Travel Health Advice
Going on holiday and not sure how to avoid those nasty biting insects that can ruin your holiday. Check out our travel advice section compiled by the experts at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine - don't leave home before you've read it..
> Why do I get bitten? How do mosquitoes find me?
> Why does my partner not get bitten but I do?
> Why do I react so badly to getting bitten - I never used to?
> So what can I do to stop myself getting bitten?
So what can I do to stop myself getting bitten?
Unless every inch of your skin is covered by thick clothing it isn't actually possible to completely stop yourself getting bitten. The trick is to make yourself as unappealing to mosquitoes as possible. There are a number of different products to buy as well a natural remedies and some rumours as to what will help so we've gathered them all together here – some will work better for you than others so it's worth trying several methods.
Natural solutions
Scents : avoid wearing floral scented perfumes or washing with scented soaps. Be clean though - mosquitoes are attracted to components of sweat so the cleaner you are the better. The bacteria found on sweaty feet particularly will also attract them so keep yours clean and dry if possible.
Thiamine (Vitamin B12) : Some studies have shown that increasing your consumption of Thiamine will decrease your chances of being bitten as it adds a component to sweat which mosquitoes dislike. It will take around 2 weeks to appear in sweat from when you start taking it (It is completely undetectable to humans!)
Garlic – the same theory as with Thaimine. This, however, tends to be rather more detectable to other humans.
Cinnamon – there is no worthwhile evidence that cinnamon repels mosquitoes, but if you happen to like it then it can't hurt.
Beer - rather unfortunately a study in Japan has found that drinking beer increases your chance of getting bitten for the following 24 hours or so. Can be worth considering whether you'd rather be bitten or sober!
Hang around with other people who get bitten a lot! In general, mosquitoes tend to bite children over adults and women over men. So if all else fails, hang around with people more attractive to mosquitoes than you!
Chemical Agents
There are a number of mosquito repellents available on the market today – and these can be broadly split into 3 categories – citronella based, DEET based, or electronic. All work by interfering with the chemical sensors of the mosquitoes and confusing or driving them away.
Citronella is a natural plant extract which contains a chemical which repels mosquitoes. When applied to skin, this chemical is very effective at repelling mosquitoes. Unfortunately as the active agent is only effective when in vapour form, and it vapourises very quickly, then a normal insect spray or cream is only useful for around 15-30 minutes following application. Citronella candles send the volatile active agent high in the air and generally provide practically no protection. Citronella also contains large amounts of Limonene and Linalool which can cause allergic reactions in children; so be careful when initially using a citronella based repellent.
DEET (N, N-diethyl meta-toluamide. This highly aggressive chemical is used in many places in the world and is very effective at repelling mosquitoes. It can be purchased in various strengths, including a 10% paediatric formula. The active agent in DEET is not as volatile as that found in citronella but still only provides an hour protection at most. DEET is a highly toxic chemical and should not be applied to man-made fibres as it destroys them. It is also a systemic toxin and should never be used with young children. You should avoid getting any DEET near the face, or on anything that may rub the face. You should also limit the amount of DEET used as the toxin is absorbed through the skin and can cause unpleasant effects in larger concentrations.
Electronic Devices. Mosi-magnets and similar devices meet with very mixed reaction when tested. Some people swear by them and others think they're utterly useless. The trap variety work by providing strong attractants to the mosquito encouraging them to visit. They are several hundred pounds to buy, and independent testing has been very inconclusive as to how effective they are at stopping you actually getting bitten.
'Arnywear'
Arnywear is the new way of fighting mosquitoes. Providing long term and natural protection it includes all the benefits, but none of the drawbacks, of existing solutions. Arnywear's unqiue mechanism of action means long-lasting protection for your family. Look under 'What is Arnywear' for more information.
Nigel Hill
London School of
Hygiene & Tropical
Medicine
At Arnywear we pride ourselves on working with the very best. As a result we have developed a committed team of experienced consultants covering all areas of business today.
