Insect repellent sprays are applied to the skin and clothing to discourage insects from landing on that surface. The use of repellents can help prevent and control outbreaks of insect-borne diseases. Many insects carry and spread diseases such as West Nile fever, Lyme disease, bubonic plague, and others. Some repellents are very effective against pests, but contain synthetic ingredients that can be unsafe for humans. Natural insect repellents are highly effective, nontoxic alternatives that do not contain harmful synthetic ingredients.
One of the most common active ingredients found in synthetic insect repellents is DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide). DEET is a powerful insecticide used in over 400 products. Although DEET is very effective as an insect repellent, its safety record is questionable. When applied directly on the skin, over half of DEET is absorbed into the bloodstream. It can cause side effects such as skin rashes, muscle spasms, nausea, lethargy, and irritability. Severe reactions can cause seizures or death. DEET is a moderate pesticide and studies have shown that it may not be safe for use in and around water sources. Therefore, the health concerns from use of DEET far outweigh its effectiveness against insects.
Natural, safe, and effective alternatives to DEET are available. Insect repellents can be made with organic, all natural ingredients that are not unsafe for humans. These products are made from naturally occurring sources that repel certain insects. Some of these ingredients act as insecticides, while others only repel pests. These natural insect repellents are made primarily from essential oils derived from plant sources. Most natural repellents are just as effective as DEET, and they have a huge advantage because the ingredients are not toxic to humans.
Insect repellents work by using a fragrance that insects naturally avoid. This odor helps to mask the human scent that initially attracts insects. Most natural insect repellents contain the aromatic oil of citronella. Citronella is an essential oil obtained from the leaves of the plant Cymbopogon. Its lemon-like fragrance is pleasant to most people, but offensive to mosquitoes and other insects. Citronella has been approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency as a non-toxic pesticide.
Other aromatic essential oils commonly found in natural insect repellents include lavender, rosemary, peppermint, cedarleaf, lemongrass, eucalyptus, pennyroyal, and bergamot. Research has also shown that neem oil is an effective repellent for mosquitoes. Other volatile plant oils that work well as natural repellents are cinnamon, castor, cedar, clove, geranium, pine, basil, thyme, and garlic. Soybean oil has no direct insect repellent activity, but it is often used as a fixative to extend the shorter duration of action of some essential oils. Products containing multiple natural repellents tend to be more effective for more insects than those containing only a single ingredient.
Most natural repellents contain water in place of alcohol as the carrier base. Water is less volatile and does not evaporate as quickly as alcohol. Water has less dermal absorption, which leaves more repellent on the skin. Water based products will last longer because there is less need to reapply. Also, many people are sensitive to the strong aroma of alcohol, so the water-based products have a more pleasant smell.
The use of insect repellents can help control and prevent outbreaks of insect-borne diseases. Many insects carry and spread diseases such as West Nile fever, Lyme disease, and bubonic plague. Natural, organic insect repellents that do not contain harmful synthetic ingredients are available, and are just as effective. Many repellent products also serve a dual purpose and contain sunscreen to protect the skin from the sun as well as from insects.
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How Insect Repellent Works
If you are heading outdoors, you know how aggravating bugs can be. The answer, of course, is to use insect repellent to keep them from biting. Ah, but how does insect repellent actually work?
Insect repellent is used as a catch-all term, but it really covers a subset of repellents based on their active ingredient used to keep the bugs off. There are chemical products based on ingredients such as DEET. There are also natural products using active ingredients such as Citronella and oils such as lemon eucalyptus. The chemical products tend to be toxic to some extent, so repellents with natural active ingredients are generally better for you.
Given the name, most people would assume insect repellent works by repelling mosquitoes, flies and so on. Some do, but some do not. Some insect repellents work by making you smell or taste bad to a bug. Other work by masking your skin odor. The process can be analogized to stealth plane technology. The bug uses its "radar" to identify tasty humans to bite, but you are hidden from the radar by the insect repellent.
If you wear insect repellent, it is important to understand there is a second reason you may get bit. While bugs are attracted to the odor of your skin, they are also attracted to another odor you give off. In this case, we are talking about the carbon dioxide in your breath.
Insect repellents tend to be effective over only short distances. As a result, you may see mosquitoes and other bugs flying fairly closely to you. This does not mean they are biting you, but it can lead to a sensation indicating they are. The best way to determine if you are being bit is to look at the spot where the sensation is occurring. If you are, then put more repellent on!
So, should you walk around lathered in insect repellent all day long? If you are in an area with a high concentration of bugs, then you should. That being said, the biggest risk time tends to be dusk or dawn. This is the feeding time for many bugs, particularly mosquitoes.
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