DEET? We don need no steenkin DEET....

[rmssetc]

Repellents containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) are undoubtedly the only really effective bug repellents available, but be careful with products that have a very high percentage of DEET as the main ingredient. It melts many plastics and paints (like a car's clear-coat) and it is easily transferred from your skin to something you pick up in your hand or brush up against. Products containing just 15% DEET seem to work as well those 95% ones do and they usually cost less.

I've stopped using really high % DEET. Rock climbing (other outdoor hobby) & scuba both have too many important products made of plastic that DEET will eat through (ropes, harness, tank band, BCD, strap for computer, etc.).

I've been very happy using Picaridin wipes for skin & treating clothing with Permethrin. I figure if that combo worked for me in India, it'll do fine in Cozumel (is it December yet?).

 

[KathyV]

I react badly to Deet, especially when it gets near my face and eyes. I have found that these Bug Band (Deet free, child safe) towelettes work well for me and keep the biting insects away.

BugBand Towelettes | BugBand DEET-Free Insect Repellent with Naturally Derived Ingredients

 

[gopbroek]

I react badly to Deet, especially when it gets near my face and eyes. I have found that these Bug Band (Deet free, child safe) towelettes work well for me and keep the biting insects away.

BugBand Towelettes | BugBand DEET-Free Insect Repellent with Naturally Derived Ingredients

What ever repellant works for you, use it. Hopefully a vaccine for Dengue will be released next year, if it is at least 30 - 40 % effective for DEN 1-4 I will take it. It can't be worse than the 3 application of cholera vaccine I got in the Navy over 6 months because they did not update my shot records properly.

 

[bryanmc57]

Strangely, when I was down the last ten days of last month, I commented to several folks about what seemed to be the absence of mosquitoes.

 

[KathyV]

Strangely, when I was down the last ten days of last month, I commented to several folks about what seemed to be the absence of mosquitoes.

I think a lot depends on the wind, mosquitos are poor flyers and if it is breezy they may not bother you; but as soon as the wind drops they are out in force - especially if it has been rainy and they've been breeding.

 

[ggunn]

I think a lot depends on the wind, mosquitos are poor flyers and if it is breezy they may not bother you; but as soon as the wind drops they are out in force - especially if it has been rainy and they've been breeding.

It has a whole lot to do with rain. Cenotes are always infested but in other areas after it's been dry for a while the bite frequency drops way off.

 

[bertschb]

I've been to Coz half a dozen times (although not recently) and never had a problem with mosquitoes. In fact that's one of the reasons I love Coz. No mosquitos! If there are mosquitos anywhere near me, I get eaten alive. Waaaay more bites than others around me. I don't recall ever being bitten on Coz and I never use repellent there. I've been there in January a couple times but mostly in the fall. Is this a new problem? You guys are freaking me out about this Dengue Fever talk!

 

[JohnnyC]

Products containing just 15% DEET seem to work as well those 95% ones do and they usually cost less.

Not necessarily true depending on your definition of work. The efficacy of DEET is measured in duration of protection. There is a real, measurable difference in the efficacy of different DEET percentages. In fact, DEET plateaus in terms of effectiveness over time around a concentration of 50%. DEET works no matter the concentration, it's simply a matter of duration. If you look at the amount of time that reapplication is necessary, the "cost savings" turns on its head.

See here:

MMS: Error

 

[DandyDon]

I've been to Coz half a dozen times (although not recently) and never had a problem with mosquitoes. In fact that's one of the reasons I love Coz. No mosquitos! If there are mosquitos anywhere near me, I get eaten alive. Waaaay more bites than others around me. I don't recall ever being bitten on Coz and I never use repellent there. I've been there in January a couple times but mostly in the fall. Is this a new problem? You guys are freaking me out about this Dengue Fever talk!

Spray early & often. I always take repellent with me, then usually forget to use it, and have been very lucky. The skeeters can be worse after rainy times than others, but it doesn't take a lot of bites to get infected.

Not necessarily true depending on your definition of work. The efficacy of DEET is measured in duration of protection. There is a real, measurable difference in the efficacy of different DEET percentages. In fact, DEET plateaus in terms of effectiveness over time around a concentration of 50%. DEET works no matter the concentration, it's simply a matter of duration. If you look at the amount of time that reapplication is necessary, the "cost savings" turns on its head.

Yeah, I wouldn't think that 15% would last long. I think I use 40%.

 

[kixy1]

Lots of rain here and not much wind, so the mosquitoes are b.a.d. We brought 30% and have been using it liberally and still have 10-15 bites each I found some on my torso so I guess spraying my clothes didn't have the same protection as applying to bare skin? Doesn't make sense... but I've gone to spraying down in my suit and then again after I put on my shorts and shirt.. One of the lil basterds got me right behind my ear!

I had to go to the clinic last night and there were posters on all the walls and literature on the table about chikungunya.... Sounds like dengue's much more bad-ass cousin. These diseases are probably not on the big pharm radar, but I really hope they can find some kind of vaccine.