taking Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B12 supplements. eating garlic or yeast extracts, or applying them to your skin. using bath oils and skin softeners.
Basically, to avoid being a mosquito-target you should stay as scent-free as possible, wear light clothes, avoid bogs and use an effective repellent (such as those containing DEET or icaridin).
Dietary supplements – vitamin B, garlic and so on – don't work. No scientific evidence shows these supplements protect people from mosquito bites. Light-based repellents don't work.
Studies dating back to the 1940s failed to provide proof of protection from mosquito bites after taking vitamin B. More recently, a 2005 study showed there was no evidence it influenced the attraction of mosquitoes to human skin-derived chemicals from volunteers taking vitamin B supplements.
The scientific consensus is, unequivocally, that oral repellents don't exist.
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.
Other factors such as blood type and breathing patterns also seem to play a role. Type O blood appears to attract the pests. So does breathing heavily — such as after a workout — which exudes more carbon dioxide around you, which attracts mosquitoes.
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.
Apply a small amount of the product to your skin or clothes to deter the pests. The potent smell keeps the mosquitoes away, however, if you do find yourself being bitten, a small amount of Vicks placed upon the bite can also help to reduce the itching.
Wear clothing and gear treated with permethrin. Permethrin is an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes. Permethrin-treated clothing provides protection after multiple washings.
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.
Can Listerine mouthwash be used in place of bug spray to repel mosquitoes? No, you cannot use Listerine in the place of a bug spray.
While some anecdotal evidence and folk remedies suggest that taking large doses of vitamin B12 or other B vitamins might reduce mosquito attraction, scientific studies have not confirmed this effect or proven it to be true.
It seems that coconut-scented soaps are among the most repulsive to mosquitoes, although the most foolproof way to repel the pests is to use a proper repellent. “Multiple publications show that coconut-derived chemicals tend to have a repellent effect on blood-feeding insects.
When possible, wear clothing with long sleeves, trousers, skirts and dresses, socks and shoes to stop mosquitoes biting your skin. Permethrin (an insecticide) treated clothing and bed nets provide additional protection against biting mosquitoes.
Many dermatologists now recommend that the skin can be made much less attractive to biting insects by taking Vitamin B supplements whilst at risk. So, we recommend that Vitamin B complex, 2 tablets twice a day, or Vitamin B-1, 100 mg daily, is a good way of helping to reduce the risk of being bitten.
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%).
A study in Nature found that a compound in deodorants (isopropyl tetradecanoate) repelled mosquitoes by preventing them from landing on the surface coated in deodorant. In fact, there was a 56% decrease in the number of mosquito landings.
Which repellent works best? N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) remains the standard by which all other repellents are judged. DEET was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was registered for use by the general public in 1957. It is effective against mosquitoes, biting flies, chiggers, fleas, and ticks.
No ingested compound, including vitamins, has been shown to be effective in repelling mosquitoes, note the authors.