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Insect repellents and sunscreens
Insect repellents Comments
DEET
- increasing concentration relates to duration of affect, not
effectiveness
- product choice (DEET concentration) is guided in part by
expected time outdoors
- 10% DEET ? two hours of protection
- 30% DEET ? five to six hours of protection
- 10% - 30% concentrations are safe to use on infants and children
- may be used on infants and children > 2 months of age
- do not apply to hands of infants and young children
- apply once, although an additional application can be used
for extended time outdoors
Picardin
- synthetic insect repellent alternative to DEET
- provides protection comparable to lower concentrations of
DEET ? 1.5-two hours
- not as damaging to synthetic clothing fibers as DEET
Oil of lemon eucalyptus
- plant-based insect repellent
- duration of effect of approximately 90 minutes
- may not yet be available in the United States
Sunscreen
16 active ingredients
- SPF relates primarily to duration of protection, not degree
of protection
- use products with broad UVR (UVB and UVA) protection
- titanium dioxide and zinc oxide provide the broadest UVR
protection
- apply an appropriate amount of sunscreen and reapply it often
(at least every two hours)
-Source: Edward A Bell PharmD BCPS |
