Ecobrands Zapperclick

[I've seen this product listed as both "Zap It!" and "Zapperclick". They appear to be absolutely identical. My review will refer to it as "Zap it!" because that's what's written on mine, but I'm confident that the picture shown with this product page is the exact same as what I've got.]

Background: I got devoured by mosquitoes on a trip to Mexico in 2009, and the assault on my system was enough to land me in hospital 3 times in a single week. (During the first two visits to different hospitals, my condition was misdiagnosed and I was given the wrong treatments; the third hospital figured out that I had developed an allergy to the mosquitoes). It seems that because I was bitten so many times (over 50 bites), my body went into some sort of shock and ultra-defence mode. As a result, I now have a very heightened sensitivity to all bug bites.

With this in mind, I intended to use as many precautions as possible for my recent trip to Hawaii. Here's how I protected myself (I'll discuss "Zap it!" in a moment):

Step 1:
Started taking Vitamin B Complex two weeks before departure. I chose one that had huge %RDA of each type of Vitamin B (I think B12 is the most vital), and always took it in the morning because it can cause really awful nightmares if you take it close to bedtime.

Step 2:
I sprayed all my holiday clothes with Sawyer's Permethrin Spray. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ANQVYU/ref=cm_cr_mts_prod_img

Step 3:
Covered all exposed areas with Ben's 30% Deet wipes every day. http://www.amazon.com/Tender-Bens-12-count-Travel-Wipes/dp/B001GAOIME/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1303674359&sr=8-5

Step 4:
Always had my "Zap It!" clicker tied to my handbag.

Step 5:
I kept some antihistamine tablets handy just in case I felt overwhelmed by itching, but luckily I didn't have to take any.

Step 6:
I also kept some anti-itch creams at the ready, but the "Zap it!" made them largely unnecessary.

...So, now that you know my 6-phase plan of assault, back to the "Zap It!".

The "Zap It!" was one of the main weapons in my arsenal against Mosquito Misery! I am so thrilled I found it, and I've passed one on to my Dad who is also allergic to bug bites.

You just click it onto the bite as soon as you notice it, and it makes a huge difference to how your body reacts.

After the big Mexico disaster of '09, I was covered in huge purple circles where each bite was - I looked like I had been attacked by an octopus with overaggressive tentacles. Last year, I got some bites that became massive, agonising blisters within 24 hours. On this Hawaii trip, with the "Zap It!" always at my side, I had minimal reactions. My ankles looked like they were going to blister, but the reaction died down about 5 times faster than ever before - the blisters never formed, in earnest. (I credit a lot of this to the "Zap It!", since most of my other measures were precautionary rather than treatment-based)

Pros:
- So affordable
- Amazing longevity
- Portable, neat
- Easy to use

Cons:

- It's not painful to use, but if your bite is on the back of your hand or foot (or similarly bony area), it can feel like you're hitting a nerve. For those areas, I would pinch the skin up and get a friend to click it (or vice versa).
- Once in a while, for no reason, the *zap* would run up my clicking finger and into my arm. This is a naaaasty feeling, like a strong static shock - I think it was sometimes because I was clicking too fast. Still, the benefits far outweigh this shuddersome annoyance.

I seriously love this product and have been raving about it to people ever since I discovered it. Buy one. Buy one for everyone you know! You won't regret it.

Happy Travels!

Having been bitten to death recently on a yoga holiday in Corfu (morning and evening classes in grassy areas) I was so grateful to my husband for having sent me on my holiday with this wonderful gadget. It is strange to think that a painfree tiny amount of electricity can have such a magical effect on insect bites - the mosquitoes found all of us very tasty - a few clicks on the bitten area reduced the itching and you could see the swelling go down with each click. Most of the group thought it was a ridiculous idea until they saw the effects and then the only 2 things disturbing our peaceful yoga classes were the call to borrow "my clicker" and the clicking of my Zapperclick giving instant relief. Thank you for whoever invented it.

This product is excellent. I spent 2 months on a mosquito infested island and the zapper was invaluable. If you get to your bites quick enough after they have occured you won't even know where you were bitten in a couple of hours time. It is almost pain free and really does work far better than anything else I have tried. I would highly recomend this product... the only downfall is that you won't be able to leave your hotel without it! And no, its not a good idea to try put it on your tongue!