Does the Bug Bite Thing From 'Shark Tank' Actually Work?

The company says the Bug Bite Thing’s suction tool “instantly alleviates the stinging, itching and swelling caused by insect bites and stings.” To use it, you place it against the skin over a bug bite, pull on the handles slightly, hold the tool in place for 10 to 20 seconds, then push down on the handles to release the suction. According to the product website, by suctioning out the bit of saliva or venom a bug leaves behind after a bite, “the body stops reacting”—a big claim. (More on this later.)

But how soon after a bug bite does the suction tool need to be used for it to be effective? A company representative told us that you’ll experience the best results when you use the product within the first 2 minutes of a bug bite, and that you may have to repeat the process two to three times. You can also use it on other insect bites—including those from bees, wasps, ants, and biting flies—and to remove embedded splinters or thorns, the company claims.

According to the website, this tool never expires. The representative told us multiple people can use it, too, as long as it’s cleaned after each use: “You can wash the removable cap at the end of the tool with hot, soapy water or sanitize it with an alcohol wipe.” The company’s site also says users should “avoid getting the pump portion wet to prevent the tool from losing its suction.”

Althea Chang-Cook, a multimedia content specialist at CR, owns the device and found that it relieved itching as long as she didn’t scratch the bite and used the suction tool immediately after the bite happened. She has seen a bead of what appeared to be mosquito saliva left on the skin immediately after use. She carries the Bug Bite Thing when she knows she’ll be in a mosquito-heavy area, but she also makes sure to apply bug spray beforehand. Product reviews on retailer sites are mixed, as we note in the next section.

We spoke to two experts—an entomologist and a dermatologist—for their insights. (Note: Neither of them has tried the product.) 

Karthikeyan Chandrasegaran, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of entomology at the University of California Riverside, was very skeptical about the product’s claims. He explained that mosquito bites become irritated because of the immune system’s natural response to a foreign substance (in this case, bug saliva). To fight off foreign substances, the body releases histamines. “Histamines cause the blood vessels near the bite to dilate, which leads to swelling and inflammation," he says. "Additionally, histamines can also stimulate nerve endings in the skin, causing itching.”

We asked Berson whether she recommends using the Bug Bite Thing (or any other suction tool) on pimples. She gave us a very firm no, with some warnings about what can happen when you apply suction to blemishes on your face. “Anything that traumatizes—if you have a small pimple and you squeeze it or poke at it or pick it or scratch at it—you’re basically causing more inflammation to be released at the site, and you’re probably going to make the pimple bigger, more likely to leave a spot or a scar, more likely to get infected,” she says. “Traumatizing acne is not the approach to clearing acne.”

If you happen to be someone who doesn’t find relief from the Bug Bite Thing, there are other ways to manage itchy bug bites. The most important step is to try to prevent bug bites, Berson says. “I still think that assuming you don’t have any sensitivities, you can use bug repellent. We know that deet is very effective.” (See three CR Recommended insect repellents, below.) She also suggests wearing protective clothing, like socks and long pants, when you’re spending a lot of time outdoors, and keeping windows closed, or at least screened, when indoors. To keep mosquitoes and other bugs away from your yard, she suggests keeping hedges short.

If you forget to apply bug spray and end up with bites, Berson recommends a few alternatives to the Bug Bite Thing. “If it’s a bite with just a little bit of inflammation,” she says, “sometimes you can just use an ice pack” because cold and ice reduce swelling. For itchy bites, she recommends an over-the-counter cortisone cream, but if the itching is severe, she would prescribe a prescription-strength cream. “If there is a lot of swelling, you can add in an antihistamine during the day.”