Most effective mosquito repellent

[Timeforaliein]

Hello! Heading to Thailand and Vietnam in a couple of months. We are prone to getting bitten by mosquitoes and react quite badly to them. What is the best plan to attack to avoid them? Anyone used a repellent that they considered to be very effective? Am ok with using DEET (I think!)

Yes, the DEET ones. Superdrug and Wilko both do an own brand version of supercharged mosquito repellent. I usually get the Superdrug one, it's in a black tin with orange on it. It's really good.

Thank iou!

*you!

We used Jungle Formula highest strength for a recent holiday to Vietnam and myself and daughter were still bitten to bits.. My husband got one bite in the 3 weeks we were there.

He takes solgar 7 and curcumin and swears that the turmeric put the mosquitoes off. Previous to taking these he would have been bitten on holiday. I am going to try turmuric next time I'm away.

I am allergic to mosquito bites and ended up on antibiotics and steroids.

We have some turmeric tablets so will definitely look into that!- thank you!

DEET
Clothing treated with permethrin.
Take antihistamines before and during trip to minimise reaction if you do get bitten.

Be careful when choosing shower products too. Just a few days ago, there's an article about a research for shower products/shampoo choices v.s. mosquito bites. It says mosquitoes are attracted to scent of nectar still. So if your body smells fruity or flowery after a shower, might get more bites no matter what repellent you use. (It actually corresponds to my personal experience. I have spray myself every half an hour, no matter what repellent I used. Always suspected the shower gel was the culprit.)

The result of that research suggests coconut scent seems to repel mosquitoes.

Oh that's really interesting! And I love coconut, so will stock up on cocnutty shower gel. Thanks

https://www.boots.com/health-pharmacy/travel-health/insect-repellents/boots-repel-maximum-deet-pmd-roll-on-50ml-10277149

I go to asia regularly & really recomend the boots ones in the grey packaging. You can get it in spray, liquid or roll on but I find the roll ons the easiest & best coverage. Keep it in your bag especially in the evenings so if you feel you are getting bitten you can re-apply.

If your bedroom has a fan in it, keep it on overnight as the mosquitos don't like the wind in the room too.

I use deet and take Avon skin so soft spray containing citronella.

Also take a topical anti itch cream and anti histamine tablets if you can

Deet. No perfume/body spray/ after sun.

I've just come back from 5 weeks Vietnam and Malaysia, not one bite, and would advise the following:

1. Wear "cover-all" clothing at night esp in rural areas, or near rivers, I wore loose lightweight trousers (the backpacker sort with a cuff is particularly useful if you like them), socks trainers and a lightweight long sleeved top. I treated mine with Permetherin before I went. Not convinced about this mind. You can still be bitten in the day, so if you are worried or you can see them, wear the same.
2. Wear deet based protection, roll on is better, the spray just gasses everyone and doesn't hit the target or gives too light a layer, go for the highest strength and put it on all unprotected areas, do it once in the morning, and again if you are going out night. A 50ml bottle will do a few weeks.
3. Make sure your hotels have aircon or at least a fan, if you open a window because it is hot, esp with a light on, you are asking them in for a feast, if you can opt for a higher room it is better, mosquitos prefer less than 25 foot high.
4. If you are going on a train defo deet up before you get on it. I don't think I have ever seen so many mosquitos in one place than in the well lit, window open train toilet on the vietnam reunification train, and they get about once the doors are open. The wetter and hotter it is, the more plentiful they are. Hope this helps, xx

Sorry, I would add that I am not normally paranoid about getting the odd bite, I don't even suffer that much when I get one, but the mosquito is a carrier of some of the worst things going (like JE), so avoidance, if it is easy enough, is worth the effort.

Boots sell an extra DEET one. I used it abroad and was the only one unbitten.

This is all great advice - we are formulating a multi-pronged attack! Thank you

Also here to say jungle formula is the best I've used. It has deet. Highly recommend!

I thought I’d share for anyone going away soon. I used Sainsbury’s own brand repellent in black can cost under £5. It’s the first holiday ever that I’ve never been bitten. It smells terrible when you spray it I’d suggested you spray it outside however once it’s on your skin you can’t smell it. Brilliant stuff.

I was wondering how long one of those roll ones would last for one person?

I've used so many repellents but for me the best is antihistamines before and during the holiday plus one of those bite zappers which destroy the chemicals that make you itch. A have nozzles here this year and my insect repellent doesn't make a blind bit of difference.

Use mosquito repellent as well as mosquito net!