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Although Scene Green strives to offer advice on natural alternatives to most commercially available products containing chemicals, in the example of insect repellents we must note one highly important exception – DEET is the active ingredient in many commercially available insect repellents and is a chemical that is so effective that the medical profession recommends the use of products containing this chemical when traveling to areas of high risk from life-threatening mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and yellow fever. The natural alternatives recommended below should only be used as insect repellents for use in the UK where such a risk does not exist – if you are traveling to a high risk area then we have no choice but to put our concerns about chemical ingredients to one side and urge you to follow the advice of the medical profession and use a product containing DEET.
The most widespread active ingredients in commercially available insect repellent products are as follows:
DEET (diethyl-meta-tolumide) – This is the most used chemical insect repellent worldwide - an indication of it's effectiveness. Although it is highly effective as an insect repellent, it is a strong chemical and is slightly toxic for oral, dermal and eye exposure and can cause skin reactions in susceptible individuals. It can also damage certain plastics and fabrics and we have found anecdotal evidence to suggest that it can damage sunglasses and plastic shoes such as flipflops! It is also toxic in large doses – which would explain the publication in medical literature of a number of cases of illness caused by using DEET – although in almost all of these cases it was found that DEET was used inappropriately – so care must always be taken when using a product containing DEET and instructions for usage should always be followed closely.
We have found that certain literature about DEET claims that it is absorbed by the body via the skin and can accumulate in the body's fat tissue. Although it is acknowledged that it can be absorbed into the body, studies have shown that it is readily excreted via the urine.
Despite all of the above, DEET has been used in products for over 40 years, which indicates a good long term safety record, and although natural alternatives are available (see below), DEET is unrivaled in it's effectiveness as an insect repellent and as such should always be used when traveling to high risk areas which pose a threat from potentially life-threatening mosquito-borne diseases.
PYRETHRINS/PYRETHROIDS – Pyrethrins are compounds which are extracted from and occur naturally in certain chrysanthemum flowers. Pyrethroids are synthetic versions of Pyrethrins which may be more powerful and longer lasting. These compounds are biodegradable, do not accumulate in the body, are harmless to plastics and clothing and generally have a low toxicity to mammals (although inhaling large amounts can lead to some nasty symptoms such as headache, nausea, asthmatic breathing etc). However, they are highly toxic to fish and amphibians. Although these compounds are biodegradable we have been able to find no research that would indicate how quickly these compounds break down and so we can offer no advice as to when they would no longer pose a threat to aquatic life. We should also point out that these compounds are contact poisons (although not dangerous to humans in concentrations allowed in insect repellents) which inhibit the nervous system even of useful insects, such as bees.
PICARIDIN – A chemical that claims to offer equal or longer protection than identical concentrations of DEET against certain strains of mosquitoes. It is generally considered to be a much less aggressive chemical than DEET and to have no adverse effect on plastics or synthetic clothing. It also claims not to cause skin irritations, however some sources state that it is similar to DEET in that it is slightly toxic for oral, dermal and eye exposure. However, there is very little information available about this substance in the public domain, and most of what is available is published by the manufacturer. We have no idea how it works.
NATURAL ALTERNATIVES -
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus – one of the most effective natural insect repellents. Although it is a natural oil, it is very strong and products containing high concentrations should not be used on children under the age of three years or by women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Neem Oil - The Neem tree is an evergreen tree native to Burma and India and has been used there for centuries as a natural insect repellent and recent studies have indicated that it does deter some biting insects. External use only.
Citronella – a traditional insect repellent – citronella candles smell great and can be used outdoors to deter biting insects. If using the essential oil, do not use undiluted on the skin and do not use on infants or during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Essential Oils – depending upon which essential oils are used, these can be antimicrobial and/or antibacterial. They can also smell nice!! However, studies have shown that most essential oils are only effective for a limited time period. As always, please exercise caution when using on infants or during pregnancy and if in doubt, always contact the supplier.
Soybean oil – This seems to be cropping up more and more frequently in natural insect repellents, and although we think it's a good thing to see a natural product such as this included in insect repellents, we have no idea how it works!! Some soybean oil is grown on deforested rainforest, especially in Brazil – you might like to contact the manufacturer to check from where they source their soybean oil supply.
Bog Myrtle – the traditional Scottish biting insect repellent, reputed to be very effective against midges. Antimicrobial, antibacterial and is also traditionally used to soothe insect bites.
Although recent studies have focused on investigating the effectiveness of natural insect repellents, their results should not be taken as gospel – as with anything natural, the effectiveness of these repellents will vary from person to person – we suggest you try a few to see which one works best for you.
We would like to point out that some of these natural insect repellents are appearing in commercially available skincare products, together with the usual goodies such as SLS and parabens – we would recommend a thorough search of ingredients of any product containing these natural ingredients to ensure that as many of the other ingredients as possible are also natural.
Scene Green recommended products
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Insect Repellant Oil – Natural - Minoa |