Did you know that June is National Dengue Awareness Month? Whether you know this or not, parents are automatically cautious once the rainy month comes around because they know that attached to that is dengue season.
Before you bring out those green coils, electric bug zappers, and citronella candles, best to explore this article in Lifehacker which says that there only two ways to keep mosquitoes away: A bug spray with DEET and, yep, an electric fan.
DEET as effective repellant
According to the article, bug sprays with DEET really works as well as those with picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. “If a mosquito repellent spray (especially a “natural” one) doesn’t have one of these ingredients, it’s probably no good,” it read.
DEET and Picardin are both synthetic chemicals. DEET (or N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is the active ingredient we see in many repellent products in spray and lotion forms and is proven to be effective at preventing bites from mosquitoes, even mites.
Picaridin, on the other hand is a lesser-known repellant. It is similar to a chemical found in black pepper and has been proven to be just as effective as DEET. It is widely used in Australia, Europe and the U.S..
Oil of lemon eucalyptus, labeled as p-menthane-3,8-diol, or PMD is also synthetic but proven to be as effective as DEET, however it’s not recommended for children under 3. In the US, all three mosquito repellent ingredients are registered at its Environmental Protection Agency.
According to the article, “If a mosquito repellent spray (especially a “natural” one) doesn’t have one of these ingredients, it’s probably no good.”
A word of caution using DEET. While it has been found effective and safe for kids, parents should still take precaution, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Always follow directions on the label and do not over-apply.
Parents of children age 10 and below should be the ones applying the repellent to their kids, while avoiding the hands and areas around the eyes and mouth. Products with DEET are not recommended for babies under 2 months old, reminds the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Fan them away
If you’re not a fan of chemical-based repellents, then your other option is a fan. “Mosquitoes are weak flyers, which is why they surround you when the air is stagnant and soupy,” reads the article.
If you’re not the spray or lotion type, better bring that electric fan with you next time you hang out in your garden to watch the sunset. It’s less romantic but you’ll be safer for it.
Click here for the plants that are known to repel mosquitoes.
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