So anyway, after reading this thread I decided to kill some time surfing around for 'chigger info'.
1st, forget about nail polish. It's a myth that's been around a long time. Theory is that chiggers burrow under one's skin and nail polish will suffocate them. Reality is that they stay on the surface of the skin and — STOP HERE IF YOU'RE SQUEAMISH — use sharp, jaw-like claws to make tiny holes in your skin. Then they inject saliva that turns some of your cells into mush. To a chigger, those liquefied cells are food. When they get on you, they can stay attached to your skin for several days while they eat. Eww. Shiver just ran down my back. Eww.
Other than avoiding chiggers to begin with, there's a bunch of DIY remedies for what to do when you get bit. First thing to do is to strip nekkid and throw your clothes directly into the washing machine. Not on the floor or anywhere else. Next thing is variable. Some sites recommend a hot bath or shower. Other sites say a cold bath or shower. Just don't scratch. (right)
Aside from all of the home remedies that people swear by -- and some sound pretty dang weird but maybe they work for some — I saw a lot of recommendations for Chigg Away. It almost sounds too good to be true because it's supposed to repel chiggers as well as provide itch relief. However, it's made in Texas and is supposedly #1 with the military. Here's a link.
https://www.chiggaway.com
Oh, almost forgot. Dusting your shoes and socks and pant legs, etc., with "flowers of sulfur" (aka sulfur powder) is supposedly a good repellant. It can be found in hardware stores and some pharmacies.
That's all for now, folks.
