Insect repellents Advice on malaria and using insect repellents
Which? Archive
This article, Insect repellents, was last updated on 07 May 2009 and is now out of date and held in our online archive for reference. Explore our latest Home & garden articles.
Protect yourself against malaria
If you are going anywhere where you think there might be a risk of malaria, or any other infectious disease, then it is important that you seek medical advice and discuss your trip with your health advisor or doctor.
This should be done several weeks before you travel as some anti malaria drugs must be taken before and after your travel.
Insect repellents are only your first line of defence and should not be relied on alone.
Further detailed information can be found online at:
- The NHS
- The National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC)
- The Health Protection Agency (HPA)
- The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
Get the best out of your insect repellent
Follow our tips below to make sure you get have the best chance of avoiding bites and get the best out of your insect repellent.
Checklist
General advice on the use of insect repellents
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Apply sparingly. The best insect repellents give full protection with a moderate application – there is no need to apply large amounts of the better products.
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Keep exposed skin to a minimum by wearing long sleeved shirts and trousers. The smaller the area of skin exposed, the less insect repellent will be required.
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Do not apply insect repellents to damaged skin, such as cuts, sunburns or abrasions.
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Wash off excess insect repellent after use – you only need insect repellent while outdoors (other insect repellents such as plug-in insecticide vaporisers work well indoors).
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Reapply repellent as required – though some products claim to be effective for a certain length of time, it is more sensible reapply insect repellent as soon as you notice insects starting to bite again, or at shorter intervals than those recommended, to maintain protection.
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Many environmental factors reduce an insect repellent’s longevity, such as how much you are sweating and rainfall. Do not rely on the insect repellent manufacturer’s claims.
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Always follow the insect repellent manufacturer’s instructions regarding safety. Most insect repellents should be kept away from the eyes and mouth. If applying insect repellent to the face and neck, put it on your hands, then rub the repellent onto your skin, avoiding sensitive areas.
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Particular care should be taken to supervise young children when they’re wearing insect repellent, as they often put their hands in their mouth.
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When DEET and sunscreens are required, insect repellents containing DEET should be applied after the sunscreen. It should be remembered that DEET can reduce the effectiveness of sunscreens, but sunscreens have no effect on the efficacy of DEET.
Bite relief clickers
If you do get bitten, instant relief is only a click away.
We tested the piezoelectric ‘click’ devices on a number of human volunteers with mosquito bites under controlled conditions.
We found piezoelectric clickers do provide a significant degree of relief from the itching and irritation caused by mosquito bites.
Though there is no good evidence as to how they work; it is likely the small electrical discharge desensitises the local nerves around the bite.
