Insect Repellent (DEET-based and non-DEET)
As a volunteer and traveller abroad you are probably going to be spending a lot of time outdoors, especially if you are involved with voluntary conservation work for example. Even if you are indoors, depending on your location, you may find yourself affected by biting insects. Insect repellents are arguably another essential item for the volunteer abroad in order to protect you from biting insects, particularly those that carry unwelcome diseases like mosquitos which can carry malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever.
Any biting insect can be annoyance and you can help reduce bites by using some basic prevention measures including wearing long sleeves and long trousers (cotton in warm climates). If you apply a little insect repellent to your clothes this can help ward off biting insects. However, the best method of avoiding bites is to apply insect repellent to exposed parts of your skin.
DEET-based insect repellents are effective at repelling biting insects, but they should be used with care as DEET is toxic so you should always wash your hands after applying any repellent containng DEET. You can buy medium and high strength applications and sprays and, again, if you apply these to your clothes as well as the exposed parts of your body you can help prevent most bites. Beware, that high strength DEET products can cause damage to plastic materials.
We have taken a look at two DEET-based repellents below and two non-DEET products. With any repellent though, regular application is important especially if you are in a very warm climate where you are sweating a lot or being rained on a lot! Do take care to read the usage instructions of all insect repellents to ensure you use them correctly and avoid any unneceaasry complications.
Finally, many insects will bite at dawn or dusk so these are the important times to use insect repellent. However, there are some particularly irritating biting insects, such as the sand flies, which are active during the day, which you will want to protect yourself against. Don't forget to apply repellent to your ankles and lower legs to deter midges and ticks, especially if you are travelling in rural areas.
Lifesystems 50 Plus Spray
This is a medium strength DEET-based insect repellent from Lifesystems for use on the skin. It gives protection from biting and stinging insects for up to eight hours depending on where you are and what you are doing. It works in two ways, repelling insects and has natural oils which act to discourage biting.
Tested at the London School of Trpoical Medicine.
You can find out more about this Lifesystems insect spray here.
Lifesystems 100 Repellent Spray
This is the maximum strength Lifesystems insect repellent for use on the skin, containing 95% DEET. It can also be used for effectively impregnating wool and cotton clothing against biting insects, which is perhaps a better use, given it's strength.
It is long lasting with each application lastng over ten hours. It is NOT suitable for children.
Learn more about this high strength insect repellent here.
Nikwax SkitoStop (non-DEET)
This is a DEET-free, water resistant insect repellent which can repel insects for up to 6 hours. It can be appied as often as you feel it necessary and is effective against the normal range of biting insects.
Find out a little more about this Nikwax SkitoStop biting insect repellent here.
Lifesystems Natural Plus
This DEET-FREE, Lifesystems insect repellent uses a derivative extract from the lemon Eucalyptus plant as the active repelling agent. It has been scientifically tested to be effective at repelling biting insects, including mosquitos, for up to 10 hours.
Discover more about the Liefsystems natural plus insect repellent.
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