What anti-tick products can be applied to people’s skin and clothing?
These components in the spray will help protect against ticks. But remember that it is better to treat them not with the body, but with clothing, which should cover the arms and legs as tightly as possible.
DEET
DEET (diethyltoluamide) is a chemical that repels insects and ticks. Repellents with 30% DEET provide protection for 4–4.5 hours. Spray with DEET can be applied to both skin and clothing.
Such means unsuitable for children up to two months, and then you need to look at the age of the child and try not to apply more than necessary.
Age | What is the maximum concentration of DEET and how often can it be applied? | How long does the protective effect last? |
Up to 6 months |
There is no need to use repellents; it is better to cover the stroller and crib with a mosquito net with small cells. If absolutely necessary, the spray can be used apply from 2 months (check the label) |
|
6–24 months | Spray with no more than 10% DEET and no more than once a day | 2.5–4.5 hours |
From 2 to 12 years | Spray with no more than 10% DEET up to three times daily | 2.5–4.5 hours |
From 12 years and older | Spray with no more than 30% DEET | 5–8 hours |
Pregnant and nursing | There are no studies, but it is better not to use repellents, but to avoid tick habitats and wear special clothing against them |
What to buy
Picaridin/icaridin
Another acaricide, or poison for ticks, which can be applied to both skin and clothing. 20% picaridin solution protects from 5 to 8 hours (depending on the type of tick). Maximum safe concentration is 20%.
Picaridin should not be used on children younger than 6 months.
IR 3535
This is the connection is a derivative of our amino acid – beta-alanine, therefore safe for humans. Still, it is better to look at recommendations for use for children for each product separately. The smell repels ticks, mosquitoes, midges and other insects. This repellent is usually sold mixed with SPF. This approach is not very popular with doctors, because sunscreens need to be applied more often than tick repellents.
Duration of protection will vary depending on concentration and other ingredients in the formulation, so check manufacturer’s instructions. IR3535 is considered the most effective at a concentration of at least 7.5%.
OLE and PMD
Sprays (not the oil itself!) with oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) and its component paramenthane diol (PMD) are also effective scare away ticks. The product must be updated periodically; see the manufacturer’s instructions for exact intervals.
Despite their naturalness, they cannot be apply for children under 3 years old.
Permethrin
Permethrin is a substance that does not repel, but kills insects and ticks. To prevent bites, it should not be used apply on the skin, you need to spray strictly on clothing or a tent. Before wearing treated items, you need to let the spray dry, this will take 24-48 hours.
Permethrin retains its effect even after washing (up to 70 times). But it is better to look at the packaging for the exact expiration dates, because they may differ from one manufacturer to another.
What to buy
What remedies help little against ticks?
This is not to say that they are completely useless, but, unlike the first list, they will not be able to provide full protection.
Essential oils
Indeed, many essential oils do not like insects and arachnids. For example:
- mint;
- cedar;
- garlic;
- geraniums;
- soy;
- rosemary;
- lemongrass
But use They are not needed against ticks, because no one knows how to treat skin and clothing and how often to renew them in order to accurately protect themselves. After all, if you are bitten by mosquitoes at a picnic, then most likely nothing bad will happen. But with ticks, the price of a mistake is incomparably higher: they carry encephalitis, borreliosis, Crimean hemorrhagic fever and other diseases.
In addition, essential oils often cause an allergic reaction and can increase sensitivity to the sun, which can lead to sunburn.
Overall natural does not mean harmless.
Bracelets, clips, candles
These tools can also help you let down. Even if they help, they scare away insects only around themselves, and do not surround the entire body with a protective cocoon.
If you want, light a candle or turn on the fumigator nearby, but only after you have treated your skin and clothes with proven products.
How else to protect yourself from tick bites
These tips will help to avoid bite:
- wear clothes with long sleeves and long legs;
- avoid places where there may be a lot of ticks, especially during their activity;
- choose light-colored things, because it’s easier to spot ticks on them;
- avoid forest and bush areas with tall grass and fallen leaves;
- regularly inspect yourself and your clothes so you can brush off the tick before it bites;
- upon arrival, carefully examine the entire body, including the scalp (under the hair too), ears and the surface behind them, navel, back of the knees, armpits and groin;
- after coming from the street, take a shower as soon as possible, this way you can wash off the tick if it has not had time to attach itself and you have not noticed it;
- Wash your clothes in hot water when you get home. The tick may hide in folds of clothing, and hot water and/or hot air drying will kill it.
What else you need to know about ticks 📝