What do you Use to Avoid Mosquito Bites?

Oh you guys I am in misery. I don't know if this is an appropriate question for this forum but I'm starting to feel like I'll never get my gardening done. I am one of "those" people. One of those people who attract mosquitos like flowers attract bees.....like honey attracts ants....like....well you get the picture.

True story: One time while camping with friends I was being eaten alive. No one else was bothered in the slightest, but I was slathering on the Off like it was body lotion. I washed my hands to eat supper and forgot to re-apply. Don't you know the next morning I had bites all over the PALMS of my hands? And my family (jokingly) tries to use me as "bait". If one of them hears a mosquito buzz they'll ask me to move to the other side of the area so that everyone else will be left in peace.

I had to cry "uncle" today. After 3 solid days of much need rain the skeeters are fierce out there. Despite the heat I had donned long sleaves and jeans and covered myself with Cutters all to no availe. I have bites on my eyebrows, inside my ears and all over my thighs and rear. Argh! Does anybody have a sure fire way to keep these pests at bey? Somebody? Anybody? S.O.S! LOL.

Thanks (if for nothing else than listening to me whine),
La

You need to move to California. I lived in OH for many years and was a mosquito magnet like you, I could be sitting outside and nobody else would get bit but I'd be covered in bites by the end of the night. Moved to CA, and I think I've had maybe 2 mosquito bites in 5 years. Part of it is that we don't have as many out here, but even in the wetter weather when they are around, they don't seem to like me as much as the OH mosquitoes did.

Assuming that's not an option though, have you tried Avon Skin So Soft? It's supposed to repel them, don't know how it compares to the true mosquito repellents, but I think it's got a different ingredient in it so it may be worth trying. Or get one of the really strong ones like Deep Woods Off, that's supposed to repel pretty much everything. I'm not sure if you're supposed to put it on your face though, might be too strong for that.

The skin-so-soft doesn't work for me, but I don't know that I've tried the Deep Woods Off. I tell you Ecrane if it's strong enough to keep them off of me it is the PERFECT strength. I've been wondering (as I scratch like a poor dog with fleas) all night long how I'm going to face going out there again tomorrow.

An odd thing is that I had major surgery 3 years ago and the mosqitos magically disappeared. Apparently something in my body chemistry had changed . Unfortunately the following summer it changed back.

Thanks for the response....at least I have something new to try!

I hope they still make the Deep Woods Off--I just got to thinking that it was something I used 5 yrs ago when I lived in OH, but I haven't bought skeeter repellent since I moved here so there's a chance it might not still exist. I would assume there's something similar even if that one's not still around, it was for repelling skeeters and ticks and all sorts of nasty thing you run into when you're camping.

That's interesting about your body chemistry changing with surgery...I wonder if mine changed? I became vegetarian shortly after moving here, so maybe that's in and not that the CA skeeters are different than the OH ones. So if the Off stuff doesn't work, maybe try laying off meat for a month and see if that does anything!

I was wondering why I hadn't been eaten alive by mosquitoes this year when I came across a post on DG mentioning B vitamins working to keep them away. I suddenly realized I had been eating Marmite daily. Marmite is a British product rich in B vitamins. When I ran out I started to be bitten again.
I'm not sure how much has to build up in your body to be a repellent and I don"t know if it works for everyone, I just know it works for me. BTW some people have a sensitivity to B vitamins so proceed carefully if you choose to explore this option.

We are lucky here, our skeeters seem to be gone for the year, but in the spring! WOW!

I also get bitten on the hands and fingers.
I walk in the woods with my hood up and hands rolled into the sleeves, then the buggers crawl into a tiny crack in the sleeve and bite my fingers, UGH.

I have tried I think everything. The only thing that works for me is Repel with deet. I hate using poisen, but it is better than getting 5000 bites and maybe some horrible sickness.

Hope you find your cure. Those pests can take a bite out of your outdoor fun.

I think you got a bingo here Semp! In my 2nd post I was telling Ecrane that after I had surgury I was virtually mosquito free for a summer. Well wouldn't you know that my dr. had me using B12 as a recovery tool! (In reality I am still supposed to be taking it, but have slacked off considerably). Wow it would be great if it was just that simple. My doc would have a fit if he knew how infrequently I took it now, so I'm going to hit it hard again and hopefully please him and and give myself double the benefits in the bargain! THANK YOU for posting that!!!

And thanks to all of you who took the time to answer my call for help!

I've been using Repel w/40% Deet - comes in spray and wipes. Works for us. Good luck!

Oh Lala I do feel your pain! I hope the vitamin B works for you. And that's certainly something that I will look into, especially next year.

I hate those stupid critters as much as they love me. But I have to say that it sounds like they love you more than they love me. I feel sooooo very sorry for you and anyone else that has to endure this kind of misery!

