For more than 60 years, DEET has reigned as the undisputed champion of insect repellents. No longer. There's now a potentially better alternative on the market:
Another popular repellent known as picaridin is now regarded as a better alternative, since its protective effect lasts longer, and it doesn't have an odor or damage items. However, like DEET, it has to be reapplied after swimming or sweating.
DEET is a widely used repellent that deters pests by making it harder for them to smell humans. Despite being effective, it has faced controversy over potential health and environmental impacts, including skin irritation and toxicity concerns. Some countries have even banned DEET due to these risks.
DEET is a reliable and highly effective insect repellent. The chemical has been in public use since 1957. The repellent is sold under numerous brand names and comes in lotion, spray and many other forms. Concentrations of DEET range from about 5% all the way up to 100%.
Studies have shown that Picaridin is effective, safe and has fewer unpleasant qualities than DEET. Picaridin is odorless, does not melt plastics, or feel oily on skin. Studies show that Picaridin is as effective as DEET when used at the same strength. Picaridin is available in brands such as Cutter and AVON.
Picaridin: This chemical hasn't been in use as long as DEET, but it's been shown to be just as safe and effective, and it has fewer downsides. A product with 20 percent picaridin can give you up to 14 hours of protection against mosquitoes and ticks, per an EPA-approved label.
The U.S. EPA considered picaridin to be slightly toxic for acute dermal and ocular exposure. Picaridin is not considered a skin irritant and is not a sensitizer, but it can cause slight to moderate eye irritation.
N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) remains the standard by which all other repellents are judged.
Yes: DEET. A repellent with DEET tells mosquitos to buzz off loud and clear. You'll need one with at least 20% DEET to protect your skin for several hours at a time, although more than 50% doesn't work any better (kids should use 10%-30%).
Avon's Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus Picaridin, a dedicated insect repellent spray, performed reasonably well against ticks and mosquitoes; it is in the middle of the pack of the 53 repellent products we tested.
It's a chemical, after all — and bodies often react to chemicals. Some people experience rashes or irritated skin after using DEET. It can also irritate your eyes if sprayed too close to your peepers. More alarming, there have been rare reports of seizures associated with DEET.
Citing human health reasons, Health Canada barred the sale of insect repellents for human use that contained more than 30% DEET in a 2002 re-evaluation "based on a human health risk assessment that considered daily application of DEET over a prolonged period of time".
Products containing DEET are typically very low risk when people use them correctly. DEET can cause skin irritation in some people, but this is rare. Some people who have used high strength DEET or had exposure to DEET over a long period have experienced adverse effects. DEET is also toxic if ingested.
DEET was only 50 percent effective against stable flies, while the coconut oil compound was more than 95 percent effective.
Mosquitoes are turned off by several natural scents, including citronella, peppermint, cedar, catnip, patchouli, lemongrass, lavender and more. You can add some of these plants to your landscaping to fend them off.
When it comes to a strong chemical such as DEET, it's best to avoid overexposure. So if you want to use DEET, skip the high concentrations. Opt for 7-to-10 percent if you only need a few hours of protection. If you need all-day protection, look for 20-30 percent DEET, ideally in a time-release formulation.
Blood Types Mosquitoes Love Most
Type B: Type B placed second in popularity. Type A: Type A Blood Type apparently tastes the worst to mosquitoes. The study found that those with Blood Type A are 50% less likely to receive a mosquito bite than those with Type O.
There is simply no evidence taking vitamin B will offer any significant protection from mosquito bites. In reality, if there was even moderate scientific evidence that taking a vitamin supplement could prevent mosquito bites, our supermarket shelves would be full of “mosquito repellent pills”.
3M Ultrathon Insect Repellent Lotion
Another top-selling mosquito repellent lotion is Ultrathon Insect Repellent Lotion from 3M. This lotion contains about 34% DEET to repel not only mosquitoes, but biting flies, chiggers, deer flies, ticks, gnats, and fleas.
PICARIDIN: This relatively new CDC-recommended active ingredient offers the same level of protection that people have come to expect from DEET in formulas that feel a little lighter and cleaner. It's a synthetic repellent compound that mimics the effects of piperine, which is found in plants that produce black pepper.
Effectiveness: Look for proven active ingredients like DEET, metofluthrin, prallethrin, and allethrin, which have been independently tested and EPA-approved for their efficacy against mosquitoes. Scent considerations: Opt for unscented or naturally scented repellents to avoid alerting game animals to your presence.
“We don't know exactly why, we don't know what it means to the mosquito, but it doesn't like it, and so it will jump away.” Research also suggests that picaridin may have some effect on mosquitoes' ability to sense odors, another trait it has in common with deet.
Picaridin has been widely used as an insect repellent in Europe and Australia, but has only been available in the United States since 2005.