One third of the population in the United States uses DEET as the mosquito and other pest repellant of choice. DEET is currently used in hundreds of products with concentrations up to one hundred percent.
In my opinion DEET containing products such as “Off” should be used sparingly and with caution. I see parents every summer drenching their children in DEET without stopping to consider the possible side effects of prolonged use. With repeated exposure humans may experience headaches, memory loss, muscle and joint pain, and other terrible conditions. These symptoms may not become evident until months or even years of regular exposure.
Studies on rats have shown DEET to cause neurons to die in the brains regions that control muscle movement, memory, and learning. Rats exposed to an average human dosage perform far worse when performing task involving coordination and muscle control. More studies are needed to feel comfortable enough for me to use DEET products.
My current suggestions on DEET use:
Use products containing DEET sparingly and infrequently. If you must use it in the smallest amount possible and wipe it off after it is not needed anymore.
Use precaution when using products containing DEET on children. Children are more sensitive to subtle brain changes caused by chemicals because their skin more easily absorbs them. Also, their developing nervous systems are more easily affected.
Never use products containing DEET on infants.
Is there any good alternative to DEET? We like to spend a lot of time outside, but in the summer that means mosquitoes and all the scary diseases that they can carry, not to mention the itchy bites.
Seems like all the experts tell you to use bug spray with high levels of DEET. Even Consumer Reports rate those the highest at repelling bugs. I guess from now on, we'll just make sure to wash that stuff off right away when we head back inside.
Eric@Reiki Music´s last blog ..The Very Best of Enya by Enya
wow....
that's potentially dangerous for our health
btw, you give nice suggestion
Actually I never used spray like this.
because AC will make room with no mosquito
opan@healthy eating for kids´s last blog ..The Correction- 5 Important Nutrition for Children
I cant use deet, it gives me insane headaches. a lot of people use this stuff with reckless abandon, and it's just not a good idea.
Hayward Dentist´s last undefined ..Response cached until Sat 3 @ 17:33 GMT (Refreshes in 23.86 Hours)
nice tip
that's potentially dangerous for our health
Alex@Applicazioni iPhone´s last blog ..Waze – Bon sbaglierete mai strada grazie al vostro Iphone
Hey! Eric. Try completely natural to avoid unknown ingredients or synthetic chemicals. you can try EcoSMART’s repellent instead of DEET. It is easy and safe to use...
I agree! DEET, which is the most common active ingredient in insect repellent can lead to lasting health issues and can even result in death when in case of improper handling. It has been detected at low concentrations in water bodies as a result of production and use, such as in the Mississippi River and its tributaries, where a 1991 study detected levels varying from 5 to 201 ng/L.
DEET can act as an irritant, in rare cases, it may cause skin reactions. Despite the positive things, it can bring as it will definitely keep mosquito and other insects away from you, the effect it will bring is much more than the effect these insects will cause you. It was developed by the United States Army, following its experience of jungle warfare during World War II. It was originally tested as a pesticide on farm fields, and entered military use in 1946 and civilian use in 1957.