Bug Spray?

Hi, my name is Skeeter Bait, and I need help. Sure it's nice for other folks that they just need to stand near me and never get bit, but I look nasty from dog walks and bike rides. I am super allergic to the bites, they swell huge and get red all around, and my fair "dry no matter what" skin only takes one light scratch and they bleed. Yuck!

I've tried the whole garlic and brewers yeast tablets thing which works to a degree but makes me stink to high hell. I love bananas, but hear mixed things as to whether they make it worse or better. I did finally learn it's inevitable that I will be tasty to bugs because of something about cholesterol under the skin (not that it means you have bad cholesterol, just what your body does with it).

Anyway, I need bug spray that works, isn't sticky and gross, and worse doesn't mean I reek so badly that if a nice day of fishing ends up at home for uh, stuff, I don't have to run to the shower.

I work for Hain-Celestial, owner of the Jason brand and our bug spray smells disgusting. I'd really like to go with something relatively natural though unlike most of the screw balls I talk to on a daily basis I'm less worried about a chemical in sunscreen that *may* cause problems than the sun which *will* cause cancer.

Any ideas would be great because I am tired of dobbing myself with a "skeeter stick" all day.

There's the All Terrain brand, I don't know what it smells like though. I am fortunate to not be skeeter bait.

I have the same problem. The mosquitos love me, and I get huge hives from their bites I think there's a theory out there that the attraction has something to do with blood type . . . I'm A-positive, don't know if maybe you are too.

Garlic works pretty well for me. When I try that strategy, I make sure DH also eats lots of garlic so we both stink. He's a sucker for garlic bread, so it's an easy sell.

Try to avoid places where the bugs hang out: standing water, shade, not too much air movement. If you're outside and relatively sedentary, like at a picnic area or campsite, choose a place where air is circulating. Steady or intermittent breezes seem to keep their numbers down. And I think citronella candles are more effective than bug zappers.

When I lived in Taiwan and there was no keeping them out of the house, I found that an oscillating fan aimed just above my body helped. They have trouble hitting their target if the air isn't perfectly still.

Also try to get a sense of what time of day the little guys are at their most active. Depending on where you live and what species are active and what season it is, dawn or dusk might be the times when they're out looking for a meal. I like to wear a light jacket during those times, and I have long, flowy linen pants and and skirts and that I can layer over shorts or bathing suit. If it's really warm, well -- I'd rather be warm than get bit. I still get bites on my ankles -- I just always want to be wearing sandals when I'm in a mosquito climate, and socks are just a bit much for me.

For more active times, I find that if I run/ride fast enough they can't catch me. It's really when I'm standing/sitting still that the bugs are a problem.

Also, Ex Officio makes a line of clothing called BuzzOff, which I think has pyrethrins or something like that embedded into the fibers. And the bug resistance is supposed to last a couple dozen washes. I have one of their jackets and it worked pretty well for me when I wore it at dusk when I was in Bora Bora a few months ago. I can't speak to the longevity of it -- haven't had it long enough to know if the bug resistance lasts as long as the company claims.

I have the same problem, but I also find it depends on the type of mosquito. Some mosquitoes leave huge red bumps on my legs, others leave small ones. I haven't found anything yet here in the US (luckily I don't get bit here), but when I lived in Indonesia, I found that a brand called Soffel and Autan really helped. They smelled really nice as well. I am not sure you can find them here though...maybe in Asian grocery stores?

As for natural remedies...I don't think they work. Somebody told me to drink lots of coconut water to cleanse my blood so mosquitoes won't be attracted to me...but it didn't work.

I am a bug magnet and when I get bit, it looks like quarter sized welts all over my body. The key is NOT to get bit, cuz the only thing I can do to relieve the intense itching is to squeeze out the clear liquid like a zit. Then it looks like big scabbed up welts all over my body, but at least they don't itch.

Now, how do you keep from getting bit in the first place? I have tried EVERYTHING and the only thing that seems to work with any kind of positive results are matchstick heads. Get a box of those big wooden matchsticks, cut off the big red (with a white tip) head, and eat it like you would a pill. I usually take 2 about 1/2 hour before I encounter the bugs. I always keep precut match heads in my camelback in case of emergency. I used to play softball in a field right next to a river during the summertime, this really does work for me. They say it is the sulfur that the bugs don't like.

