Question 1

does anyone have an effective 100% all natural insect repellant that they recommend?  any ideas?

Accepted Answer

INSECT REPELLENTS: As far as natural repellents are concerned, plant-derived insect repellents yield short-lasting protection, lasting from a few minutes to as long as 2 hours. Examples are citronella, soybean and eucalyptus oils; of the 3, eucalyptus (pmd) works best. In a 6-hour field study, 20% pmd prevented bites as well as a 20% deet. Marketed products include repel oil of eucalyptus repellent, off! botanical, .

Question 2

are there any natural insect repellants?

Accepted Answer

Yes, sort of.: There are many websites devoted to this. Common natural repellants are lemon eucalyptus oil, citronella, thyme, fennel, clove oil, b-1 vitamins and others.  I personally find that deet, common to most commerical repellants, works better, but some people have concerns about this chemical.

Question 3

could a bounce dryer sheet be used as an insect repellant?

Accepted Answer

Not helpful: Not likely to help to repel. Use deet sparingly.

Question 4

what is the most effective insect repellant on the market today?

Accepted Answer

INSECT REPELLENTS: Deet remains the criterion standard of currently available insect repellents. Marketed products include off!, cutter, repel, sawyer, ben's, and ultrathon. For most uses, choose a repellent with 5-35% deet. Repellents can be safely applied lightly to exposed skin or clothing.  In your case, apply deet in a small area of skin first watching for any signs of irritation before using  over a wider area.

Question 5

are there negative effects associated with insect repellant?

Accepted Answer

Not really: I'm sure you can find something on the internet that says that insect repellants are killing us all, but I use them.  Some people feel that an ingredient called deet is unhealthy, but it does work.  And while there might be some small unknown risk, what about the known risk of insect bites and associated diseases?  I say go for it...The benefit is worth the risk.

Question 6

at what age can insect repellant with deet safely be used on children?

Accepted Answer

Chemicals on skin: Although the info'mercials say it is safe over 2 months of age (See: http://kidshealth.org/parent/question/general/repellent.html) I'd use extreme caution for infants as their skin is quite permeable.  Remember Thalidomide; irradiating thymus glands for croup; and that live fluoroscope in the shoe store?!?

Question 7

anyone know of an effective insect repellant that does not contain deet?

Accepted Answer

INSECT REPELLENTS: As far as natural repellents are concerned, plant-derived insect repellents yield short-lasting protection, lasting from a few minutes to as long as 2 hours. Examples are citronella, soybean and eucalyptus oils; of the 3, eucalyptus (pmd) works best. In a 6-hour field study, 20% pmd prevented bites as well as a 20% deet. Marketed products include repel oil of eucalyptus repellent, off! botanical, .

Question 8

does sunblock with insect repellant still work after the expiration date on the bottle?

Accepted Answer

No: Buy fresh bottle, because ingredients degrade over time.

Question 9

does the original avon skin so soft lotion work as an insect repellant?  i heard it does and it doesn't.

Accepted Answer

Insect repellent: Testing by the usda in the 1970s, avon's skin-so-soft (sss) provided only 6-75 minutes of complete protection against mosquito bites. In one laboratory comparative study of the efficacy of insect repellents against mosquito bites, sss provided an average complete protection time of only 23 minutes. A 2008 study showed protection times up to 10 hours against mosquitoes.
Still not as good as deet.

Question 10

can vitamin b1 be used as an insect repellant?

Accepted Answer

Yes, sometimes: 50 mg of b1 a day  can help reduce your attractiveness to fleas and mosquitoes.  Studies are weak but i've seen it work for some people and it's quite safe.

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Doctor answers about:

Natural insect repellant

A member asked:

Does anyone have an effective 100% all natural insect repellant that they recommend? any ideas?

A member asked:

Are there any natural insect repellants?

A member asked:

Could a bounce dryer sheet be used as an insect repellant?

A member asked:

What is the most effective insect repellant on the market today?

A member asked:

Are there negative effects associated with insect repellant?

A member asked:

At what age can insect repellant with deet safely be used on children?

A member asked:

Anyone know of an effective insect repellant that does not contain deet?

A member asked:

Does sunblock with insect repellant still work after the expiration date on the bottle?

A member asked:

Does the original avon skin so soft lotion work as an insect repellant? i heard it does and it doesn't.

A member asked:

Can vitamin b1 be used as an insect repellant?

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