Should I be concerned of the bug bite I got traveling?

You should see your doctor. Better not to take chances if its a spider bite or something. Antibiotics may be prescribed if the bite becomes infected. A cold compress will be good until you can get to the doctor for evaluation.

I can hardly see anything except a bruise, which appears to be on its way to healing.

I’ve had some whopper bug bites. This does not look that alarming. It may itch or hurt like the dickens, but I sure wouldn’t be going to the doctor for a bite like that. Give her some ice if it hurts, or itch cream if it itches. If it develops a wheel (a raised red welt around the bite), use a ball point pen to outline it, and check it in a few minutes or an hour (depending). If it increases in size, that’s your cue to go to the doctor. If it does increase in size, put a new outline of the welt (with the time) so the doc will know how fast it’s growing.

That is pretty minor and I wouldn’t worry. But I would keep the appointment for the end of the week. Just see how it is doing 24 hours before she is scheduled so she can cancel if it things are better or keep it if they don’t improve or get worse.

I have had way worse bites. That looks like it is starting to heal.

@Seek_Kolinahr is right it just looks like a bruise to me too. I see a little red dot but it doesn’t look open or raised. It may be completely gone by the end of the week. It doesn’t look infected or red. Is it warm to touch (probably not because its not reddened)?

Thing is – if it’s a spider bite of the dangerous sort, you’d know it.

St Maarten is a Carribbean island – a volcanic island with very few species that weren’t brought there by travellers. It’s not the Congo Rainforest. No killer bees. Just mosquitoes.

That looks minor. Is she in pain? Is it itchy? Is she having any trouble with her joints? Fever?

Two benefits to keeping the appointment are that (a) she will get a physical exam and (b) it will be entered into her medical record. If at any point in the future she has strange symptoms, having this visit/exam in her record may assist with diagnosis.

For example, I was at the doctor with pneumonia recently and my doctor was looking back through my medical record and said something about a trip I went on in August (I had forgotten). She wanted to know if I had a cough while I was gone or upon my return home. I would never have included that trip in my history that I gave for my pneumonia appointment because they were unrelated in my mind.

If it gets bigger, growing consistently usually around a centimeter every 12 hours; or red streaks start growing from it, it is an emergency. If it just is red and itchy, might even hurt a little, doesn’t get worse and starts getting better, I would not worry about it. If she develops a fever it could be related, which might warrant a doctor, or sore joints.

St. Maartens is not much different than getting bitten in Florida. I don’t understand why she is so paranoid.

I’m not a doctor.