Preventing mosquito bites (from the Centers for Disease Control and Protection CDC):
- Cover exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and hats.
- Use an approved insect repellent as directed.
- Higher percentages of active ingredients provide longer protection. Use products with the following active ingredients:
- DEET (Products containing DEET include Off!, Cutter, Sawyer, and Ultrathon.)
- Picaridin (Also known as KBR 3023, Bayrepel, and icaridin. Products containing picaridin include Cutter Advanced, Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus, and Autan [outside the United States].)
- Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or PMD (Products containing OLE include Repel and Off! Botanicals.)
- IR3535 (Products containing IR3535 include Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus Expedition and SkinSmart.)
- Always follow product directions and reapply as directed:
- If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first, let it dry, then apply insect repellent.
- Follow package directions when applying repellent on children. Avoid applying repellent to their hands, eyes, or mouth.
- Treated clothing remains protective after multiple washings. See the product information to find out how long the protection will last.
- If treating items yourself, follow the product instructions carefully.
- Do not use permethrin directly on skin.
- Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear (such as boots, pants, socks, and tents). You can buy pre-treated clothing and gear or treat them yourself:
- Stay and sleep in screened or air-conditioned rooms.
- Use a bed net if the area where you are sleeping is exposed to the outdoors.
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