Mosquito repellents are becoming more and more in demand in the market. With the ongoing mosquito-borne Zika virus scare, why not?
It is not surprising for people to flock to supermarkets and drug stores to hoard mosquito repellents, but before the public gives mosquito repellent makers and sellers the most lucrative time of their lives, they should know the most appropriate goods to buy.
Not all mosquito repellents are created equal. Effectiveness relies on the composition of the product, so it is important for consumers to know what's inside their products so they get value for money and adequate preventive protection.
WHO Call
The World Health Organization has already deemed Zika virus to be an international public health emergency and has said that the disease may cause a severe public health crisis.
"In less than a year, the status of Zika has changed from a mild medical curiosity to a disease with severe public health implications," says WHO director-general Margaret Chan.
With this, the nonprofit product-testing group Consumer Reports has released for free its exclusive test results and ratings for the best mosquito repellents, including details about which among the products in the market can help best in fighting Aedes mosquitoes — the primary culprit for spreading the Zika virus.
What Health Experts Recommend
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people use insect repellents that contain picaridin, DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or IR3535.
The agency also advises that pregnant women, lactating mothers and infants aged 2 months old and above may safely use products that have DEET, picaridin and IR3535. This is provided that users apply the products strictly as directed on the label.
CDC prohibits the use of OLE among children aged 3 years old and below.
The Best Mosquito Repellents On The Market
With the expert recommendation as a basis, Consumer Reports tested products containing OLE, picaridin, DEET and IR3535. The group also evaluated products that have natural plant oils such as castor oil, citronella, soybean oil, geraniol and rosemary.
As per investigation, the most effective mosquito repellents to fight Aedes mosquitoes are Sawyer Fisherman's Formula Picaridin, Natrapel 8 Hour and Off! Deepwoods VIII. The first two contain 20 percent picaridin while the third one has 25 percent DEET.
All three products were able to keep mosquitoes at bay for about eight hours. However, Consumer Reports gave the crown to Sawyer as it was more effective at getting rid of ticks than the DEET products it tested.
Repel Lemon Eucalyptus, which has 30 percent lemon eucalyptus, also finished with an honorable mention as it was able to prevent mosquito bites for seven hours.
Among the products that were slashed out of the list were IR3535 products and those that contain 5 percent picaridin and 7 percent DEET.
Consumer Reports recommends staying away from products made of natural plant oils such as California Baby Natural Bug Blend and EcoSmart Organic. None of these products were able to provide protection against Aedes mosquitoes for longer than an hour.
Aside from efficacy, natural plant oil products are not registered with the Environmental Protection Agency because the agency considers them to have minimum risks to human health.
The full details and rankings of the products tested may be viewed at the Consumer Reports website.
