To prevent bug bites, insect repellent keeps disease-spreading critters away. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC recommends only using insect repellents registered with the Environmental Protection Agency EPA , which considers insect repellents containing the following active ingredients as providing reasonable, long-lasting protection against disease-carrying insects:.
The CDC notes that not all repellents are created equal. Developed by the U. Yet, despite hundreds of products containing DEET being registered with the EPA, consumers have health concerns about the active ingredient. However, when used correctly, DEET is generally not considered harmful. While some insect repellents can have a chemical-like odor—potentially making people wary of their safety—remember that these products prevent bug bites that could carry infectious diseases.
As long as you opt for EPA-registered insect repellents , you can consider your bug spray safe, even for pregnant or breastfeeding women. As with just about any product you apply directly onto your body, one thing to be vigilant of is a potential allergic reaction, says Dr.
Engaleman, noting that DEET products, in particular, have been linked to dermatitis in some individuals. The Forbes Health editorial team analyzed more than 30 best-selling insect repellents to determine its Best Bug Sprays of Insect repellents that were considered had to be EPA-registered products.
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To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. Select Region. United States. United Kingdom. Health body. He has conducted mosquito control operations or on-site consultations in 34 countries.
We also spoke with the Environmental Protection Agency to learn more about its extensive approval process for repellent chemicals. This process is so thorough that nearly every word on a can or bottle of repellent is under the purview of the EPA. We then develop a label that tracks with the data conclusions and the safety standards in the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. The NPIC is a treasure trove of fully referenced repellent information, with comprehensive directories for each chemical and extensive links out to relevant EPA documents and peer-reviewed studies.
The Environmental Working Group , a non-profit research and advocacy organization focused on environmental and health issues, also offers detailed, well-supported research on repellent chemicals, which we reviewed.
We also talked to Travis Avery, sales and marketing director of Sawyer Products. Avery talked with us about DEET and plastic, in addition to answering some general questions about picaridin and the EPA approval process. Mosquitoes and ticks are not only annoying, but a single bite can cause some serious problems. I live in New Hampshire, and in the past 15 years, I have been treated for Lyme five times. I was lucky to spot it by the telltale bullseye rash not everyone does.
And on two of the occasions, I had to undertake the four-week course of the antibiotic treatment doxycycline, which is awful in its own right. I also have family members who have been deeply affected by Lyme. This map of West Nile incidence in shows cases in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Because these findings rely on a person seeking care and the medical provider actually reporting the case, the prevalence of bug-borne disease is likely worse than even the CDC says.
The fact that mosquitoes can, indeed, transmit a number of pathogens is extraordinary. Instead, Conlon told us, the coronavirus is actually digested by the mosquito. This is in no way unique: Ebola, HIV, rabies, and other viruses are not transmitted by mosquitoes. But even though mosquitoes and ticks are not direct vectors of the coronavirus, they can play a role in its severity.
The heart of any bottle of bug spray is the repellent chemical, so we started there before digging into specific products.
To cut to the chase, our research led us to picaridin, a repellent chemical endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. But we began our search considering all options, using expert guidance to determine what mattered most when seeking a formula to recommend. To meet EPA approval, a chemical must undergo extensive testing and evaluation for efficacy, safety, and the potential for environmental hazards.
Because these chemicals are classified as pesticides, the EPA not only approves each repellent chemical for use but also each specific product that includes that chemical. This approval extends all the way to the specific labeling on the bottle, including efficacy times, application procedures, and storage and handling.
Store shelves are loaded with repellents that are not approved by the EPA. Most of these are based on essential oils, including cedar oil, lemongrass oil, peppermint oil, and citronella oil. The fact is, essential oils make terrible bug repellents. Conlon told us that many of these have some effectiveness, but that it lasts for a very limited time. Yes, it is. Is it a good repellent? But like DEET, picaridin does have a proven track record of safety.
It appears that after a certain concentration, a maximum effectiveness is reached and additional concentration only leads to a longer protection time. Minimal drawbacks: Aside from picaridin, the other EPA-approved repellents that we considered have at least one major drawback. Oil of lemon eucalyptus PDF also available as the synthetic PMD is an extract of the eucalyptus tree and not approved for use on anyone under the age of 3 picaridin and DEET are both approved for babies as young as 2 months of age.
After testing, we realized that the biggest drawback to OLE-based repellents is that they smell really, really, really bad. We also evaluated a number of products containing permethrin , which is particularly useful against ticks and is also EPA-approved. The spray comes in multiple sizes for convenience, and it can be sprayed over skin, hair, and clothes.
Lam uses picaridin-based products for his children another CDC-recommended ingredient. This Sawyer Products repellent protects against mosquitos and ticks for up to 12 hours. It also protects against chiggers, gnats, and flies for up to eight hours, ensuring adequate coverage regardless of the environment.
For trips that require a flight: Repel insect repellent pump spray A bug spray is only useful when you actually use it—and that means finding travel-size options for certain trips.
For furry friends: Meow Meow Tweet insect repellent With whimsical packaging and a light scent, the Meow Meow Tweet repellent spray has an apple cider vinegar and essential oil base that is safe for humans and dogs alike. For children: Sawyer Products 20 percent picaridin insect repellent While DEET is approved for use on children with no age restriction, per the EPA , some parents may prefer alternatives.
Along with mosquitoes, the repellent is meant to ward off ticks, biting flies, gnats, no-see-ums, chiggers and fleas. This repellent is meant to protect against mosquitoes, ticks, and chiggers. It has an average 4. Notably, this bestselling repellent boasts an average 4. Another popular pick with Amazon shoppers, this repellent has earned an average 4. The repellent features 20 percent picaridin in its formula with up to hour protection against mosquitoes and ticks, along with eight hours of protection against flies, gnats, and chiggers, the company claims.
It comes in a pack of two and is a pump spray. The spray is meant to be non-greasy, too. This repellent is formulated with 5 percent picaridin, which is meant to provide protection for three to four hours. The pump spray is meant to protect against mosquitoes. It has earned an average 4. The term might seem broad — there are a lot of insects in the wild — but insect repellents , also commonly called bug sprays, usually cover mosquitoes, ticks or both, experts told us.
I know bug is a catch-all term for things that bite, but entomologists get a little squirmy about calling everything a bug. It might be even better to think of an insect repellent as targeting arthropods — broadly covering ticks, spiders and beetles, among others — Machtinger mentioned. While it might seem surprising, insect repellents are considered pesticides — even though these sprays are meant to repel, rather than impair, insects. As such, most skin-applied insect repellents — yes, repellents can also include lanterns, candles and torches — have to be registered by the Environmental Protection Agency before being marketed to the public.
The agency reviews each repellent independently to confirm its efficacy before registration, the spokesperson added.
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