BlueSmoke said:

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The high heat works for mosquitoes and ants. Something about the heat breaking down the proteins. For mosquitoes, the proteins that keep your blood from clotting. I would run hot water from the coffee maker, use a metal spoon, and hold it to the itch for as long as I could.

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flashplayer said:

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Stasco said:

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I got absolutely destroyed by chiggers a couple of years ago and tried everything under the sun to relieve the itching.

The one thing I found that worked best sounds completely nuts, and I never would have believed it before then, but I was desperate enough to try it and it totally helped.

Get a hair dryer, turn it on with the heat, and hold it right up near the chiggers bite. You have to let the heat build up for 5-10 seconds. The chigger bite itch/pain will build up and intensify really quickly to the point that you pretty much can't handle it anymore, then as soon as you remove the heat, it just fades away. It's almost like you're overloading it or something.

I've heard a few different theories on how it works. One is that you're overloading the itch/pain sensors to the point that they short out or something (I don't buy this), and the other is that you're actually denaturing the protein in the chigger saliva that actually causes the histamine reaction. I've never found any conclusive proof either way, all I can say is that it totally works.

They even sell a little contraption now that's basically a 9v battery powering a small incandescent bulb that does the same thing as the blow dryer. You're supposed to put it right up against the chigger bite.

Give it a try. Thank me later.

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Most proteins denature at higher temps (or over longer time periods) than what you'd be able to tolerate. The effect you speak of probably has more to do with rapid vasodilation and blood flow to the area. Interesting that this works, I'll have to try it the next time I get bit up.

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