Summer is finally here, and along with sun-drenched days and romantic
balmy nights are pesky little mosquitoes that buzz in your ears, and leave little
red bumps that make you scratch ‘til you bleed.
But mosquitoes are more than just an itchy summer nuisance: they carry
malaria, West Nile virus, dengue fever and encephalitis -
illnesses that can cause serious health issues and result in death. That’s why
it is important to take precautions against getting bitten.
Most of the effective commercial insect repellents on the market contain
one of two chemicals: DEET or picaridin (a synthetic
compound first made in the 1980s). Developed
by the U.S. Army in 1946, DEET was given the green light for use by the general
public in 1957. The EPA has long insisted that both these ingredients are safe
for adults and children when used according to directions. However, a Duke
University study done in 2002 concluded otherwise, showing that these
ingredients can potentially damage brain cells, cause adverse behavioral
changes, and interact badly with certain medications. More serious effects like
brain cell toxicity and death were observed in animals exposed to DEET with
greater frequency and longer-term use, suggesting that the general public should
think twice before using it with any regularity.
The skin is the largest organ in the human body, covering a surface area
of 16-22 sq. ft. and averaging somewhere between 0.5 to 4.0 mm in thickness depending upon its location. The outermost
layer of the skin, the stratum corneum, keeps external toxins from penetrating
the skin and gaining access to internal organs. However, not all toxins can be
repelled by the body, and the introduction of nanoparticles in manufacturing
(those molecules smaller than 40 nm in diameter) has been a game changer, allowing
a variety of chemical preparations to find their way past natural barriers and
into the bloodstream.
Research shows that approximately
15 percent of DEET is absorbed through the skin. Insect repellent
manufacturers openly acknowledge that the toxic effects of diethyl-meta-toluaminde
(DEET) include: reproductive disturbances, genetic material mutations, and
central nervous system disorders. The Pesticide
Information Project of Cooperative Extension Offices of Cornell University discovered way back in 1997 that, "Everglades National Park employees having extensive DEET exposure were more likely to have
insomnia, mood disturbances and impaired cognitive function than were lesser
exposed co-workers".
Feeling like you are caught
between a rock and a hard place? No worries: natural alternatives to these
synthetic chemicals do exist, and have been proven to be equally effective,
without posing long or short-term danger to your health. In fact, The U.S. Centers for Disease Control issued a statement in May 2008 equally recommending DEET,
picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus and IR3535 (an insect repellent developed by Merck) for protection against mosquitos after a study
published in 2006 found that a product containing 40% oil of lemon eucalyptus
was just as effective as products containing high concentrations of DEET.
Some of the natural oils that repel mosquitoes are:
·
Nepetalactone, also known as "catnip oil"
·
Citronella oil (requires
reapplication after 30 to 60 minutes)
·
Neem oil (has both repellent and insecticidal properties
and repels mosquitoes for up to 12 hours)
·
Bog Myrtle from
Scotland also known as sweet gale
·
Essential oil of
Eucalyptus (citriodora, globulus and radiata)
·
Essential oil of
Basil
·
Essential oil of
Geranium
·
Essential oil of
Thyme
·
Essential oil of Blue
Cypress
·
Essential oil of
Peppermint
While these oils are extremely effective, please
remember that natural remedies do require more frequent application than synthetic
preparations containing DEET, and should be applied every one to two hours,
depending upon a number of factors that include whether or not you are wearing
sunscreen, how heavily you are sweating (and thereby diluting the repellent), whether
you’ve been swimming, and how quickly the oils are evaporating on your body (when
exposed to high winds and temperatures).
It is very easy to make your own mosquito
repellent. All you need is:
1. A small spray bottle that holds about 4 oz. (120 ml)
2. Your choice of 4-5 essential oils (combinations are more
effective than single oils)
3. A carrier (non-essential) oil for dilution like jojoba,
almond or any vegetable oil
4. Aloe Vera gel (optional)
Directions:
Add 30-40 drops total of a combination of
the aforementioned essential oils, to about 3 oz. of water. Do not exceed 40
drops of essential oils
.
My favorite combination includes geranium,
basil, thyme, eucalyptus and peppermint. I also like to add 1 tablespoon of
aloe vera gel, 1 tablespoon of jojoba oil, and 1 teaspoon of neem oil, so I
reduce the total amount of water to about 2.5 oz. to allow for these additional
ingredients.
Shake well to combine the ingredients and
apply to the body.
2 Notes of caution:
1. Be sure to check for skin sensitivity before applying these
oils. Just because an essential oil recipe is all-natural does not mean that a
person can’t be sensitive to plant oils.
2. Do not use citrus oils directly on the skin if you plan on
being in direct sunlight, as they can cause photosensitivity. They can however,
be safely used to spray on clothing during the day or night.
Using an insect repellent made from natural
ingredients is a little extra work, but a small price to pay for protecting our
health, and reducing the amount of toxins in our bodies and our fragile
environment.
Copyright 2013 Sharon Gnatt Epel for La Ishá Natural Skin Care
#naturalskincare #naturalbeauty #beauty #mosquitorepellant #essentialoils #doityourselfbeauty #safebeauty #safeskincare #LaIsha
