The mosquito repellent products you buy only have these ingredients that really work...

As the weather warms up

I believe someone has

Became the first mosquito victims

Anyway, sooner or later, it's all about defense

Why not start now?

This year, the editor has compiled a mosquito prevention guide early, so hurry up and take it!

When bitten by a mosquito, sometimes it is not just an itchy feeling, but you may also get some infectious diseases. More than 300 mosquito-borne viruses have been discovered in the world, such as the well-known dengue virus, chikungunya virus, and epidemic encephalitis Japanese virus.

Image source: Photo Network

Professor Ye Hui from the Infectious Diseases Center of West China Hospital of Sichuan University said that in our country, the most common mosquito-borne diseases are dengue fever, malaria, and epidemic encephalitis Japanese (JE) , all of which are Class B infectious diseases listed by the state.

Once a "lucky mosquito" bites a patient with these diseases, it will instantly become a "virus spreader" and randomly select the next unlucky person...

Being able to encounter mosquitoes carrying viruses in the vast "sea of ​​mosquitoes" depends not only on luck and fate, but also on factors such as the number of mosquitoes, the area they are located in, mosquito prevention measures, and the intensity of mosquito control.

To put it simply - be serious about mosquito prevention and be ruthless about mosquito extermination, and don't give them the opportunity to act recklessly.

After years of fighting mosquitoes, everyone should have rich experience in protection.

Mosquito repellent bracelets, mosquito repellent patches, mosquito repellent liquids, mosquito nets, mosquito coils, wearing light-colored long-sleeved shirts and long pants , etc. are all commonly used and effective personal protection measures.

Image source: Photo Network

But many mosquito repellent methods have some shortcomings, I believe everyone can relate to them:

Mosquito repellent bracelets and patches: They have limited range and can repel mosquitoes, but only a little bit;

Mosquito coils: only keep the house safe. Ordinary mosquito coils not only smoke out mosquitoes, but also people and pets.

Mosquito net: a fixed facility, so inconvenient that it can be called a "mosquito shelter";

Floral water: Its main function is to cool and relieve the itching caused by mosquito bites. It smells good, but its mosquito repellent effect is limited.

Long sleeves and long pants: Some mosquitoes are very aggressive and can bite through clothes, so they are impossible to stop.

In comparison, mosquito repellent is really a lifesaver and has a wider range of applications. Just spray it on your body and it can be used indoors or outdoors.

However, many people feel that the mosquito repellents they use are not always effective, and they still have to be greeted by mosquitoes every day.

At this time, you should consider whether the mosquito repellent you choose contains the right active ingredients and concentration .

Currently, the truly effective ingredients in mosquito repellents include DEET, picaridin (also known as hydroxypyridin), dimethoate, etc., among which DEET and picaridin are relatively more widely used.

DEET: It is effective against a variety of arthropods, such as mosquitoes, biting flies, chiggers, fleas and ticks, and has the most extensive application experience;

Picaridin (also known as hydroxypyridin): an emerging piperidine compound, a broad-spectrum repellent, effective against a variety of insects, such as mosquitoes, midges, ticks, sand flies, and mites;

Desmoduryl phthalate: It has been widely used for a short period of time, but its mosquito repellent effect is recognized. It has stable chemical properties and can be used in different climatic conditions.

When choosing mosquito repellent products, just pay attention to these ingredients.

Other drugs sold as insect repellents, such as citronellal, various plant oils, vitamin supplements, and herbal preparations, have mixed results.

However, it should be noted that although they are both "mosquito killers", there are still many differences in their application. Professor Ye Hui said: Common DEET and Picaridin have many differences in safety and comfort.

DEET

Serious adverse reactions to DEET are rare, but excessive skin absorption can lead to dermatitis, allergic reactions, and rare neurotoxicity.

DEET also damages some plastics and clothing made of synthetic fibers, such as spandex or rayon; leaving the skin with a greasy, clammy feeling.

☆ Most insect repellents containing DEET can be used on children, but it is not recommended for children to use sunscreen or other products that require reapplication containing DEET , because repeated application (which may be required for sunscreen ingredients) can lead to excessive exposure to DEET.

Picaridin (also known as Hydroxyperidone)

☆ Compared to DEET, Picaridin is very well tolerated, odorless, non-sticky, non-greasy, and does not irritate the skin, stain fabrics or degrade plastics.

☆ It is more friendly to pregnant women and children . According to existing data, proper use of Picaridin is unlikely to cause pregnancy problems.

☆ Suitable for pet households . Studies have shown that when picaridin was used for toxicological evaluation on mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits and dogs, its acute toxicity and chronic toxicity were rated as "very low".

Experts remind: The higher the concentration of mosquito repellent , the better. You need to consider effectiveness and safety comprehensively to make an appropriate choice.

When choosing mosquito repellent products, you can choose according to your needs. In comparison, Picaridin is milder and more applicable.

10% Picaridin can achieve a good repellent effect, which is also the "golden concentration" that takes into account both mosquito repellent effect and safety.

Image source: Photo Network

Finally, I would like to remind you that you should pay attention to the following matters when using mosquito repellent products:

▷ Apply an appropriate amount of mosquito repellent thinly on the skin, but be careful not to use too much; prevent the mosquito repellent from coming into contact with the eyes, mouth and genitals;

▷ Mosquito repellents should not be used on cuts and wounds or on inflamed, irritated or eczematous skin;

▷ Do not inhale the aerosol, do not spray in enclosed spaces or near food, and do not get it in your eyes;

▷ No need to apply mosquito repellent frequently;

▷ If you want to apply sunscreen and mosquito repellent at the same time, you should apply sunscreen first and mosquito repellent later;

▷ It is better to use a simple sunscreen and repellent product, because sunscreen often needs to be applied more frequently;

▷ Swimming, washing, sweating, wiping, exercise and rainfall will shorten the protection period.

By the way, mosquito repellent is not for you to spray when you feel itchy, its function is to repel mosquitoes! Repel mosquitoes! Repel mosquitoes! I suggest you spray it every day when you go out, and mosquitoes will stay away all summer long!

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Experts collaborating on this article

References

[1] Opinions of the General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on the Certification of Picaridin and DEET Products [J]. Bulletin of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, 2023, (12): 62.

[2] Yang Qingqing, Fan Kaiyuan, Guo Jin, et al. Research overview of new mosquito repellent ingredients and preparations[J]. Chinese Journal of Medical Science, 2024, 14(01): 52-55+102. DOI: 10.20116/j.issn2095-0616.2024.01.11.

Content Production

Editor: Zhang Fuyao

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty