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What are the dangers of DEET?
Dangers of DEETAllergic Reactions. For some people, when DEET is applied to the skin, especially for an extended period of time, it can cause adverse reactions like redness, rash, swelling and hives. ... Seizures and Brain Malfunction. ... Gulf War Syndrome. ... Carcinogenic Properties. ... Toxic for Pets. ... Environmental Impact.
Does DEET actually repel mosquitoes?
DEET is effective in repelling mosquitoes, ticks, fleas and many other biting insects. How does DEET work? DEET works to confuse and interfere with the receptors on a mosquito's antennae, which deters mosquitoes from landing on the skin and biting.
Why did they ban DEET?
DEET-related health problems include skin rashes and scarring in adults and, in a few cases, reports of neurological problems in children. A ban would affect products that are more than 30 percent DEET. New York is the first state to propose such a ban.
Is DEET toxic to humans?
People that have left DEET products on their skin for extended periods of time have experienced irritation, redness, a rash, and swelling. People that have swallowed products containing DEET have experienced stomach upset, vomiting, and nausea. Very rarely, exposure to DEET has been associated with seizures in people.
What is the strongest mosquito repellent?
After testing 20 spray repellents, we've concluded Sawyer Products Premium Insect Repellent is the best. It has a 20% picaridin formula, making it effective against mosquitoes and ticks for up to 12 hours.
Can you spray DEET on clothes?
Using repellents on the skin is not the only way to avoid mosquito bites. Children and adults can wear clothing with long pants and long sleeves while outdoors. DEET or other repellents such as permethrin can also be applied to clothing (don't use permethrin on skin), as mosquitoes may bite through thin fabric.
Is DEET cancerous?
Despite what you may have heard about DEET, there's no evidence that DEET causes cancer in humans or animals. In fact, nearly all the DEET absorbed by your skin is eliminated by urination within 24 hours. And it's considered the most effective defense against biting insects.
Why does DEET burn my skin?
Insect repellents (e.g. N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide or DEET) applied to the skin can potentially interfere with sweat production and evaporation, thus increasing physiological strain during exercise-heat stress.
Does DEET cause neurological problems?
Social Sharing. Bug sprays using DEET can cause brain cells to die after prolonged use, according to new research. A study by Mohamed Abou-Donia of Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina has found behavioural changes and alterations to the brain in rats.
Is DEET safe on skin?
The human health risk assessment concluded that there are no risks of concern because no toxic effects have been identified when used as a dermally applied insect repellent, and there is no dietary or occupational exposure for DEET.
How long does DEET last on skin?
“A 7% DEET will give you about 90 minutes of protection, and you can always reapply it as needed,” Day says. A 30% product, he says, will last up to 10 hours. Experts will continue to study DEET for health concerns.
What is the safest insect repellent?
DEET is approved as a safe and effective insect repellent. The concentration of DEET in a product indicates how long the product will be effective—a higher concentration works for a longer time. For example, 10% DEET provides protection for about 2 hours, and 30% DEET protects for about 5 hours.
What smell do mosquitoes not like?
You can repel mosquitoes by using scents they hate, like lavender, peppermint oil, geranium oil, cinnamon bark oil, lemon eucalyptus oil, citronella oil, catnip, rosemary, and pine oil.
Do mosquitoes like clean skin?
How you smell: Mosquitoes are drawn to floral scented soaps, deodorants, perfumes, and moisturizing lotions. It sounds gross, but they are also drawn to smelly feet or socks and your sweat or skin odor; and they will use these skin-derived chemical signals and smells to find you.
Is picaridin better than DEET?
"Picaridin is a little more effective than DEET and seems to keep mosquitoes at a greater distance," he says. When people use DEET, mosquitoes may land on them but not bite. When they use a product containing picaridin, mosquitoes are less likely to even land.
Is Deet Safe for the Environment?
For the most part, yes. Plenty of deet gets into the air when you spray it (especially if you’re using an aerosol). But according to the CDC, the chemical is broken down by sunlight and by other chemicals in the air. In 5 hours time, one-half of the deet released into the atmosphere will disappear this way.
The Lowdown on Insect Repellents
Bug bites are not only annoying, they can also transmit diseases. On the ' Consumer 101 ' TV show, host Jack Rico goes inside Consumer Reports' labs to find out how CR tests insect repellents to make sure you are getting the most protection.
How does DEET work?
DEET was initially thought to block some mosquito sensory receptors responsible for sensing compounds in human sweat and breath. Further studies showed that DEET actually acts as an active repellent - repelling mosquitoes who dislike the smell of the compound.
