Buyer beware! Mosquito repellents that don’t work!

July 30th, 2016

In the months following the spread of Zika, I’ve seen many products marketed as being effective repellents against mosquitoes, when they truly provide little or no benefit.  In my practice, I’ve also heard some “home remedies” or myths that also have no scientific basis and provide a false sense of security.  Here are a list of some of these:

• Citronella bands- colorful “bracelets” with a cotton ball soaked with citronella will not protect your entire body
• Ultrasonic devices (including smartphone Apps)- mosquitoes are attracted to heat and carbon dioxide, but are not repelled by sound waves
• Eating foods such as garlic or bananas- mosquitoes are not vampires, they don’t mind if you had a slice of pizza before going outdoors
• Using a bug zapper in your yard- you will actually end up killing more beneficial insects that feed on mosquitoes!
• Citronella candles work no better than regular candles (which provide minimal benefit as most insects don’t like fire and smoke)- light them up to create a nice ambience outdoors at night, but don’t expect the swarms of mosquitoes to magically go away
• Certain blood types are more attractive to mosquitoes-  mosquitoes are equal opportunity feeders, they cannot distinguish blood types when flying around.
• So-called “Mosquito plants”- this is a type of geranium sold at garden centers, which provide less mosquito protection than plants such as lavender, mint, and marigold which DO ward off many types of insects.

Here are things that have been proven to work:

• Remove standing water from your yard. Mosquito larvae can grow in small amounts of water, even as little as a bottle cap! Do a thorough cleaning of your yard and remove any standing water, such as bird baths, catch basins, or clogged gutters.
• Make sure your window and sliding door screens are intact. If there are holes, you should replace them immediately.
• Keep your skin covered when walking into wooded areas. My favorite fabric is linen because it covers your skin yet allows for good air circulation and keeps you cool. I also recommend tucking your pants into your socks to prevent the insects from crawling or flying into your pant legs.
• Mosquitos generally do not like air conditioning. Keeping your bedroom and house cool can prevent them from coming in.
• Avoid applying personal care products with fragrance. Mosquitos are attracted to scents such as perfumes. Even a strongly scented deodorant will attract them.
• Generally, most people get bitten at dawn and dusk periods, so be particularly careful if you are outdoors during these times. However there are mosquitos, including the two species that spread Zika, that feed during the daytime as well.
• Use a repellant with at least 20% DEET on your skin. Avoid products containing 100% DEET on your skin as they can be quite irritating. I recommend using a spray called Deep Woods Off! Another handy DEET-containing product is REPEL wipes. These are great if you want to be discrete about your mosquito avoidance and not create a plume of chemicals which could be irritating to people nearby. They are also very convenient for travel because, unlike the spray bottles, they are TSA compliant for carrying onboard airplanes.
• If you will be outdoor extensively (hiking outdoors, outdoor picnic, etc.) you should use Permethrin Spray on your clothing in addition to DEET on your skin. You can even spray the clothing the day before. Be sure to do this in a well ventilated area, preferably outdoors, and allow to dry. Do not spray permethrin on skin as this can cause irritation. A great idea is to spray a lightweight scarf or old T-shirt with permethrin and put it in a plastic bag so that if you do note that the mosquitos are biting, you can wrap up with it and be protected.
• Oil of lemon eucalyptus is approved by the CDC for its repellent qualities.  While it is less toxic than DEET, it lasts only about 6 hours, so reapplying is often necessary for full protection.
• If you are applying sunscreen and mosquito repellant spray, you should always apply the sunscreen first and then the mosquito repellant. Doing it in reverse can cause the sunscreen to slide off and become ineffective.