Ibu dan bapak... bicara mengenai mosquito repellents, jadi mau cerita pengalaman minggu kemarin. Aku kan mengunjunggi Ibu bersama Dio, nah Dio diajak eyangnya main di kebun, padahal dia pakai celana pendek, aku suruh ganti baju eh nggak mau, malah kabur.. ternyata saat dia kembali ke rumah, kaki dan tangannya tidak digigit nyamuk, tumben nich, biasanya pasti jadi makanan nyamuk, merah-merah.. rupanya sama mbaknya setelah mandi pagi dikasih genie di seluruh badanya,.. pantesan aja.. ternyata lama juga khasiatnya.. aku senengnya karena bahanya alami nggak ada zat kimia.. mamanya dio
Mosquito repellents: To DEET or not to DEET? http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=FL00083 Mosquitoes are an annoying part of life throughout most of the world. The most effective products for repelling them contain some concentration of the chemical N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, commonly known as DEET. Why DEET? "Even after 40 years on the market, DEET remains the gold standard of insect repellents," says Mark Fradin, M.D., a dermatologist from Chapel Hill, N.C., who authored a clinician's guide to mosquito repellents published in the June 1998 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. "Researchers have searched for other compounds," Dr. Fradin says. "But no other chemical has been found that beats the broad-spectrum effectiveness and duration of protection of DEET." Protection against mosquitoes takes on a greater significance in several regions of the United States where mosquito-transmitted encephalitis and West Nile virus have been reported. DEET also offers protection against ticks, which transmit Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. DEET was developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and patented in 1946 by the U.S. Army. It has been approved for use by the general public since 1957. How DEET works Moisture, warmth, carbon dioxide and odor produced by humans are all attractants for mosquitoes. Repellents work by blocking the receptors on mosquitoes' antennae, which normally hone in on these attractants. To be effective, all exposed skin must be covered with repellent. Mosquitoes will readily find and bite any area of untreated skin. It doesn't take a high concentration of mosquito repellent with DEET to provide an effective deterrent to mosquitoes. Typically, a 25 percent to 30 percent concentration of DEET is sufficient for both adults and children. This will provide protection for about 5 hours, while a product with 5 percent to 7 percent DEET protects for only about 1 to 2 hours. The safety question Adverse reactions to DEET are rare when the product is applied properly. Most reported adverse reactions have occurred in people who incorrectly used the repellent, according to Dr. Fradin. Here are some guidelines for choosing an appropriate concentration of DEET in a repellent: Be careful not to apply a repellent to your child's hands or close to your child's mouth or eyes. It's best to avoid applying DEET products to infants. Instead, cover your baby's carriage or playpen with mosquito netting when outside. Always cover the arms and legs of your children if they will be playing near swampy areas. Adults participating in short-term outdoor activities during warm weather, such as working in the backyard, may want to choose a product with a 10 percent to 30 percent concentration of DEET. Adults who are outside for longer periods of time in areas with a high density of mosquitoes may require a stronger DEET product. A 40 percent to 50 percent DEET concentration should be sufficient. In general, use the lowest effective concentration of DEET to minimize the risk of side effects. Higher concentrations of DEET generally last longer on your skin, but concentrations of more than 50 percent DEET are rarely necessary. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers these recommendations for safe use of insect repellents: Read and follow all directions and precautions on the product label. Verify that the repellent is EPA approved. It should say so on the label. Use just enough repellent to lightly cover your skin. Don't saturate your skin. Repellents should be applied only to exposed skin or clothing or both. Don't apply repellents underneath clothing. To apply a repellent to your face, dispense it into your palms, rub your hands together and apply a thin layer to your face. Avoid contact with the eyes and mouth. Don't apply a repellent to your children's hands because children are likely to put their hands in their mouths. After applying, wipe or wash the repellent from your palms to prevent inadvertent contact with your eyes, mouth or genitals. Never use repellents over cuts, wounds or skin that is inflamed, irritated or affected by eczema. Don't inhale aerosol formulations. Be careful to not let the spray drift into your eyes. Don't spray in an enclosed room. Once inside, wash treated areas with soap and water. DEET can damage plastics, synthetic fabrics, leather and painted or varnished materials, so be careful not to get it on such things as eyeglasses, watch crystals, walls or furniture. DEET doesn't damage natural fibers, such as cotton or wool, and has no effect on nylon. For the ultimate in mosquito protection, apply a DEET product to your exposed skin and spray permethrin on your clothes. A man-made chemical, permethrin kills insects that land on clothes treated with it. Unless the product specifically states that it's waterproof, reapply DEET-containing insect repellent after swimming, getting caught in the rain or wiping off sweat. DEET alternatives If you don't want to use a product that contains DEET, or your doctor advises you to avoid DEET, other products are available that can give you limited protection. These repellents generally use plant-based oils to repel insects. In comparison with DEET-based products, plant-based repellents generally show effectiveness for a shorter period of time - usually less than 2 hours, according to Dr. Fradin. The bottom line DEET is the most effective mosquito repellent currently available. It's safe to use when you choose the appropriate concentration and use it with common sense. By Mayo Clinic staff FL00083 October 04, 2002 --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Search - Find what you’re looking for faster.
