Bug Spray Safe For Your Skin? – To Use Or Not To Use!

It is that time of the year when you cannot wait to enjoy the sun, the weather and the beach. Finally, you can show off your skin. Except, it is also that time of the year when it seems that you and your skin do not stand a chance against the irritating and troublesome insects, mosquitoes in particular. Sometimes it even feels like it is personal and that all of those insects have something against you.
Insect attacks and insect bite marks are annoying, but they can cause so much more trouble than just being an annoyance.
mosquitoes and ticks can spread diseases like malaria, bubonic plague or Lyme disease, which makes it even more important to seek protection against their bites. Most common and efficient way to protect yourself in cases such as these, especially if you spend a lot of your time outdoors, is to use insect repellent spray, lotion or stick. Insect repellents are affordable, accessible, they are easy to use and they get the job done.
However, in recent years people began to wonder if some of these products, we so frequently refer to as “bug spray”, could be harmful to their skin and health.

Are Bug Sprays Actually Bad for Your Skin and Health?

Let’s face it, bug spray keep the insects away and that is all many of us care about. Bug spray are the necessity. Chemicals in bug spray are effective at stopping a large percentage of blood-sucking bugs, ticks, mosquitoes and fleas. More often than not, this is all we want to hear. We do not care if some of those chemicals are damaging to our skin, but we should be, especially if we are not using insect repellents properly.
Bug sprays are known to cause skin irritations and mild allergy reactions, so you should pay attention to unwanted skin reactions when you use them. Also, keep in mind other safety measures:

• Keep bug sprays and creams away from children’s reach
• Do not use too much of any bug spray products. Your skin is like a large breathing organ that shouldn’t be continuously suffocated and clogged with chemicals
• Do not forget to rinse the spray off of your skin with soap and water; protection from bugs should be short-lived
• Do not use bug sprays inside your home because once you do, you and your family will start inhaling all of the chemicals
• Avoid contact with your eyes and mouth at any cost
• Do not use bug sprays near your food or drinks
• Avoid contact with open wounds or sores that you might have; it will only irritate your wounds and make them worse
• Avoid using insect repellents during pregnancy

You May Also Like To Read – Skin Care Tips to Prevent Tanning in Summer!
Before you apply for insect spray anywhere near your skin, it is always advisable to use some kind of moisturizing cream or lotion, for additional protection. To be completely positive that you have done everything in you power to protect your skin from UVA rays and mosquito bites, use daily moisturizing cream, with wide spectrum SPF 30. Your skin will be hydrated, soft and smooth all day long. Best of all, you will be protected from sunburns as well.

Why do Bugs Like us so Much?

Spray is Harmful for Skin

We, the humans, are an immeasurable and vast source of nourishment for creatures like mosquitoes, biting flies, ticks and fleas. There are more than 10,000 species of insects who feed on blood. Insects are usually able to locate our bodies by smelling the carbon dioxide that they can sense from more than 150 feet away. So, the more gas you exhale, the more mosquitoes you attract. Also, insects can detect our body temperature and all kinds of substances in our sweat and breath.
As an alternative, it is better to spray your clothes than it is to spray your skin. Insect repellent sprays proved to be safe for the majority of the people. Ingredients found in these repellents vary from natural to artificial. It is important to know that they do not kill or harm insects, which means that is bug spray harmful to humans. They are intended to be safe. Nonetheless, repellents are there to be used for short periods of time, only when it is absolutely necessary. Most common bug spray ingredients are:

• DEET
• Birch
• IR3535
• Lemon eucalyptus essential oil

Conclusion

No one can deny that possibly disease-carrying insects can be incredibly annoying and dangerous. Luckily, we can do something about it. Insect repellents have been around for a long time. They are designed to be put on our skin and to keep away insects from harming us.
The most important thing we have to do is to follow directions written on the labels when we’re using bug sprays, keep our skin hydrated, and we are good to go. One insect at a time.

2 Sources

We review published medical research in respected scientific journals to arrive at our conclusions about a product or health topic. This ensures the highest standard of scientific accuracy.

[1] The sialotranscriptome of the blood-sucking bug Triatoma brasiliensis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1896098/
[2] Sunscreens And Photoprotection https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537164/

Sam Kramer, MS, RD, CSSGB, LDN, CISSN

Sam Kramer is a Registered Dietitian, Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist, Six Sigma Green Belt Certified, and Certified Sports Nutritionis Read Full Bio