- Nollywood stars you still may not know have died – This list will leave you in a big shock! (+Photos)
- Top 7 confraternities in Nigeria and their history + beliefs (Must See)
- 6 Nigerian entertainers that have died so far in 2016 (With Pictures)
- LADIES: 9 things to do if you don’t want any man to play you!
1. First Things First: Use Repellent
The best way to repel mosquitoes and other disease-carrying bugs is to use a repellent with one of the following EPA-registered ingredients, says Whitney Bowe, M.D., a New York-based dermatologist.
- DEET. This one’s the most effective and powerful. Opt for 10 to 30 percent concentration, and avoid products that contain bothsunscreen and DEET. SPF can increase the concentration of the repellent, so put your sunscreen on first and wait 10 minutes before applying DEET. Try Off! Deep Woods Insect Repellent ($7,drugstore.com).
- Picaridin. It’s very similar to a chemical compound found in pepper, making it more natural than DEET. Twenty percent picaridin should do the trick. (Both DEET and picaridin are safe to use in kids age 2 months and up.) Try Sawyer Products Premium Insect Repellent ($8, amazon.com).
- Lemon eucalyptus. While oil of lemon eucalyptus sounds natural, it’s not: Like DEET and picardin, it’s also chemically synthesized in lab (it’s also very effective). Just remember: It can only be used in kids 3 and up. And be extra careful applying around the eyes, as there’s a higher risk of irritation and temporary vision issues. Try Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent Spray($4, target.com).
Repellent lasts six to eight hours—in other words, all day. So only reapply if you’re headed back out at night or if you shower with soap and water. Use sprays in a well-ventilated area, and avoid spraying directly onto your face so you don’t breathe in the chemicals. Instead, spritz the repellent into your hands and pat it onto your face. Only apply on skin that’s not covered by your clothes.
Bowe stresses that concerns about the very rare neurological side effects of DEET (like disorientation or seizures) are vastly overstated. “The dangers of exposure to West Nile, Zika, or Lyme disease far outweigh the risk of these ingredients,” she says. “In thousands of my patients who use repellents, not one had any side effects.” The few cases where side effects have been reported, she adds, were in people who ignored the label and grossly overused the sprays, applying every hour from head to toe.
Discussion about this post