Kai Burkhardt/CNN Underscored
The weather is finally warm, which means it’s time for grilling, camping, hiking and generally spending more time outdoors. But the rising temperature doesn’t just make people crave a bit of nature; it also means bugs and insects are out in full force.
If mosquitoes, bees and other creepy-crawlies that come out in the summer often leave you at the wrong end of a bite or sting, consider trying the Bug Bite Thing (yes, that’s its name), a tool that provides relief for itchy, bothersome bites.
Created by a mom who wanted to find a better remedy for bug bites for her daughter, the Bug Bite Thing uses suction to extract the saliva or venom from a bug bite, relieving itching and swelling. It went viral after being featured on “Shark Tank” and has over 96,000 product reviews on Amazon. So, naturally, I had to get my itchy, bite-ridden hands on one to see if it truly works. So, with my own Bug Bite Thing packed away, I embarked on a week-long camping trip to see if this little treatment could give me some much-needed relief.
Bug Bite Thing
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If you constantly get bug bites in the summer, this gadget can provide some relief. It only works if you use it right after you get a bite, so if you’re vigilant, the Bug Bite Thing can spare you from hours of itchiness.
What I liked about it
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First things first, I love the Bug Bite Thing’s simplicity. It has a straightforward design and is intuitive to use. All you have to do is put the device over your bite with the plunger completely down, then slowly pull up on the finger handles. This raises the plunger, creating a ring of suction that extracts the bite’s irritant.
Suction is key, so it’s important to lay the opening as flat as possible over the bite. If it’s on an awkward part of your body, like a finger or the top of your foot, you can flip the cap and use the other side, which features a smaller suction area. Just be wary of applying it to your face or neck since those areas are more prone to bruising. If you’re not getting a good seal, apply some water to the area (especially if it’s hairy) to assist with the suction.
One thing to note is that you shouldn’t pull the plunger higher than you need to. You should feel slight suction but never any pain or pinching; there’s no need to go overboard. Once you find that balance, hold the plunger in place for 10 to 20 seconds, then push the handles down to release. Repeat these steps two or three times, and the saliva or venom that irritates should be removed.
Beyond its simplicity, I also found the Bug Bite Thing fairly effective. It didn’t work 100% of the time, but the Bug Bite Thing did help relieve most of the bites my friends and I got on our camping trip. I was bitten a couple of times on the thigh and foot, and when I noticed them early and applied the Bug Bite Thing, any itchiness went away almost instantly. Though the tool left a small hickey-like ring from the suction, it disappeared after a few minutes, and no bumps developed, only a little bit of redness.
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After passing it around to my fellow campers, I found that timeliness is the biggest key to its success. The instructions say to use the Bug Bite Thing as soon as you notice a bite, and I think that’s the most important factor in whether the Bug Bite Thing will work or not. If you notice your bite early, you can immediately extract the irritant and get relief. However, if the bite is left alone for a while, your body will start reacting to the irritant, and it’ll be too late for the Bug Bite Thing to help.
Another great perk is that it’s only $10 and can be easily cleaned and reused many times. I’ve had mine for over three years, and it’s still in fighting shape. So, if you’re prone to bug bites and attentive enough to notice them right when the insects attack, the Bug Bite Thing is definitely worth a try.
What I didn’t like about it
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The biggest downside to the Bug Bite Thing is that it’s dependent on when you notice your bite. There were several mosquito bites I didn’t find until later in the day, and even though I tried using the device, they remained itchy. The Bug Bite Thing certainly isn’t a magical cure-all to your bug problems, but it does help if you’re vigilant.
If you’re not the type to notice bugs when they bite you, this gadget probably isn’t for you. Your best bet may be to apply bug spray and stick to anti-itch creams if you get bitten. But for the price, the Bug Bite Thing is worth the investment to try out on your next hike or picnic, because if it works for you, it’s so easy to throw it in your bag and bring it anywhere. Plus, the Bug Bite Thing features a small hole in the plunger handle so you can attach it to your keys for quick and easy access.
How it compares
When looking for relief from bug bites, your first thought probably goes to anti-itch creams like hydrocortisone or other insect-bite-specific treatments like After Bite, which contains baking soda. While these are effective, if you want relief without any chemicals, your options are a lot more limited.
There are creams made from natural ingredients, such as Sallye Ander No-Bite-Me cream, which uses a combination of essential oils. Besides the suction-based design of the Bug Bite Thing, the other way to get relief is through devices that use targeted heat, such as the Bite Away. I haven’t tested any of them yet, but I love the idea of a reusable gadget like the Bug Bite Thing because you won’t have to buy and use as much anti-itch cream. However, if bites really bother you, I’d recommend keeping that cream on hand in case you miss a bite and it’s too late to use the Bug Bite Thing.
Bottom line
With a list price of just $10, the Bug Bite Thing is worth a try if you’re a mosquito magnet and even the best bug repellent sprays can’t keep the critters at bay. While it isn’t a magical device that’ll make all your bug bites disappear, it can offer relief if used correctly and quickly.
So, if you’re constantly scratching from summer bites, the Bug Bite Thing might be just the tool to finally find some relief.
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