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Insect repellant

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Insect repellant is effective against biting insects. It is generally wise to apply insect repellent before going outdoors, especially between the months of May and October. If mosquitoes are biting you indoors, repellent is not necessarily the answer. Check your windows and doors for holes. Staple, tape, or tack screening to these areas to prevent more mosquitoes from entering.

When choosing an insect repellant, check the active ingredients. Many insect repellents contain a chemical known as DEET or N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide. Other active ingredients include Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus and Soy Bean Oil. Other things to check when choosing a repellent are its concentration, protection times, and use instructions. The higher the concentration of active ingredients, the longer you are protected. The actual protection times depends on several things though, so always check.

DEET is one of the most common active ingredients and is quite effective. There are, however, a few things to think about before using DEET. Children should not use DEET in concentrations higher than 15%. There are some people who react negatively to the use of DEET. If you are concerned you might be one of these people, apply DEET to a small area of your skin and wait 24 hours for a reaction to occur. Over the years, there have been only a few confirmed illnesses following the uses of DEET.

There are some precautions you should take before applying any type of insect repellent:

• You should always follow the manufacturer’s directions.
• Never apply repellent under your clothing. It is not necessary for adequate protection.
• Don’t reply repellent to cuts, wounds, or irritated skin.
• Always wash off repellent after coming indoors.
• Do not spray repellent in enclosed areas or around food or drinks.
• Do not spray repellent directly on your face. Spray it on your hands and then rub it carefully on your cheeks, forehead, and nose.
• If you are outside for a long time, reapply repellent.
• Do not exceed the maximum number of applications.

References
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-insect-bites/FA00046
http://www.medem.com/medlb/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZMO0FIA9C&sub_cat=530
http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic62.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/symptoms.htm
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/wnv/wnvfaq4.shtml

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