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Time to reconsider the bug spray
BY Dr Valerie Ulene
IT’S hard to hide from mosquitoes. Short of staying indoors, the best way to protect against their irritating bites – and the various diseases they bring – is by applying an insect repellent to your skin. But too few people bother.
“Oil of lemon eucalyptus can perform really well for moderate amounts of time outdoors,” says Zielinski-Gutierrez. In several recent studies, the oil performed as well as low concentrations .
Being “natural”, however, does not guarantee a product’s safety. Because it has not yet been extensively tested in young children, the oil is not currently approved for children younger than three.
Public health experts hope that the availability of effective newer products such as picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus will encourage people to use repellents more regularly.
The CDC recommends that everyone use repellent when they’re going to spend time outside during prime mosquito biting hours, between dusk and dawn. (In some areas, local health authorities actually encourage people to stay indoors during these times.)
Although mosquitoes seem to use a variety of signals to detect their targets, experts believe that human scents are the most important cues. Effective repellents form a barrier on the skin and interfere with a mosquito’s ability to smell you.
So if you don’t use a mosquito repellent, be forewarned: The mosquitoes will probably find you.
How to safely use repellent
Regardless of whether they’re “natural” or “artificial”, repellents have the potential to cause side-effects. Exposure to even small amounts can cause skin irritation in people sensitive to them; in very high doses, more serious problems can occur.
Here’s how to get the greatest protection from repellents with the lowest risk of side effects:
- Apply repellent to all exposed areas of skin; unprotected skin very close to a treated area can be attacked by mosquitoes. (Do not use repellent under clothing.)
- Apply sparingly, and reapply according to package label instructions (or sooner if you’re getting bitten).
- Do not allow children to handle repellent. When using repellent on children, do not apply it to their hands.
- To avoid getting repellent in your eyes, never spray it directly onto your face. Apply it to your palms first.
- Do not use repellents over cuts, wounds or irritated skin.
- To avoid ingesting or inhaling it, do not spray repellent in enclosed areas or near food.
- Avoid combination sunscreen-repellent products. Because sunscreens may need to be reapplied more frequently than repellents, using combination products could result in unnecessary repeated application of repellent.
- Wash treated skin with soap and water after returning indoors.
Source :
Health and Fitness News Service/TMSI July 2005
Note: Dr Valerie Ulene is a specialist in preventive medicine practicing in Los Angeles, California.
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