I tried out a game-changing gadget that prevents itchy bug bites – and I’ll never travel without it again

THERE are few downsides to going away on holiday, but mosquitoes have to be among the worst.

And, as someone who apparently tastes delicious to the little insects, I have spent a lot of time on my holidays trying to prevent them from attacking me.

While repellants like deet and citronella candles have brought some success, they've never been good enough to prevent me from getting chewed up on my travels.

However, it turns out that prevention might not be the best course of action. Instead, treatment might be the way to go.

Ahead of a recent trip to Norfolk, in which I spent a weekend pretty much in the woods, I was desperate to find something that could help me avoid spending the whole trip scratching at bites.

I stumbled across the  which I was told relieves symptoms of bites by applying heat to the affected area.

I was at first sceptical, but I saw a tweet from biologist Christina Agapakis, who convinced me I should give it a go.

She said: "Shoutout to this magical device that heats up mosquito bites really hot and denatures the proteins that make them itchy."

It felt strange, willing the bugs to come and feast on me once I'd arrived on my weekend away, but five minutes after dropping my bags off, I was standing in the long grass in my shorts hoping for it to happen.

It took no time at all before a bug took up my offer of a free meal and I excitedly got the bite healer out to give it a whirl. And I was very impressed.

It works by heating up ceramic plate, which "accelerates the healing process" within three to six seconds.

The hot plate is heated as it's pressed onto the bite, which does hurt a little as it's getting to work.

However, it's a fleeting pinching feeling that gives way to total relief. There's no itching, minimal swelling and I felt a great sense of victory, like I'd finally defeated the bugs.

And, since it uses heat to ease the pain of the bites, it's chemical-free, which means it doesn't irritate the skin in other ways.

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It has two different settings, meaning it is suitable for children and adults and it also comes with separate settings for sensitive skin and regular users.

It's also compact and lightweight, making it easy to take away to wherever you're likely to get bitten by mosquitoes.

Overall, I was very impressed with the bite healer and will be putting it high on my packing list whenever I'm packing for trips in the future.

I'd obviously rather not get bitten in the first place, but knowing I have access to effective relief in just seconds offers great peace of mind.

The bite healer can be found on Amazon from £23.99.

Meanwhile, flight attendants swear by this £9 travel item whenever they fly with hand luggage.

And another travel expert has revealed why you should always pack a £1 roll of duct tape in your suitcase.