My doctor just got back from LA. He said he was sitting by the pool at an upscale hotel and was bitten by a spider!
Skin so soft is still available.
Here’s a locally made all-natural product that has become REALLY popular here in the Berkshires: Mighty No Bitey. When I remember to use it… it works for me.
Spray the strong stuff (like OFF) on your clothing instead of your skin - especially your shoes (I have also done my hat and it kept those pesky little bugs out of my face) I have a friend with sever allergies (allergic to all sorts of stuff - latex, more foods than you can count, etc.) and she uses this trick since she can’t expose her skin to things like OFF.
Where I live, mosquitos and ticks are BAD, both in terms of numbers and the havoc they can reap. I don’t mess with anything less than Deep Woods Off any longer. Sure, they contain chemicals but I’d rather deal with that than Lyme Disease and all the other tick-born diseases. If someone has a natural product that works as well, let us know but I haven’t heard of one yet.
I have a bracelet that I wear to keep bugs away – it has DEET and other things that bugs don’t like and lasts a year or so. I know the inventor and he’s still awaiting FDA approval.
Yup I used to use Skin so Soft and the such, but have a couple tick bites I’ve said to heck with fear about chemicals, I fear Lyme disease more so Deep Woods Off for me. The dog who has free reign on the acreage takes medication but the little critters will drop off the dog and I find them in the house now they are so severe and pervasive. My vet says ticks can live 24-36 hours without a blood feeding…super ick.
I live in Maine, which has the highest rate of Lyme in the country. When I go out to the garden or even to walk down our dirt road, I use a repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, or lemon eucalyptus oil in high concentrations. These are the only bug repellents the CDC says have demonstrated repelling capabilities for longer than 10 minutes. Some things may work for some people, but these will work for pretty much everyone.
Lemon eucalyptus oil is natural, but it’s also the most allergenic of the three, so if you have sensitive skin, test a little bit first.
And I agree with @momofthreeboys and @doschicos that Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses are way scarier than DEET. I’ve known too many people here and in Mass that caught nasty diseases from ticks and mosquitoes to want to mess with these critters. The effects of some of these illnesses can go on for years, even after you are “cured.”
My two kids have had chronic fatigue syndrome for over two decades now. No idea how they came to be infected but it may have been infected tick.
One man in our local hiking club has sent his hiking clothes to Insect Shield to get commercially treated. He says it is very effective, lasts for about 70 washes, and says he prefers to have his clothes treated this way versus using sprays on his clothes or skin at the beginning of a hike.
Ticks have gotten much, much more widespread.
We use Deet. West Nile is a real concern here. We have known several people who have gotten it. The neurological effects are bad. We use May to September evenings if out- Deet. We are not early birds enough to use any other time. I read the studies and effectiveness and time it lasts for comparison to the other drugs. This is just much more effective and lasts. So, if we go for a walk in the evening we use it then take a shower when we get home. I tell H ‘pick your poison’ because if we walk any other time we need plenty of sun block. I love the Off towelettes as they are individually wrapped and very convenient. We have tried the sprays and liquids, this is just easier and makes us more likely to use it.
Some of the bracelets do not have any chemical contact your skin but provide a barrier. That would be my preference if I was attractive to bugs (fortunately, I’m not).
It’s hard to keep up with insects, for all our technology. In good news, there are promising developments with a Lyme disease vaccine. In bad news, there is a tick called the Lone Star tick which is becoming more of a problem, and it’s bite makes you allergic to red meat. What’s next?
I’m wondering if any of you live in places with municiple “mosquito control”. I do and I’m very grateful.
Yes, we have mosquito traps with reports weekly. There are about 100+ in the valley and they report counts of the type that carry West Nile and locations. Sometimes they spray the area. Have not seen that the last few years. They concentrate on education. Time of day, clothing, chemicals to put in ponds, standing water elimination, etc.