Are Mosquito repellents containing DEET safe to use,please.I know there are alternatives but do need to know about the DEET ones as well.

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), July 27, 1999

Answers

Mrs. Driver (who seems to react to almost anything on any given day) and i have been using the 99.9% DEET repellents since, oh, 1983 or so and have no negative experiences.

Unless you count that funny 3rd eye she's getting...LOL

No, truly, we HAVE used it for years with no ill effects.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), July 27, 1999.

Hate to tell you, but Consumer Reports says there's a problem with Deet (so it must be true!). Apparently, it has been known to cause cancer in lab animals (okay, I know, so don't spray it on lab animals). They suggest spraying the stuff on your clothes, rather than on yourself.

You're thinking about that island, aren't ya, Chris? If the mozzies are as bad as I suspect, then you might want to look at the fine-mesh "suits" available at RealGoods.com. They also sell an electronic repellent but whether it works or not, I don't know.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), July 27, 1999.

I tried the electronic repellent. The mosquitos were all over me like ugly on Janet Reno.

When I tried Skin So Soft the bugs landed but then took off. (And my skin was silky smooth!! Grrrr) Works ok so long as you don't mind smelling like a french whore.

DEET seems to work, but I hear Black Flies drink it like soda pop.

BTW, get extra screen material for your house windows, prime trade item, comes in handy. Also, mosquito netting and some of those suits that were mentioned above.

Watch six and keep your...

-- eyes_open (best@wishes.net), July 27, 1999.

My understanding is that DEET is very toxic, especially for children. Next year in particular, you may need to weigh the toxicity of prevention against the availability of treatment.

One trick for spraying your clothes is to wear a hat with a wide, cloth band and to saturate the band.

Eastern equine encephalitis (spread by a particular species of mosquito) is endemic in my New England area. Unlike lyme disease caught in the early stages, EEE is often fatal. Around here, black flies don't kill you, they simply drive you entirely insane. I have found a strong application of DEET to help with black flies.

A couple springs ago, there was an early crop of black flies in reaction to a warmer than usual spring. I was devastated (at least extremely grouchy) when I couldn't find anything strong enough at the drug store - they weren't due in yet for the season. Since then, I have always made sure to have repellant on hand at the end of the previous year.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), July 27, 1999.

You guys are fantastic!Thanks so much for your information.

The use of Deet rang a few distant bells, which is why I asked. We are moving to St kitts in Caribbean at the end of October .I didn't notice problems with black flies last time we were out there..just wasps & centipedes & silent mosquitos called No See Ums.

We are taking netting & have no intention of having drinks on the patio in the evening unless smothered in repellent.Romantic strolls on the beach under a Caribbean moon?You cannot be serious !

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), July 27, 1999.

Well, I haven't seen this suggestion posted here before, but as usual, I must call on memory (and in this case both long and short term memory). Sorry sometimes my posts are so vague, I have always had to write things down to remember them.

Long ago, and far, far away, my husband and I used to have time to sit around a camp fire with friends and shoot the breeze. This was in the north and the skitters where troublesome to say the least. Well, we experimented with (here is the long term memory part) Vitamin B 6 or possibly 12. We only took one supplimental tablet a day and after a time, we where not bothered by them without using any other repellant, while our friends where getting ate alive or using some form of strong repellant.

A neighbor spends vacations in FL. Last week I was talking with him and he confirmed the use of (Now the short term memory part) either Vitamin B 6 or 12. However, he said it works for some folks and not for others. Has anyone else heard this and if so which vitamin is it?

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), July 27, 1999.

I have also heard that one of the B vitamins, given to dogs, will keep fleas/ticks off them...anyone heard this ...is it true?? What kind of dose??

-- jeanne (jeanne@hurry.now), July 27, 1999.

We have been using Skin so soft for years and it always worked for us. Avon now has some new products called Bug Gard that work very well. Supposed to repel tics also. Can be bought with or without sun screen. It's supposed to be safe for kids. For those of you that will out in the woods, Avon also had a product to prevent poison ivy rash. We haven't tried it yet.

-- Homeschooling Grandma (mlaymon@glenn-co.k12.ca.us), July 27, 1999.

Like Chuck, we've been using pure deet since the early 80's. However when we used it on out 3 yr old he got the shakes so bad ho could not stand. NEVER use deet on small children.

We lived in Fairbanks at the time and the mosquitos can be horrendous. We used to loose 2 or 3 people each summer to the mosquitos. Well not directly to the mosquitos, but inderectly, they would slap themselves to death.

-Greybear

-- Got Citronella?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), July 28, 1999.

An old landscape painter taught me to put repellant on the inside of my collar and cuffs, that way it ends up on the fabric mostly & not in my bloodstream. Seems to last longer that way, too.

In a pinch I've found the Mugwort plant rubbed onto the skin works as well for me as it did the deer hunters of yore.

-- flora (***@__._), July 30, 1999.

...speaking of citronella, I planted Citrosa a few months ago, and it's taken off in my herb garden. It is supposed to be a natural insect repellent, which is why it stands guard at the perimeter of my garden.

Worth trying to reduce the number of things "bugging" you.

P.S. I also use Skin So Soft; it's fairly effective, but when mosquitos love you, they find a way.

-- Object of Their Affection

-- Sara Nealy (keithn@aloha.net), July 30, 1999.