If you are someone who spends a lot of their time outdoors in the summer months then you know how bad insect bites can be to our delicate skin. Those pesky little critters feast on our sensitive skin leaving behind those tell tale red, itchy welts that drive us absolutely nuts with the endless scratching. that's why its very important that we remember to use insect repellent whenever we're participating in any outdoor activity. But if you're like me, you don't like the thought of using toxic chemicals on your families skin.
What you may not realize is that most insect repellents contain a chemical called DEET, which has been linked to seizures, says the EPA. DEET has also been shown to cause brain cell death in the motor control parts of the brain. but mosquito repellent is still very important as bites from those critters have been known to spread disease, such as the West Nile Virus. However, most adults can safely use it as long as they apply it properly. And the EPA recommends that you always read all warnings and labels and follow instructions exactly as listed.
In spite of the urging that these products are safe for my family, I would still rather use more natural products with ingredients that have fewer side effects on their health. A safer product to consider for your family is Geraniol, which is a compound that comes from the geranium plant; it repels a variety of insects including mosquitoes, flies and ants. In recent studies by the EPA candles containing Geraniol were 5 times more likely to repel mosquitoes and 5 times more effective than citronella candles in preventing mosquito bites.
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is also recommended by the CDC to help keep bugs at bay. Many studies have shown that oil of lemon will repel mosquitoes and deer ticks, its sold under the name Repel.
Citronella oil has only been shown to repel mosquitoes for about 20 minutes. Avon has a very good insect repellent line called Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus, which is a very safe alternative to DEET. Bug repellent products that contain natural oils are much better for your skin and health than those products which contain toxic chemicals.
There is also a line of bug repellents that are made with all natural, food grade, plants based ingredients. This product is called Bite Blocker and is considered safe enough for children and pregnant women to use every day. It is considered to be 98% effective in preventing mosquito bites.
