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Mosquito Repellent That Protects and Moisturises the Skin

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Protect your child from mosquito bites while keeping their skin safe from dryness and irritations. Choose a mosquito repellent that protects and moisturises your child’s skin.

As a parent, you fear about your child’s health and safety when you hear about dangerous mosquito-borne diseases like dengue. According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), in 2019, there were 15,998 cases reported, nearly five times the number of dengue cases for 2018. While these numbers will surely make any parent worry, it will be best to focus your attention on ways to prevent your child from acquiring the disease.

One of the preventive measures for mosquito-borne diseases is repelling mosquitoes. Nowadays, there are many options when it comes to mosquito repellent for children. You can choose from lotions, sprays, creams or impregnated materials. You can also choose an insect repellent based on its ingredients. There are products that contain DEET, while others contain Picardin, Eucalyptus, and Citronella.

Most effective insect repellent

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While there are several insect repellent options to choose from, you surely want to get the most effective product that will give more value for your money. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, insect repellents that contain DEET (chemical name N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) offer the best protection against mosquito bites. The theory behind the use of DEET as an ingredient in insect repellent is that this chemical can interrupt the receptors in the mosquito’s antennae, making it difficult for the insect to locate humans.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, insect repellents that contain DEET (chemical name N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) offer the best protection against mosquito bites

Despite the effectiveness of DEET, some parents choose DEET-free insect repellents because of their safety concerns. While others think that DEET isn’t safe for children, a study conducted by experts from Canadian Institutes for Health Research suggests otherwise. The study states that DEET-based insect repellents are relatively safe when used as recommended, and the assumption that young children are more prone than adults to the neurotoxic effects of DEET is not supported by evidence. Likewise, the study suggests that an insect repellent containing 10% DEET will provide a longer period of protection than other repellents, based on a one-time application comparison.

Insect repellent containing 10% DEET will provide a longer period of protection than other natural-based repellents

Based on a laboratory evaluation conducted by Vector Control Research Unit of Universiti Sains Malaysia, a mosquito repellent with 10% DEET showed 66% longer protective efficacy against mosquito landings compared to a citronella spray with 15% concentration.

Mosquito repellent that moisturises the skin

If your child has dry, sensitive skin or is suffering from a skin disorder like eczema, you need to be extra careful in choosing the ingredient of the insect repellent that you will apply on your child. For example, citronella may not be the best option for your child’s skin condition as the citronella oil may cause skin irritation. An article published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology reported cases of dermatitis due to oil of citronella

To be safe, use a repellent that effectively protects the skin from mosquito bites while addressing the specific needs of your child’s skin condition. One product approved by NEA as a general use insect repellent is Ceramoz® Mosquito Repellent Cream. Compared to other mosquito repellents, Ceramoz not only protects your child from mosquitoes but also moisturises your child’s skin. Suitable for all skin types, it contains ceramide-dominant 3:1:1 lipid ratio formulation, which is essential in maintaining the skin barrier function and retaining moisture.

Moreover, as it contains 10% DEET, Ceramoz is an effective mosquito repellent that is safe to be used on babies 2 months onwards and pregnant women. Additionally, this hypoallergenic repellent cream is free of ingredients that are harmful to the skin like paraben, fragrance, and colourants.

Protect your child from dreaded mosquito-borne diseases while keeping his skin safe from dryness and irritations. When choosing an insect repellent, make sure to evaluate its effectiveness and safety by checking the active ingredients and considering your child’s skin condition.

References:
DEET-based insect repellents: safety implications for children and pregnant and lactating women by Gideon Koren, Doreen Matsui, Benoit Bailey of Canadian Institutes for Health Research
https://obgyn.ucsf.edu/sites/obgyn.ucsf.edu/files/Insect%20repellent%20woman%20children_0.pdf

Fight the Bite for Protection from Malaria Guidelines for DEET Insect Repellent Use by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Department of Health & Human Services – USA
https://www.cdc.gov/malaria/toolkit/deet.pdf

Contact Dermatitis Due to Oil of Citronella – The Journal of Investigative Dermatology
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/82139238.pdf