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Mosquitoes are responsible for nearly three million deaths each year; the diseases spread by a mosquito include malaria, dengue, encephalitis and Filaria. In fact no other insect is responsible for as many diseases as the mosquito. Today there are a number of mosquito repellents available in the market that can protect a person from mosquito bites, and ultimately from one of the many diseases that a mosquito is responsible for. There are two types of mosquito repellents available in the market, the first type of mosquito repellents are based on synthetic chemicals, the second type are based on natural ingredients. Additionally mosquito repellents are also divided on the basis of their method of distribution; the major methods of dispersion of mosquito repellents include sprays, burning mosquito repellent sticks, skin creams, mosquito traps and the latest mosquito repellent bags that require no skin contact whatsoever. Synthetic mosquito repellents contain chemicals like DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), PMD (p-menthane-3,8-diol), Icaridin and Permethrin. Although the list of the chemicals used in mosquito repellents is long, the truth is the chemicals like PMD are extracted from the lemon eucalyptus tree. In addition to the chemicals mentioned, another powerful substance used in natural mosquito repellents is Citronella Oil. The problem with synthetic mosquito repellents is that many users have reported skin allergies and rashes while using these mosquito repellents. In fact the reason why more and more users have started using natural insect repellents is because of the almost negligible reports of side effects. The two major natural plant extracts used in mosquito repellents are extracts of the Lemon eucalyptus tree and Citronella oil. The Lemon eucalyptus tree has been known for its insect repellent properties for many years, and its bark has been burnt to be used as an effective mosquito repellent. In fact the chemical PMD is actually found in minute quantities in the Lemon eucalyptus tree, in addition studies have also shown that lemon eucalyptus tree extract based mosquito repellents have the same effects as mild quantities of DEET. Although DEET is one of the most potent mosquito repellents available, the problem is that DEET cannot be used on damaged skin, and is not safe for children as accidental ingestion can cause pesticide poisoning. Apart from the extracts of the Lemon eucalyptus tree, another important mosquito repellent is Citronella oil, there has been much debate about the effectiveness of Citronella oil, as some studies have suggested that Citronella oil is an effective mosquito repellent while others have shown it is only a weak mosquito repellent. Today a majority of natural mosquito repellents are based on Citronella oil. If you are looking for a natural mosquito repellent, then you should go for a mosquito repellent that is based on both Citronella oil and lemon eucalyptus tree extracts. Also if you are concerned about skin rashes or allergic reactions, then look for a mosquito repellent that does not require skin application and can be carried on person.
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John is the author of this article on skeeter guard. Find more information about mosquito decoy here.
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