I am a mosquito magnet. Please help me.

[LoopyLoopsOlympicHoops]

Even DEET doesn't seem to be very effective on me. If I go out (live in a very mosquito filled area, affected by dengue) any time of day, I am bitten several times. The kids and DH are mostly OK, I'm just one of those people, but it's driving me mad.

I'm taking vitamin B complex (only just started so can't say if it works), but any other ideas?

My friend swears by bananas.

Eating or wearing? I thought high levels of potassium attracted mosquitos?

Just been out for a couple of hours around to pool. Applied 50% DEET every half an hour. 6 bites. What am I doing wrong?

I feel your pain, I am always eaten alive, nothing seems to work and the swell into huge welts on me

It's uncomfortable, but there's a real risk of disease. Not sure if we'll have to move from this beautiful place, that is perfect in every other way, and move into a high-rise to get away from them :(

Sorry to hear you are having such a hard time, OP.

DS1 and I are mosquito magnets, and our bites always swell up to three or four inches in diameter. We go to Northern Italy every summer, where they have tiger mosquitoes all day and night - this year DS1 got 14 bites in the half an hour it took me to get him out of the car, up the stairs to our flat, unpack, find the mosquito repellent and apply it to him. However, once I started applying Mosiguard to him every eight hours, he didn't get bitten again once. It doesn't contain DEET, smells quite pleasant, and worked much better than Jungle Formula or Autan, which we used last year to no effect.

www.amazon.co.uk/Mosi-Guard-Natural-Insect-Repellent-Cream/dp/B000UO410Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1345972520&sr=8-2

I have heard they don't bite marmite eaters! (urban myth?)

Also, my Mum swears by Avon Skin So Soft body Oil spray. The greeny/blue on that called Woodland or Original or something. it's about 3.99 and she swears by it. I even read the US military use it on exercise.

YouOldSlag, I've been racking my brains to remember the name of the Avon product that accidentally turned out to be an ace mosquito repellent!

Happy to help! Get some imported!

I eat loads of Marmite :)

Just trying to get the link to load, thanks :)

For the vitamin b to work, I think you have to smell yeasty. My two year old is a bug magnet and I give him a 100mg dose of vitamin B1 twice a day. It is water soluble so doesn't build up in the body. A herbalist recommended that adults could have up to 5 or 6 a day in order to be effective.

Interestingly, Steve Backshall on Deadly 60 did an experiment that showed deet to be more effective than smearing yourself in marmite or garlic, though his eucalyptus one seemed to be effective.

If you live in a mosquito area, like we do, I can heartily recommend one of these mosquito eating machines. They are very expensive and at first I was very sceptical about their effectiveness, but now that I've seen them in action I'm a convert. They really do work.

Skin so soft- that's the Avon thing -
Can get it online and saw they were selling it in tiso yday.
Works
Also citronella oil dropped in your moisturiser and then slathered on.
Wee bastards

Cerassie (bitter melon) tea, they drink it in Jamaica to stop them biting. You have to drink at least 2 cups a day for 2 weeks for it to build up in your system. Also you can eat Corilla/bitter melon, but it is very, very bitter so be prepared.

You can smear raw aloe vera gel (break open leaf and smear direct on skin).

I would second a mosquito eating machine. You can also get mosquito-repelling machines to put in your garden. Neither of these use chemicals. Also in your garden/patio/balcony whatever, do not leave open water (in buckets etc) or rain puddles. Mosquitos love to breed in stagnant water. On another practical note, you need to make sure all your windows have mosquito nets.

Obviously all the above advice will only help you at home. But in my experience, that is where you are most at risk. Plus it is really unpleasant to feel under attack in your home and garden.

On being bitten while out: what I find is that covering up is the best way to go. I know it is not very appealing, but wearing socks is the best way to protect your ankle (a favourite mosquito target) preferably with trousers.I suppose it depends on how you cope with the heat, but for me not being bitten is more important than wearing light shorts and skirts. And we have 40 degree heat for more than six months of the year, so I know it's a pain. If you manage to make your house a mosquito free zone, you can wear less clothes at home ....

I have tried all the repellents available etc., I have taken vitimin B etc. But the only thing that has worked is the not bearing flesh to be bitten.

Baring flesh... Obviously.

I wonder if you consume alot of sugar?
I have heard they prefer sweeter skin and blood.
could be an old wives'tale though.

Maybe they're attracted by something perfumed you're wearing? Deoderant? Hair products?

Marmite eating definitely doesn't work, I can verify.

I read up research and it seems the natural products like citronella are effective but only for about 20 or 30 minutes, DEET lasts much longer.

I used to be a bug magnet, they'd come for miles to feed on me and then swell up alarmingly. I found the best stuff when I lived in Asia was Johnson's baby anti mosquito. In a green bottle, it's a clear liquid. I googled and it's the same as this one
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-JOHNSONS-BABY-MOSQUITO-REPELLENT-CLEAR-LOTION-BABY-KIDS-50ml-/130741816819?_trksid=p4340.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D15%26pmod%3D310190079471%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D1672867458749922518&_qi=RTM1062687

The past tense is used as I have found this year I have not been attacked at all. This coincides with me starting a low carb diet and cutting out sugar.

Oh that link didn't work but you get the jist.

I was given a tip a couple of weeks ago which has saved me from being bitten anymore - dabbing essence of citronella on clothes / skin - really seems to work, though I hate the smell..

I use Nivea (the thick one in the blue tub as opposed to the thinner stuff in a pump bottle) & that seems to be quite effective. It is excellent against the small black sand flies as well. Cheap and no deet either. Good luck op, I can relate to the misery of constantly being bitten. If it is any consolation, after 3 years in Asia, I get bitten far, far less now that I did when I first arrived. I don't know if I've built up a tolerance or something, but I get far less bites and also much less sever reactions to any bites I do get, and my friends here have also reported a similar pattern. Good luck!

The most effective thing is to find someone else who's more of a magnet than you are. In my case, DD.:o

The business of driving your thumbnail into a bite asap, then criss-crossing it, each time holding for about five seconds will stop all itching in its tracks. I don't know why it works, but it does.

I don't know if you're still keeping an eye on this thread, loopy...

I live in China and was getting bitten to s*, but I've found drinking a can of tonic water every day during mosquito season does the trick. The mozzies don't like it because of the quinine - which is also an antimalarial. And of course, if you don't like tonic on its own, a splash of gin can help it down a treat. Bonus!

There are some mosquito magnet which helps remove mosquito from your barn, your house or any place where mosquito is there....

You can read full review here usemyreviews.com/mosquito-magnet-reviews/ I hope it is helpful to you.

Avon skin so soft used by my husband in the military too.

Have you tried upping your tonic water intake? And your gin

It contains quinine.

Hence the prepandial G&T enjoyed by ex-pats at Sundown.