Good luck,

Brenda

You know what feels amazing against the itch? Taking a really, really hot shower. It doesn't stop the swelling though...lol. And I HATE waking up in the middle of the night because my leg is bleeding because I scratched my bites when I was sleeping. Feels so good though.

I heard taking benadryl will reduce the swelling. It never occurs to me to do so though, when I get bit.

Avon Skin so Soft

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Originally Posted by zencentury

Avon Skin so Soft

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Oh my gawd, duh! We used to use it on horses for coat shine and bug benefits. Sure beats eating match heads. :p

Bite Blocker.

Okay, I looked up the ingredients in Skin-So-Soft, and it's certainly more innocuous than a lot of what's out there, but still, if I can avoid mineral oil and BHT I'm going to do that. Plus, it's never worked for me.

Bite Blocker works better than kid's strength DEET and better than the insect-repellent added Skin-So-Soft (they have research on their site to prove it), it's completely natural (active ingredients soybean oil and geranium oil), since it's vegetable oil based it doesn't leave your skin and clothes all nasty, and it smells pretty good. And they have a horse version!

What many people don't know about DEET is that stronger concentrations don't work any better, they just last longer.


DH says he doesn't need bug spray when I'm along, because any bugs in the area will bite me and leave him alone :rolleyes: And it's true. So trust me when I say Bite Blocker works!

I use Deep Woods Off as a preventative - when I'm doing yard work. Avon Skin-so-soft doesn't do diddly for me. Brazen little vampires bite anyway. And in my fanny pack I have a small bottle of straight DEET - for emergencies or when I'm out in the marshes.

As for once I get bit - Blue Star ointment. It's camphor in petro-jelly. Works on fireants or chigger bites too. The only thing that takes the sting away. If I can just keep from clawing myself for few minutes it takes to really start working.

I also have bug bait issues. Within a ten mile radius, they find me. I was told it has something to do with body temp. Here is Miami, they are thick. The latest and greatest rumor to get rid of them is Listerine. After everything they get immune to, Listerine in a spray bottle, straight, in a yard, and on people, not only deters them but is supposed to kill them. I have heard people swear by it. I ride early so I haven't had a problem, haven't tried it. Let me know, its better than matchsticks and smelling like a pizza.

I love Bug Band. It has a strong smell, but it's not a bad smell.

Active Ingredients: Geraniol, Mint, Rosemary
Others: Water, Mineral Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable oil, lecithin

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Originally Posted by motochick

Get a box of those big wooden matchsticks, cut off the big red (with a white tip) head, and eat it like you would a pill.

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You're kidding, right? RIGHT?? :eek: You can eat matches??

this just kind of floored me. Please somebody confirm this before I go home and poison myself on sulphur.

yah, so chemistry isn't my strongest side ;)

Yes, eat them. Don't chew then up, just swallow them like a pill. Can't even tell they in your system. Hubby uses them too, of course he thought I was crazy at first until he saw how well it worked for me. It's not like they are gonna kill ya.

And for me, skin so soft is a bug attracter. It's like "OOOOOOH there's Brenda all lathered up in sweet stuff, let's munch"

Brenda

I use jungle juice and jungle juice lotion from REI - they don't really have an odor. I don't notice mosquitos much - but I am a chigger magnet and DEET is the only thing that works for me.

So with the matchhead thing, if you fart, can you burst into flames? Sorry my vulgar self just had to go there.

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Originally Posted by kermit

So with the matchhead thing, if you fart, can you burst into flames? Sorry my vulgar self just had to go there.

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Only if you're got something rough to strike it on...

Hi, I am also a horse person, so here goes my random fly spray recipe: Larry's Fly Spray (safe for humans and dogs - supposedly it's natural) mixed with skin-so-soft and diluted with water (each component at a bout 1:5). There is also a brand called Eqyss that is all natural and has a marigold fly spray: http://www.smartpakequine.com/SearchResults.aspx?page=GRID&free_text|1213798706936=fly%20spray%20marigold&attribute_value_string|Store_ID=Equine - I didn't really like how it worked on my horse, but lots of people swear by it. I just use the Larry's and skin so soft on me, the horse, the burro and the dog. :D - of course I don't put it on my forehead as it would then sweat into my eyes and I would fall off my bike. How is your steel steed treating you?

