Smarticle Industries brings StingOut to market

HONOLULU — Smarticle Industries on Wednesday announced the launch of StingOut, a product designed to soothe the sting of the box jellyfish and the Portuguese man-of-war, which has been found in waters from Texas and Florida to the northeastern United States.

Retailing for a suggested $12.95, each StingOut kit includes a packet of a sting relief gel and plastic gloves. What's unique about the StingOut kit is that the packet itself is designed to be used as a scraper to help remove the irritating tentacles of box jellyfish. The gloves are important because when treating a jellyfish sting, no one should come into contact with the sting-producing jellyfish tentacles. Rubbing the affected area also is not advised, as it can help spread the toxins produced by the tentacles.

Jellyfish venom can continue to cause pain and discomfort for up to 10 days, and StingOut can be used on a daily basis as needed for follow-up.

"Anyone who has ever been stung by a jellyfish knows how excruciatingly painful it is," Smarticle spokeswoman Kerry Holyoak said. "A jellyfish sting can ruin an entire day — or even an entire vacation. We've developed StingOut to help people enjoy their time at the beach."