hours after the seemingly painless bite, symptoms start showing. When the bite worsens, the venom starts to infect the cells and tissues, and causes a lesion to appear on the skin. Necrotic insect bites appear as a bright red patch on the skin with a necrotic center and a wall of dead skin is apparent around the infected area. In cases where the skin is extremely scarred or ulcerated, the lesion can take months to heal, and sometimes plastic surgery is necessary to remove traces of the lesion.
Insect Bites
Some members of the spider family are venomous. Bites from venomous spiders, such as the Brown Recluse, causes necrosis. In addition to spiders, bites from centipedes and fire ants can cause skin necrosis as well. If you are bitten by an insect and you notice the symptoms of skin necrosis, you should avoid food and water intake and seek medical attention.
Treatment
If you are bitten by a necrosis-causing insect, loosen tight clothing and practice first-aid remedies such as putting crushed ice on the bite. Crushed ice slows the rapid spread of venom and numbs pain. Do not put any type of ointment on the wound or drink alcohol. If at all possible, do not dispose of the insect if you managed to trap or kill it, as pinpointing the species will help doctors decide further treatment.
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