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Originally Posted by Andrea

Only if you're got something rough to strike it on...

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so be careful if you're having chafing from the chamois!

I find that NOTHING worked when I used to ride my horse in the woods. I would spray bug spray all over my body AND over my riding pants and would still get bit. Just accepted it would happen. Then of course...I never tried the match head thing.

I have had pretty good success with Repel Lemon Eucalyptus spray--it's plant-based and doesn't contain any DEET. I read an article in Backpacker magazine that rated bug repellents and this one was pretty high on the list for effectiveness; that's where I found out about it and decided to try it. It is pretty pungent-smelling though not a bad smell (think wicked strong citronella) so that might be an issue for you since you said you didn't want something too smelly.

If I ate matches and then had a hot flash, wouldn't I combust?

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Originally Posted by zencentury

Avon Skin so Soft

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Sometimes it works. My husband is a mosquito magnet and he found that Bullfrog Mosquito Coast without DEET works like a charm for him. Also, Sawyer's spray is good.

Buzz Off offers clothing and accessories that is supposed to repel mosquitos and other annoying insects.

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Originally Posted by kermit

So with the matchhead thing, if you fart, can you burst into flames? Sorry my vulgar self just had to go there.

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Hmmm, I suppose this could become a serious issue if you had the Sheldon Brown Real Man saddle http://sheldonbrown.com/real-man.html

Okay then, so I suppose next step is going to be trying to track down all these things. Thanks, BTW ladies. The laughing makes it itch less, I think.

My daughter is, like you, very allergic to skeeter bites...they get all purple and huge and itchy. I happened to get a bug spray for my puppy when she was too small to put flea and tick stuff on her, that works for people too. It's called Dirty and Hairy Repel bug spray. It's all natural, smells pretty good too. I have asthma, and I can use it without an issue. Also, it doesn't cause any rashes, which is always a plus!

BTW, one thing I've found with my daughter, when she gets a few bites, I give her a Claritin and it prevents them from getting enormous and itchy. You might want to think about trying that.

I don't wear anything while cycling because I don't slow down enough for bugs to hit.

But for most other things--things from picnics to camping to fishing to outdoor concerts--I use a Thermacell.

It's a butane-fueled warming plate upon which you put a small synthetic pad of some type of insecticide (a synthetic pyrethrin, I think).

The butane cartridge lasts about 8 hours; the insecticide pad about 4. You can buy them at WalMart, camping & sporting goods stores. I also bought a little holster for mine.

There is nothing on your skin and almost no detectible odor. It repels mosquitoes and midges/no-see-ums for about 300 or so square feet. I generally place mine upwind of me.

I spend lots and lots of time sitting outdoors in a stationary position for hours. I would go nekkid in the deepest jungles with it; it's that good.

The rub when traveling is getting the replacement butane cylinders. I go to some remote areas where there is no store and you can't (legally) travel by commericial air with little tankies of butane, though I've gotten away with it before. I suppose you could mail some ahead of yourself.

Uh, and no farting around it ;)

OK, so if Flagstaff catches on fire this weekend and the cause was determined to be natural combustion, you can just blame me!;)

You guys totally make me laugh, and it might be a good idea NOT to play "blue flame" while under the consumption of match heads.

Brenda

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Originally Posted by SlowButSteady

I don't wear anything while cycling because I don't slow down enough for bugs to hit.
(...)
I would go nekkid in the deepest jungles with it; it's that good.

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You're on a roll here, aren't you. :D

btw, what's with the weird brand names in the US?? "Skin so Soft"? "Dirty and Hairy"??

This thread has turned really funny. I am going to try matches this summer and see if the mosquitos veer off and bite my hubby instead.

For the bites, I highly recommend Liquid Benadryl. Applied soon after a bite, you won't have another problem with itch except with the most virulent bite.

I use 3M's Ultrathon repellent. I, too, am a bug magnet and this is the only thing that works. It stinks, but I'd rather stink than be bitten.

It's 34% Deet. It's a different formulation of the Deet so the lower concentration works as well as the 100% Deet used to. It also lasts for a long time.