Re: What mainstream medicine says about DEET

[Guest guest]

ELECTRONIC MOSQUITO REPELLERS WORK GREAT.......COLEMAN HAS ONE YOU CAN ATTACH

TO YOU BELT..........LESS THAN 10.00

MOSQUITO COGNITO <A HREF= " http://WWW.MOSQUITOCOGNITO.COM " >

WWW.MOSQUITOCOGNITO.COM</A>

BE GONE ALL ORGANIC FROM AUBREY ORGANICS <A

HREF= " http://WWW.AUBREYORGANICS.COM " >WWW.AUBREYORGANICS.COM</A>

NO CHEMICALS...NO CHEMICALS.....NO CHEMICALS THEY WEAKEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

AND MAKE YOU MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO INFECTIONS...............ADDS TO YOUR BODY

BURDEN

[Guest guest]

-vitamin B 6 produces a smell that bugs don't like per my

backpacking teacher

-- In @y..., " bherk " <bherk@m...> wrote:

>

> AUGUST 6, 2001 VOL. 158 NO. 5

> PERSONAL TIME/YOUR HEALTH

>

> To Deet or Not to Deet?

> It's summertime, and the mosquitoes are hungry. How to keep the most

> effective sprays from making you sick

> BY IAN K. SMITH, M.D.

>

> If April showers bring May flowers, what pops up when it rains

through most

> of May and June as well? A bumper crop of mosquitoes, as

communities from

> Texas to New Jersey have learned only too well this summer. The

best reason

> to avoid being skeeter bait is, as always, the sheer human misery

of dealing

> with all those itchy red welts. But this summer there's also the

chance,

> admittedly small, of more serious consequences, especially now that

the West

> Nile virus is spreading up and down the Eastern seaboard.

>

> Last week the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged

> Americans to help reduce the risk even further by taking a few

simple

> precautions, such as wearing insect repellent and eliminating

sources of

> standing water where mosquitoes breed. But before you throw your

favorite

> bug spray into a backpack and head out the door, it's important to

keep a

> few safety tips in mind.

>

> The most effective insect repellents contain a powerful chemical

called DEET

> (or N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide), developed for the U.S. military

in the

> 1940s. DEET-based repellents last longer against mosquitoes and

other biting

> bugs, including those that transmit Lyme disease, than the so-

called natural

> bug sprays, which usually contain various plant oils. Since the

chemical is

> absorbed readily into the skin, it's always best to apply any DEET

products

> sparingly. Common side effects include rash, swelling, itching and

eye

> irritation--usually a result of rubbing the eyes with hands that

have been

> sprayed.

>

> In rare cases, DEET has been linked to more serious complications

like

> slurred speech, confusion and seizures. In most of those instances,

the

> amount of repellent used was unusual. (In one case, a 3 1/2 year-

old girl's

> body, bedding and pajamas were sprayed each night for two weeks.)

And that

> brings up an important point: children are perhaps most vulnerable

to the

> accidental misapplication of bug spray.

>

> As a precaution, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that

> repellents used on youngsters contain no more than 10% DEET. Keep

the

> chemical out of young mouths and eyes by applying it yourself.

Lotions often

> work best in this respect. Remember that like perfume or cologne, a

thin

> layer will do the trick.

>

> Also consider wearing pants and long-sleeve shirts to minimize the

amount of

> exposed skin, especially in dark, damp areas that are particularly

thick

> with mosquitoes. For those worried about damaging their clothes,

it's a good

> idea to spray a small area of material first to make sure it's DEET-

proof

> before applying repellent to sleeves or cuffs.

>

> Finally, when you or your children come back inside from the great

outdoors,

> make sure all of you wash your hands and any areas that came in

contact with

> the repellent. DEET products can be safe and effective as long as

you follow

> instructions and don't overuse them.

>

> Dr. Ian appears on NBC's Today show. ianmedical@a...