I use Avon SSS in the spring and early summer. Then DH sprays with cutter and that helps too. I have been drinking Apple Cider Vinegar (in juice) since early August and for some reason they don't bother me as much as before. It really seems strange to me when someone else in the crowd is whining about them and I'm not bothered! LOL

I think b complex works too rather than just b12(niacin ?).
I use it everyday and i've seen a lot of mosquitos at night lately.
I haven't been bit yet.
I saw a couple in my room and couldn't smack them.
I expected to wake up with bites but got none.
The west nile virus was found in mosquitos a mile or so away from here so I'm paranoid about getting bit.
I work nights outside.....Prime dinnertime for skeeters.
I also heard garlic pills work too.
The ones that have garlic oil in them.Not the ones that are just dried garlic pills.
Maybe garlic has b vitamins in it,I don't know.
I'd use Deet and b vitamins.
Cabelas has several kinds of repellant,you can probably get some kind of super duper atomic mosquito juice from them.

Although it's a bit after the last post for this discussion, I thought I'd chime in. Not only do we have mosquitos still lurking outside (record breaking heat the last week), but i've been preparing for a trip to India and so have done quite a bit of research and testing. I, too, am a mosquito magnet. Although i've never had them quite as bad as you've described! Vitamin B, any kind really, is said to repel mosquitos. But it usually takes about 2 weeks for your body to "build up" enough where it starts to secrete it, which is the reason the B works. Your body can only use so much a day and then it secretes it through your skin. There are B vitamin skin patches you can buy over the internet that start working right away if you want to get some to kick things off before oral vitamins take effect. Just look around for some competitive prices. They're a little pricey, but I've used a combo of the patches and 30% Deet. You should know that for real mosquito protection, the CDC for example recommends at least 30% Deet strength. I don't think the deep woods is more than 21%. There are also 100% Deet that come in drop form...a little goes a long way. You just put it on your hand and then put it on the exposed parts of your body. I use the stronger stuff on my arms and legs and neck and then a 30-50% solution on my face. I also used Avon's Picaridin spray on my face (you put it on your hands first). It's the next best thing for people who need mosquito repellent but can't use Deet.

Hope this helps if you haven't already come across a solution!
Karen

Perfect timing for this thread to surface again, I was looking for citronela candles today, none to be found, but lots of Christmas decorations. Drives me nuts! Skeeters eat me alive, get big lumps where they bite, I'm going to try the B vitamins. I use the wipes on any open skin, but they bite through my clothing. They are getting in the house this year, I've searched everywhere to find an opening with no luck. I've even lightly sprayed the underside of the dog and around the doors. I can't wait for colder weather, I'm tired of the itch.

One more thing re mosquitos biting through clothing. You can buy Permethrin to wash clothes in. It's supposed to be stainless on natural fibers and I think some synthetics. I recently bought some (to be delivered soon) so i can test it on the clothes I'm taking overseas. You might try it on clothes you usually wear to garden in? I recommend the solution rather than a spray on since they're supposed to last longer. There are also treated clothing items (like Bug Off) you can buy, but I think Consumer Reports recently gave them a thumbs down. A recent Consumer Reports also found, unfortunately, that most botanicals (for skin applications) are much less effective than Deet. Of course, if you have reactions to Deet, you have to use the others. I think there is also a new Deet product out that's time-released and sweat resistant. Ultrathon? Though there may be others. Oh, and correction on the Deep Woods. If you buy the 'ultra' version, it's 98% Deet. The increase in percentage means that it last longer, not that it's more effective, BTW. So same effectiveness as lower percentage versions but you have to reapply less.

Thanks for this info.

For our trip to Africa in September, we were advised by the health service to use Ultrathon, which is manufactured by 3M. (The areas we were visiting are malarial areas.) It is 34.34% Deet, and is splash and sweat resistant. You apply it once a day. It definitely worked. And, it melts plastic. I can't imagine wearing anything stronger! (I would wash the palms of my hands after applying it, so that I wouldn't damage my camera.)

Additionally, we sprayed our clothing with a pyrethrin made for just for that, which is advertised to last through washings - for two weeks. We were there two weeks, and our clothing was washed several times, too.

I've tried B6 in the past, but I couldn't stand the odor my body gave off!

Where did you find the pyrethrin that is made to be sprayed on clothes? Sounds like a useful product!

The name is Repel Permanone (Clothing & Gear) Insect Repellent. DH bought it online. It was also recommended by the health department for the areas we were travelling in due to malaria. You spray the clothes until lightly moistened - about 1 minute - outside. Let dry thoroughly before wearing. I am not particularly crazy about using insecticides, let alone wearing them, but in this case it was a necessity.

I've read that some photographers that go into mosquito and tick infested areas use it.

Thanks!