Insect Repellent Update.
A reader asked Dr. K today which repellents were safe and effective. His answer:
August 20, 2012 6:22 PM
DEAR READER: The itch from mosquito bites — or the yuck factor of pulling a tick off your skin — can be irritating and unpleasant. But even worse are the illnesses that insects can carry, including West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis and Lyme disease.
Many people are just as wary of insect repellents as they are of bug bites. They worry that they are dangerous. But used properly, insect repellents are safe. The most effective ones are:
DEET. If you’re in an area with a lot of ticks or insect-borne illnesses, this is the repellent to use. It really gets the job done.
Lemon eucalyptus oil (or PMD, the man-made version) works nearly as well as DEET against both mosquitoes and ticks, but it shouldn’t be used on children under 3 years old.
Picaridin works well against mosquitoes, but much less well against ticks.
2-undecanone (IBI-246) is good for about four hours against mosquitoes, two hours against ticks. I recommend you avoid reapplying it, because too much exposure to these chemicals could be dangerous. So if you are going to be out for more than four hours, use one of the first three on this list.
IR3535 works for about two hours against mosquitoes and ticks. Again, I recommend you avoid reapplying it.
Permethrin works well, but shouldn’t be sprayed or rubbed on the skin — just on clothing or mosquito netting.
Other insect repellents on the market include citronella, catnip oil, bug zappers and ultrasonic devices. They may help a little, for a little while. But they can’t compete with DEET and the other repellents mentioned above.
A few safety tips for using insect repellents:
- Don’t use them on infants younger than 2 months old (instead, put mosquito netting over the baby carrier).
- Apply spray repellent outside so you are less likely to breathe it in (and won’t get it on household surfaces).
- Don’t spray a repellent directly on your face. Instead, spray it on your hand and rub some on your face. (Never put permethrin on your face.)
- Whenever you use insect repellent, always wash your hands well before eating. (That’s also good advice whether or not you’re using insect repellent.)
- Spray the repellent lightly (more is not necessarily better) on exposed skin and clothing. In particular, don’t overdo it with DEET. I had one patient who sprayed much more DEET than he needed on every square inch of his skin. He even sprayed it directly on his face, breathing it in as he did so. That patient had toxicity from DEET. Apply it lightly on the skin that will be exposed to insects and not covered by clothing.
Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School. To send questions, go to AskDoctorK.com, or write: Ask Doctor K, 10 Shattuck St., Second Floor, Boston , MA 02115.
Read more: http://www.gastongazette.com/articles/repellent-74561-insect-safe.html#ixzz24By9ldKf
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MORE IMPORTANT TIPS HERE:
http://www.babycenter.com/408_when-can-i-start-putting-bug-repellent-on-my-baby_1368479.bc
Products containing DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) or picaridin are both recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for adults and children 2 months of age and older. Picaridin is a chemical that's similar in effectiveness to DEET, but it's odorless, lighter, and less irritating. (The CDC has also recommended oil of lemon eucalyptus, but not for children younger than 3.)
• Use a product that contains up to 30 percent DEET; higher concentrations aren't recommended for children.
• Apply the DEET product just once a day.
• Apply the repellent sparingly and only to areas of exposed skin, never under clothing.
• Don't apply repellents near your baby's eyes and mouth, or to cut or infected skin.
• Avoid your baby's hands because young babies often suck on them.
• Don't use DEET products near food.
• Don't use sunscreens that contain DEET.
• When you're back indoors, use soap and water to rinse the areas of your baby's skin where you applied the repellent.
You may want to try a natural insect repellent such as citronella, but read the label first to make sure that it's safe for use on babies. (Repellent products must state any age restrictions.) Natural repellents generally don't last as long as chemical repellents, so you may need to reapply frequently.
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