What's the best mosquito repellent: Are you travelling abroad or within the country?

(5-minute read)

Mosquitoes are carriers of various infectious diseases, with a tendency for high mortality rates and the potential to cause epidemics. We are talking about well-known diseases such as malaria, dengue, Zika, and yellow fever, but also less common ones like chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis. Therefore, preventing mosquito bites is of high importance for travelers. But we're not just talking about people traveling abroad to countries where these diseases are prevalent.

What if I'm going to a country house or to my grandparents' family home?

Of course! The repellents we'll mention throughout this article are also effective against "local" mosquitoes. Preventing mosquito bites isn't just about preventing infectious diseases; it's also about potential allergic reactions and other conditions, which, despite being considered less severe, are debilitating and can ruin a well-deserved vacation.

So, what repellents are available?

In Portugal, the main repellents available for sale contain 3 substances: DEET (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide), IR3535 (Ethyl Butylacetylaminopropionate), and Icaridin. In addition to these synthetic repellents, citronella essential oil repellents and electric devices are also marketed.

DEET is the oldest and best-known repellent on the market. Its effectiveness is widely proven in several studies. The concentration in the repellent will determine its duration of action and who can use it. Thus:

• Formulations with 9.5% DEET are typically indicated for children aged 2 to 12 years with an average duration of action of 6 hours;
• Formulations with 20-30% DEET are indicated for outdoor use, from 13 years old, with an average duration of action between 6-7 hours, depending on the mosquito;
• Formulations with 50% DEET are indicated for travelers, from 18 years old, with an average duration of action between 9 and 12 hours, depending on the mosquito.

Related products: Previpiq Tropics Mosquito Repellent 50% DEET, available as a Spray or Roll-On; for children, Previpiq Sensitive Mosquito Repellent Spray 9.5% DEET

Icaridin has similar efficacy to DEET. It has the advantage of having a long duration of action, in addition to being less aggressive. Its concentration is around 20% in formulations sold in Portugal, it is indicated for travelers to tropical areas and protects against mosquitoes for about 6 hours. It can be used by adults, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children from 2 years old.

Related products: Parasidose Tropical Repellent Spray with 20% Icaridin

IR3535, though less known and less prevalent in our market, is the safest of all. It has the lowest level of toxicity and, depending on the formulation, can be used on babies from 3-6 months, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. It is indicated for use in tropical areas, providing protection for about 8 hours with a 20% concentration, for most mosquitoes. However, despite its efficacy being considered similar to previous repellents, studies suggest that, for malaria, DEET is clearly superior as it provides longer protection time at the same concentration.

Related products: Bodyguard Mosquito Repellent Coconut Spray, with 20% IR3535 and a pleasant coconut scent (also see all other scents in the store here); Bodyguard Mosquito Repellent Sensitive Spray, for sensitive and atopic skin, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers; Bodyguard Baby Mosquito Repellent Spray, for babies from 3 months old.

Regarding products impregnated with citronella, studies show that their effectiveness is substantially reduced compared to the repellents mentioned earlier. They can be used together, if desired. Bracelets have limited function, working only in the immediate area around them. That is, we can wear the bracelet on our hand, but our stomach or feet, if exposed, will not be protected.

Electric devices are quite effective, but most of them have an insecticidal action, meaning they kill mosquitoes, although some may also act as repellents. Furthermore, they must be plugged in for a certain period of time in an enclosed space for the air to become impregnated with the insecticide.

So, what is the best repellent for me?

The first recommendation we have to make is: don't just rely on repellent. Although extremely effective, repellents should always be combined with other preventive measures for complete protection. Thus:

• Whenever possible, wear loose-fitting clothing that covers your entire body. This way, even if mosquitoes try to bite, they will be far from your skin;
• If available, use a bed net for sleeping. Although most mosquitoes can bite at any time of day, some species are indeed more active at night. With a net, they won't be able to reach you;
• Avoid stagnant water. This is where most mosquitoes lay their eggs, so they will be "hovering" around;
• For the repellent to be effective, it must be spread over the entire exposed area. So, don't forget any "little bit";
• Although the duration of action may vary between repellents, none are water-resistant. If you go swimming, always reapply;
• If you apply sunscreen, always apply it first, let it dry, and only then apply the repellent;
• Bring extra repellent! If you don't know if you'll be able to find repellent in the area you're going to, be prepared. It will be more expensive if you contract an infectious disease.

Regarding choosing the right repellent, it will depend on a few factors:

• If you are traveling to a tropical country or an endemic area for the main diseases transmitted by mosquito bites, choose the repellent with the highest efficacy against the mosquitoes in the region you are heading to. Despite everything, DEET 50% continues to be the repellent considered most potent in most cases and the most recommended by health organizations.

Previpiq Tropics Mosquito Repellent 50% DEET Spray

€17.99 €12.59

• If you are a naturally "forgetful" person or if constantly applying repellent bothers you, opt for a repellent with a longer duration of action and, therefore, less need for reapplication.
• If the person for whom the repellent is intended belongs to a naturally sensitive group (babies, children up to a certain age, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers), opt for a repellent with proven safety in these situations. If in doubt, always consult the product leaflet or ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Bodyguard Baby Mosquito Repellent Spray 100ml

€13.99 €10.49

Finally, everything will depend on your personal preference. Do you think spray is more practical? Go for it. Do you prefer cream or lotion, in a roll-on or tube because it smells better? Perfect. As long as it's suitable for you and you're protected, there's no inconvenience. Don't forget to combine several methods for complete protection!

Your Farmácia 24 team also recommends that if you are traveling, don't forget to find out, in advance, what vaccines you should get and what medications you should bring with you. And also don't forget to bring complementary products: insect bite products, sunscreen, healing ointment, pain relievers, among others!

Fenistil Gel 1mg/g 50g

€12.50 €10.00

Uriage Pruriced SOS Bites 15ml

€7.50 €5.63

Visit our store to see our offer!

Bibliographical References:

1 - TAVARES, Melanie; DA SILVA, Márcio Robert Mattos; DE SIQUEIRA, Luciana Betzler de Oliveira; RODRIGUES, Raphaela Aparecida Schuenck; BODJOLLE-D'ALMEIDA, Lolita; DOS SANTOS, Elisabete Pereira; RICCI-JÚNIOR, Eduardo – “Trends in insect repellent formulations: A review”. International Journal of Pharmaceutics. Volume 539, Issues 1–2, 25 March 2018, Pages 190-209. Available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378517318300668

2 - NGUYEN, Quoc-Bao D.; VU, Mai-Anh N.; HEBERT, Adelaide A. – “Insect repellents: An updated review for the clinician”. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. Volume 88, Issue 1, January 2023, Pages 123-130. Available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S019096221832824X

3 - LO, Wai Ling; MOK, Ka Leung; MING, Stephanie Dorothy Yu Pui – “Which insect repellents should we choose? Implications from results of local market survey and review of current guidelines”. Hong Kong Journal of Emergency Medicine. Volume 25, Issue 5. Available at https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1024907918773630#bibr6-1024907918773630

4 - DOWNS, Martin – “Mosquito Repellents: What Works”. WebMD. Published on November 29, 2023. Available at https://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/avoid-mosquito-bites

5 - UK Health Security Agency – “Mosquito bite avoidance: advice for travellers”. Gov.Uk. Published on January 24, 2023. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mosquito-bite-avoidance-for-travellers/mosquito-bite-avoidance-advice-for-travellers--2

This article was written with the help of Artificial Intelligence.