this post was submitted on 25 May 2024
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[–] Vinny_93 41 points 7 months ago (6 children)

Not specifically mine but definitely that of my wife: a company called Beurer in Germany makes this little tool with a small ceramic plate that you can heat. Press the hot thing against a mosquito bite and not only does the itch go away, the actual inflammation is diminished. For 20 euros one of the best impulse buys I ever did.

We've also put in an order for an electric bicycle which I think will lead to us leaving the car now often.

[–] Dagamant 14 points 7 months ago (2 children)

I looked up the bug bite thing. Im glad that someone paid attention to the way most proteins in bites/stings break down if heated. I bet it works pretty good

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

I doubt that you can get your skin hot enough to denature those proteins without damaging yourself. I've given myself a blister before trying.

[–] Dagamant 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

it says it gets to 170F. thats hot enough to get shallow stuff like mosquito bites and most stings.

[–] Lemming6969 5 points 7 months ago

That temperature is dangerous, will burn you, and the mechanism of action for these things isn't denaturation.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)
[–] Dagamant 3 points 7 months ago

im not sure and it would vary from protein to protein but the thing says it gets up to 170F which is probably enough for a fair few

[–] scorpious 9 points 7 months ago (1 children)

You can also run a spoon under hot water for a more improv tool. Works great.

[–] Vinny_93 4 points 7 months ago

It's the same principle, true enough. But this tool I think reaches higher temps which makes it more effective.

[–] QuarterSwede 9 points 7 months ago (3 children)

This is probably going to be life changing for my wife and daughter. They’re both super reactive to mosquito bites to the point of not wanting to be outside. Luckily, we live where there are only flies and moths so most of the time at home this is literally not a problem. However, when camping in the mountains it can be. Thanks for the tip!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

My partner is also allergic to mosquito bites and he got a HeatIt and it was life-changing. He previously had to stay home and permanently ice his bites to not get blood poisoning and was in huge pain, but now since it's always with him on his keychain, he can treat the stings right away before they get too bad and can go out and do pretty much everything now. He still needs to treat the stings regularly, but it's so much more portable and accessible than the ice packs he used before.
Compared to the larger devices like BiteAway, it performs a bit worse and it's a bit pricey and the durability is kinda shit, but the fact that it's always on him and ready to use (as long as you bring your keys and phone), he can treat the bites right away on the go, which makes a huge difference in effectiveness.

[–] Serinus 1 points 7 months ago

I get what you mean, but nearly everyone is allergic to mosquito bites. That's why they itch.

[–] Nefara 4 points 7 months ago

You can achieve the same thing with a metal spoon dipped in hot water, like after stirring a fresh cup of tea. It should be hot enough to hurt but not to burn/damage your skin. I've been doing this trick for ages and it works every time :)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

wife and daughter.

oh no

They

oh phew

[–] [email protected] 4 points 7 months ago

Using a hairdryer really helps do this en masse

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago

I just bought one of those as well. It works!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Over many years, I've settled on hydrocortisone cream followed by an ice cube. Those little buggers love me.

[–] Vinny_93 5 points 7 months ago

I suffer from eczema pretty badly so I always have some sort of cortisol cream nearby. They clear up any bug bites quickly. Luckily, mosquitos prefer my wife's blood over mine.