Using DEET on kids
For kids it is recommended to only use DEET concentrations of between 10% and 30%, and don't use DEET at all on infants under 6 months old. Children older than 6 months and under 2 years old should only receive one application of DEET per day and even then it should only be 10% in concentration.
Is DEET safe?
Potential side effects of DEET include impaired ability to think, mood changes and insomnia. Seizures have also been blamed on the use of DEET. Should you notice an side effects, cease using DEET immediately and wash off the skin before consulting your doctor.
How experts shop for insect repellents
All the experts we spoke to recommend finding an EPA-registered insect repellent, sharing the same sentiment as David Brown, the technical advisor to the American Mosquito Control Association.
DEET versus DEET-free versus natural insect repellents
Think of insect repellents within three main buckets: DEET, DEET-free and natural — it’s how many are marketed.
Best insect repellents for mosquitoes and more
As experts recommended finding an EPA-registered insect repellent, we’ve included top-rated ones to consider. The EPA has an online search tool that lets you find registered repellents and we used it to check the registration numbers on each of the products below.
OFF! Active Insect Repellent I
This repellent is formulated with a concentration of 15 percent DEET, which amounts to six hours of protection, and works against mosquitoes, biting flies, gnats, ticks, chiggers, and fleas, the company says. The sweat-resistant spray meant for outdoor activities like running and hiking.
Repel 100 Insect Repellent
It’s a popular pick on Amazon, boasting an average 4.6-star rating over more than 8,200 reviews. The bestselling repellent is made with over 98 percent DEET, which offers protection that lasts for 10 hours. It’s designed to work against mosquitoes, biting flies, gnats, ticks, chiggers, and fleas, the company says.
Cutter Backwoods Insect Repellent
The repellent features 25 percent DEET in its formula, which the company claims protects for upto 10 hours. It’s sweat-resistant, too. Along with mosquitoes, the repellent is meant to ward off ticks, biting flies, gnats, no-see-ums, chiggers and fleas.
Sawyer Products SP533 Premium Ultra DEET Insect Repellent
This repellent is meant to protect against mosquitoes, ticks, and chiggers. It’s a lotion and formulated with 30 percent DEET — the company claims that the liposome (a fat you can find in some cosmetics too) base in the formula works to slowly release the active ingredient to extend the effectiveness of it, with protection lasting up to 11 hours.
Products
- Products containing DEET currently are available to the public in a variety of liquids, lotions, sprays, and impregnated materials (e.g., towelettes, roll on). Formulations registered for direct application to human skin contain from 5 to 99% DEET. Except for a few veterinary uses, DEET i…
Function
- DEET is designed for direct application to peoples skin to repel insects. Rather than killing them, DEET works by making it hard for these biting bugs to smell us. After it was developed by the U.S. Army in 1946, DEET was registered for use by the general public in 1957. Approximately 120 products containing DEET are currently registered with EPA by about 30 different companies.
Health
- After completing a comprehensive re-assessment of DEET, we concluded that insect repellents containing DEET do not present a health concern. Consumers are advised to read and follow label directions when using any pesticide product, including insect repellents. Based on extensive toxicity testing, we believe that the normal use of DEET does not present a health concern to th…
Safety
- In 2014, we completed an interim review of DEET under the Registration Review Program to ensure that it continues to meet safety standards based on current scientific knowledge. The Agency has not identified any risks of concern to human health, non-target species or the environment. View this interim registration review decision (www.regulations.gov, docket numb…
Benefits
- DEET's most significant benefit is its ability to repel potentially disease-carrying insects and ticks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) receives more than 30,000 reports of Lyme disease (transmitted by deer ticks) and 80-100 reports of La Crosse encephalitis virus (transmitted by mosquitoes) annually. A total of 48 states and the District of Columbia have rep…
Risks
- Each of these diseases can cause serious health problems or even death in the case of encephalitis. Where these diseases are prevalent, the CDC recommends use of insect repellents when out-of-doors. Studies in EPAs database indicate that DEET repels ticks for about two to ten hours, and mosquitoes from two to twelve hours depending on the percentage of DEET in the pr…
Variations
- The following additional statements will appear on the labels of all aerosol and pump spray formulation labels:
Prevention
- EPA continues to believe that the normal use of DEET does not present a health concern to the general population, including children. As always, consumers are advised to read and follow label directions in using any pesticide product, including insect repellents. If you suspect that you or your child is having an adverse reaction to a DEET product, discontinue use of the product, was…