How To Avoid A Hole In Your Face Courtesy Of Your Neighborhood Brown Recluse Spider

*Imagine waking up from a sound sleep the way country singer Meghan Linsey did recently: with an “awful” stinging pain in her face.

She’d just been bitten by a brown recluse spider. She’d awakened to the little guy dying in her hand.

Sadly, Linsey did not develop super strength, agility, nor the ability to swing through the city via webs spun from her wrists.

“The swelling was the first thing, and then I ended up just having crazy, crazy symptoms,” Linsey said. “I had muscle spasms, and I had a body rash all over.”

Just over a week later, she developed an open wound at the site of the bite, which she called “a hole on my face.”

That’s what I’d call it too. This MF took a chunk outta her CHEEK!

While the hole in Linsey’s face, and brown recluse bites in general, are not common, it’s important to be aware of the arachnids, especially if you live in the south central or southeastern United States or the Midwest, where the spiders are found, and if you’ve developed an affinity for your facial flesh.

Experts say there’s a few things you need to know in case you’re bitten — and share some steps for avoiding the critters in the first place!

If you get bit, try to save the spider. While your first reaction may be to get the hell out of there and leave the spider to do whatever he wants to do somewhere else, showing the spider to your doctor can be very helpful in treating a mystery bite.
A bite can cause a wide range of symptoms, from a “red, white, and blue” appearance, to fever, muscle aches, itching, headache, chills, and a full-body rash. Another possible but more rare side effect could be a hole at the bite site — like Linsey’s!
Seek medical treatment immediately if you think a brown recluse has bitten you. Duh! Experts say apply ice right away and get to the doctor’s office or ER.
Keep an eye out for brown recluse spiders in dark, dry places. True to their name, they want to stay away from you so they hide in places like garages, wood piles, and cellars. Use caution when slipping on shoes you haven’t worn in awhile (ouch!), picking up clothes that have been on the ground for a long time, or carrying a load of lumber or firewood.