I posted about my situation yesterday but I want to update and see if anyone has any new ideas. I've been getting these "bites" for a a few weeks now. At first I got one or two weird red blotches and I thought they were spider bites. As time went on, I started getting these itchy red almost welt like bumps. They only seem to be appearing on exposed skin. It's strange because the bites don't look like typical bites to me. They look more like something that resembles hives kind of. I don't believe I'm having an allergic reaction to laundry soap or dryer sheets because I'm only getting "bites" on my exposed skin and not under my clothes.
I've checked my bed EVERYWHERE for bed bugs for weeks now! I have not even so much as seen an insect, eggs, casings, or even spots and the futon I was sleeping on was white (convinced it was bed bugs I threw out the futon and bought an air mattress as I am paranoid about sleeping so low to the floor now). I check sheets, blankets and pillows daily have not seen anything. My dog does not have fleas, I've checked her daily all over. I've had pets with fleas so I know what the bites are like and how to check. We live in a studio apartment so I thought that finding bugs would be easier but I've seen nothing but the occasional spider and a doubt the same spider is victimizing me night after night.
What I think seems weird is that I have noticed that when I sit in our leather chairs I do not experience any bites however, if I sit on the carpet my skin exposed I have gotten "bites" that are red and welt up. Yesterday I did not sit down in the apartment as I was cleaning for most the day. I ended up with three new "bites" on the back of my leg behind my knee. I felt the itch and looked immediately and saw no bug but the itchy welt instead. Two of the "bites" that were close together seemed to have grew over night and formed one welt which I think is weird. I tend to get the get "bites" when I sleep as it is the only time I am still. I am usually sitting in a plastic ikea chair, standing up or in our leather chairs (metal legs) at home. The problem seems to be the carpet and the bed. As I said, we have an air mattress now so NO cloth. I woke up this morning with a new "bite" under my jaw. I slept covered from the neck down last night. I even covered my hands as the night before I got three "bites" on my hand.
I have no idea what is causing this and it's driving me insane! My husband works 16 hrs a day so he is only home late at night to sleep and he hasn't experienced anything. I feel like I am 90% sure it could be bed bugs because I don't know what else it could be but I haven't seen anything so I can't know for certain. From reading other posts and online I'm wondering if we have carpet beetles? I've never seen ANYTHING like that in our apartment either! But I've read that the hairs can sting and cause an allergic reaction. I'm wondering if it is this now because the "bites" reminded me of stings I got from a stinging nettle plant once as a kid. Another strange thing is that sometimes I feel like a sting or prick under my clothes like there is a pointy hair in the fabric. I check immediately to see if there are bugs or bites and don't see anything.
I'm at my wits end and so stressed out to even be in our apartment! Any ideas? Thank you for reading. I really appreciate it and any help you can give me.
I know these are a lot of pictures but I think they help:
<--I know this one is hard to see but all the "bites" look like this. This one has been healing for a few days. All have a red welty circle with a small bump in middle. They look slightly like bruises as they heal.
Noticed after taking off tight jeans
strange welts
Then to my arms