A while back, my sister told me about this gadget that comes out of Germany. It's an electronic device that produces a high and concentrated dose of heat, which you apply directly to the center of the bite as quickly as possible once you feel itching.
When I first heard about this, I thought it was just some more snake oil, like those coil bands you were around your wrist (which seem to attract more mosquitoes than they repeal). But I was amazed the first time I tried it at how well it worked, and now it's something I must carry with me at all times when I go out. I'm allergic to traditional insect repellents, so I need to use repellents made with essential oils (which sometimes work, but other times I feel like I'm just making myself tastier for mosquitoes).
It's not for everyone—some people experiencing it will feel more pain than they can tolerate from the heat. In my case, it's not an unpleasant feeling at all, and once it's done the itch really does go away.
It's precisely the kind of electronic gadget that you'll see hundreds of China manufacturers trying to copy—and because it's not regulated there'll be a lot of people who potentially can get harmed. Looking on Amazon now, I see devices from legitimate sounding companies like "Bercom Medical Devices", which are just fronts for China manufacturers. Aggravatingly, these are what are showing up first in Amazon search results.
Make sure if you get one of these, it's an authentic one from one of these German manufacturers:
Bite Away - This is the one my sister told me about that I use all the time. Most of the less-than-positive reviews are from people who don't know how to use it properly. The key is to center the small silicone circle in the middle of your bite, and press one of the buttons (one for shorter heat, one for slightly longer). It's made in Germany.
Heat It- Works the same way, but is more compact and charges using a USB port. It's also made in Germany.
Avoid devices from Beurer, which have "designed in Germany" all over their packaging, but is made in China.
