Cactus juice good for Roatan bugs?

[scubaotter]

Help! I am going to Roatan for the first time on May 22-31.

Has anyone had any success with cactus juice to fight off the legendary no see ums? I am looking for something that will work that does not contain DEET. I usually don't mind DEET but, I am just getting over a very bad case of chicken pox (at 30 years old) so my skin is a wreck.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[parrotheaddiver]

I use Cactus Juice it seems to work. I am not a bug magnet skins too tough I guess, but it does seems to keep them off.

Of course Deet is the 'for sure' stuff.

Take Benedryl and some kind of cortisone creme with you. Helps to ease the itch if your prone to get the buggers.

RoatanMan :fro: will probably tune in here to give you the real low down on the anti no-seeum remedies. The ole wise one knows all.

Have fun

 

[SueMermaid]

You can try Absorbine liniment for a repellent, it works well, (I work in a bug lab, I know these things) but you need to reapply it almost constantly.
Skin So Soft works well, too, and will help your skin, but, again, you need to reapply it often. I hate the stuff, it's greasy and it smells way too strong for me, but it actually does have good repellency, believe it or not. The Skin-So-Soft bug repellent doesn't seem to, ironically.

 

[Doc]

Help! I am going to Roatan for the first time on May 22-31.

Has anyone had any success with cactus juice to fight off the legendary no see ums? I am looking for something that will work that does not contain DEET. I usually don't mind DEET but, I am just getting over a very bad case of chicken pox (at 30 years old) so my skin is a wreck.

Thanks in advance!!

Wow- a 9 day trip!

Where you are staying on Roatan has a lot to do with your potential for getting zapped. South side resorts offer more breezes and less decaying vegetable matter for the little 'buggers' to inhabit.

I am not sure what DEET would do to anyone's skin. The vehicle (or bulk of the fluid that is dispensed) is in the same family as pertroleum jelly- I do believe. It sure is greasy. It does nothing but help the bottom of "Herself's" feet which are usualy pretty ghastly before two weeks of OFF spray.

I have seen the Eucalyptus based and other products like Sue mentioned, and they seem to be effective. Aint nobody gonna be offering to do 'body shots' off of you. At least everyone will know when you're in the room.

Avon products like Skin-So-Soft? Not for me.

Cactus Juice repellant? Pass.

DEET. Better living through chemistry. Drink it in your Flor-de-Cana Rum. Bathe in it.

And a hearty second on the Benadryl capsules and gel (or Walmart Equate Brand) or Cactus Juice soothing gel.

I would be more worried about the effects on your skin of the bites than I would fret about the DEET.

Chicken Pox for many adults results in shingles, another painful reminder that we are all mortal.

Stay healthy, well rested and well nourished, even in recovery.

DON'T feed the bugs.

 

[Mako Mark]

after nearly a year on Utila, I found that skin so soft worked ok, but pure coconut oil works even better, there is a natural insect repellent in it (in fiji they burn coconut husks upwind of the villages for this reason).

It smells nice and you can buy it dirt cheap when you get there.

 

[Doc]

after nearly a year on Utila, I found that skin so soft worked ok, but pure coconut oil works even better, there is a natural insect repellent in it (in fiji they burn coconut husks upwind of the villages for this reason).

It smells nice and you can buy it dirt cheap when you get there.

After a year in Utila, I woulda' thought you'd be pretty much so immune.

After 10 days stay in the Bay Islands, my body quits reacting, that natural anti-histamine thing.

 

[scubaotter]

Thank you very much for the information!! I have some deep woods OFF with a high amount of DEET that will be coming with us on the trip. I just ordered some coconut oil from a health food store. I am willing to try just about anything to keep those nasty little buggers away from me! My skin has had a hard enough time with the chicken pox.

 

[Dee]

Guess I'm the odd man out here, Cactus Juice works good for me as long as I remember to apply it often. Cutters Skintastic works better but it has DEET in it. It's also greasy and smelly.

I second the Benedryl caps and cortozone cream...no matter what you dom you're not going to avoid them all!

 

[tvictory]

You might consider using Skin so Soft and then applying a light spray of BackWoods Off or Cutter on top.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I wonder if consuming garlic before you leave might help. I go on the garlic pill diet before I go to a tropical location and it seems to help a lot.