Mosquito bite zapper review: Zap It mosquito bite relief
Somewhere in St Lucia, a mosquito is crying at my departure. Actually, it may even be a whole colony of downcast mosquitoes based on the number of bites on my legs alone. Thank goodness for my mosquito bite zapper (what’s that? read on).
Because from my first day in the rainforest, too jetlagged to remember to put on insect repellent and nibbled on every available surface as a result, to an inexplicable set of bites with no obvious culprit, I have been a pale-skinned smorgasbord for the Caribbean’s insects.
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And while I know you shouldn’t scratch, it’s hard to resist the sheer bliss of raking your nails over the itchy bumps. I’ve never found bite relief creams to be desperately helpful though – partly because if you get bitten as much as me, you’re spreading half a tube on each application, partly because rubbing it on turns into more scratching very quickly. Which brings me to the mosquito bite zappers.
What I rely on are little devices which create a mild electrical impulse to stop the area itching, by inhibiting the natural histamine response.
If you want the technology, it’s all done by crystals (the same often used in clocks and lighters) which rapidly expand and contract to create the zap of electricity. It might sound odd, but in my experience, it works a treat – not painful, as it’s more of a buzz or pinch, plus it’s instant.
I’ve used Boots bite relief version Click It before (which treats up to 2,000 bites, and is suitable for ages four and above) but was sent Zap It to review on my trip – not that I was hoping to be bitten.
This is approximately the same price, and is available from Amazon – and while the design is a bit bigger, it’s still very compact. Certainly a lot smaller than a tube of bite relief cream.
It’s also slightly easier to hold as you click, although unless space is very limited or your fingers struggle with anything fiddly, there’s not much to choose between the two versions.
From a practical point of view, it doesn’t need a battery, has no toxic chemicals and won’t expire in your first aid kit like creams or sprays – so it’s a permanent addition to mine.
The big advantage Zap It has is that it’s suitable for kids aged over two, as most bite relief options are for older children so the alternatives are limited (and of course, a small buzzing gadget is usually more fun than a cream).
Thankfully this time, Minnie didn’t get bitten once as she is still slightly too young to use it – and a couple of years down the line, she’s still not keen on the idea of being zapped. But when the alternative is trying to persuade a toddler not to scratch, I’m keeping this firmly to hand wherever mosquitoes may fly.
Disclosure: The product was sent to me for the purposes of review – all opinions in my Zap It review are my own. It goes without saying that you should always try to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, and pack repellent, nets and malaria tablets as required. However, if the sneaky little buzzers get past your defences, I’m a big fan of these.
Image courtesy of Depositphotos, product image courtesy Zap It
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