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Mosquito repellent comes in a variety of forms.
There are two basic types:
Synthetic mosquito repellent
Natural mosquito repellent
These are available as a hand applied lotion or spray. Synthetic mosquito
repellents are the most widely used and contain the chemical DEET in various
levels of concentration.
A DEET concentration level between 10 – 25% is considered adequate in the
UK
and other low risk countries. Many of the leading Mosquito repellent brands
contain 30%.
Anyone travelling to countries where there is a high risk of malaria should
consult with their doctor several weeks in advance of their proposed journey
and seek advice about anti malaria drugs.
Mosquito repellents with higher levels of DEET, 50 – 100% concentration
level
are normally recommended for high risk areas. 100% concentration should only
ever be used on clothing.
Mosquito repellent should always be used with care and it should never be
applied over cuts, abrasions or sun burnt areas of the body.
Considerable care should be taken to ensure that mosquito repellent does
not
come into contact with your eyes or mouth. It is important to wash your hands
after each application. Never allow children to apply mosquito repellent
themselves as they are more prone to touching their mouth and eyes.
The DEET content in all mosquito repellents is capable of damaging plastic.
It
can ruin sunglasses, credit cards and other plastic items. Higher levels of
DEET concentration pose a greater the risk of causing serious damage.
There is a considerable price difference between the various mosquito
repellent brands. Prices range from £5 - £10 per 100 ml. Lower prices do not
necessarily represent better value. Cheaper brands require more frequent
reapplication and therefore more frequent hand washing which is not always
convenient. The gap between reapplication can vary between 3 – 7 hours.
Mosquito and other insect repellents should be applied after sun lotion.
The
mosquito repellent will lessen the effective protection time of the sun lotion.
Manufacturers recommended mosquito repellent reapplication times cannot be
relied upon. The effective time will be shortened by a number of factors e.g.
sweating or rain etc. If mosquitoes or insects start to bite, reapply.
DEET has a powerful odour. The stronger the concentration level the
stronger
the smell.
It is important to read the manufacturers instructions. Some mosquito
repellents are not suitable for young children.
NATURAL MOSQUITO REPELLENT.
In general natural mosquito repellents need to be reapplied more frequently
than synthetic mosquito repellents. The longevity of synthetic mosquito
repellents ranges from 3 – 7 hours. Natural mosquito repellents rarely last
longer than 30 – 60 minutes as the oil evaporates.
Numerous essential oils are effective in repelling mosquito’s, these
include:
Castor oil, Citronella, Eucalyptus oil, Fennel oil, Lemongrass oil, Neem
oil,
Rosemary and Thyme.
Natural and synthetic wrist and ankle anti mosquito bands are also
available.
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