MOST of us get the itch to travel at this time of year – but its a pain if you spend your whole holiday scratching.
Pesky mosquito bites can ruin a sunshine break so a good repellent is a must-have.
Professor James Logan tests the best ways to beat the bugs
With so many on the market, with different ingredients, it is difficult to know which one will do the trick.
Professor James Logan, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and co-founder of Arctech Innovation, is the UK’s leading expert on repellents and has tested the effectiveness of the main ingredients used in high street brands.
He explains: “There are four active ingredients that we would recommend.
“The synthetic ones are Deet, IR3535 and Picaridin, which has other names including Icaridin and Saltidin.
“Then there’s the natural para-Menthane-diol (PMD), which is found in oil of lemon eucalyptus, or OLEE, an essential oil. That’s the only natural one that works.
“To test the repellents in our lab, we put them on an arm and put that arm into a cage containing 50 mosquitoes.
“They’re all hungry but not one of them will bite if we wear any of those active ingredients.”
Here, Prof Logan reveals his top tips on avoiding and treating those pesky bites.
Time is of the essence: Repellents claim to protect you for anything from four to ten hours.
Prof Logan says: “In our tests, the mosquitoes stayed away straight after application and an hour. But two, three or four hours later, they’ll start to bite.
“Even if it lasts for eight hours in the lab, when you’re on holiday you’re sweating, you might be swimming, it might rub off on clothing.
“Follow the instructions but if you feel the mosquitoes are coming back, reapply as needed.”
Concentration is key: Some brands may contain 50 per cent Deet and some 27 per cent – strength matters.
Prof Logan says: “The concentration of Deet helps it to stay around for longer but only up to 50 per cent. Beyond that there’s no difference.
“Although nowadays repellents are so sophisticated that some lower concentration formulas last as long.”
Mosquito bites are not what anyone needs on holiday
Natural isn’t always safer: For families worried about chemicals, oil of lemon eucalyptus seems the natural choice but that’s not necessarily the least toxic.
Prof Logan says: “It’s from a natural source but it’s also a chemical because everything is made of chemicals.
“People worry about Deet, because of reports in the 1980s about children having seizures but when it was investigated, there was no link.
“Any chemical is toxic if you use too much. But as long as you use them according to the label, they are all safe.”
Ingredient to avoid: Citronella should never be used as a repellent because it doesn’t work well enough.
Prof Logan says: “Some reports suggest it’s carcinogenic – it is banned in some countries.”
Keep it covered: Whether it’s a spray, roll on or lotion, James says you make sure you apply the repellent thoroughly.
Prof Logan says: “People tend to use a spray like a perfume, but that does nothing at all.
“You have to apply it like sunscreen and rub it into all exposed areas because if you leave an area, mosquitoes will attack.”
One of the worst things you can do is scratch a bite
Don’t risk a wristband: Wristbands that promise to repel mozzies have become more popular.
Yet James says: “If there’s any effect, it’s minimal. Never rely on them if you are going somewhere where there’s disease.
“That includes Europe, because we now have dengue fever and the tropical disease leishmaniasis there. It’s only a matter of time before that gets worse and even transmits to the UK.”
Plug in and chill out: Prof Logan says: “Plug-ins that contain an insecticide, like most you buy in the supermarkets, work really well.
“Plug it in before you go out in the evening, let it run for a few hours while you’re having dinner then switch off.
“By that time, everything in the room should have been killed. Don’t leave it on all night because it’s quite potent.”
It’s in your genes: If you are covered in bites by the end of your break, you may be asking why the critters love you so much.
Prof Logan says: “Mosquitoes are attracted to chemicals in body odour and our breath, like carbon dioxide, which are different for different people.
“People who don’t get bitten are producing more natural repellents in their body odour.
“There is a genetic component, so you can pass on the trait for being a mosquito magnet to your offspring.”
You can’t eat to beat the bugs: There are lots of anecdotes about vitamin D, garlic or Marmite but it’s scientifically proven that they don’t work.
Prof Logan adds: “Gin and tonic is also a common myth and some types of beer can even make you slightly more attractive to mosquitoes.”
Resist that itch: If you are bitten, Prof Logan says: “The top tip is not to scratch it, which is the hardest thing to do.
“Nor should you put a cross in it, or slap it, because you risk opening up the bite to a wound, which means bacteria getting in and it can become infected.
“I had bites from horse flies recently and one of them became infected and turned into cellulitis. I had to take antibiotics for a week.
“People have lost limbs because of mosquito bites so never scratch them.”
Prepare in advance: Antihistamine and steroid creams are available in pharmacies but James says: “There’s not a lot of evidence those creams work. I recommend a cold compress to the swelling and itching and keep it elevated.
“But if you react badly to insect bites, taking oral antihistamines is a good idea.
“Start taking them a good week before you go on holiday because it takes time for that to build up in your system.
“Then you should find that you don’t react as badly when you’re overseas.”
Plug ins are a great way to keeping mosquitos at bay