To protect yourself from annoying mosquito bites and thus avoid the unpleasant itching caused by them from the outset, there are a whole range of different possibilities. Furthermore, mosquito protection is not only helpful in preventing the tormenting itching, but especially in endangered areas it is also an important measure to protect against dangerous infectious diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. Therefore, effective protective measures are part of the package before every trip.
Which mosquito protection measure is best suited depends, among other things, on the objective: for protection against malaria or dengue fever-transmitting mosquitoes in certain travel areas, different methods are necessary than for avoiding mosquito bites at night or during a pleasant barbecue evening in your own garden. In addition, there is no such thing as 100% mosquito protection, as different types of mosquitoes are deterred to varying degrees by the individual protection methods. With over 3500 different types of mosquitoes, the sensitivities to the various methods of protection differed: a remedy that is effective against native mosquito species in Germany can be completely ineffective in tropical areas.
Why one or the other seems to be more strongly attacked by mosquitoes, does not depend thereby – as falsely often claimed of “the sweetness of the blood“, but rather on the smell mixture of the skin: Ammonia, fatty acids, lactic acid and uric acid, which are secreted over the sweat on the skin, attract mosquitoes particularly. The mixing ratio of these components on our skin surface is genetically determined. Which of the components of the skin film is particularly attractive also depends on the respective type of mosquito. Just as the mixture of scents on the skin influences the mosquitoes’ bite, the mosquitoes’ attraction depends on one factor: the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during respiration, which the mosquitoes can smell even from a great distance. The protection methods described below are generally among the most effective.
Repellents
The so-called repellents are among the most widespread and popular mosquito repellents. These are synthetic active ingredients that are perceived by mosquitoes via the sense of smell and which are a deterrent but do not lead to death. In addition to the deterrent mechanism, the odorous substances also ensure that the mosquitoes can no longer perceive the body’s own odor, by which they would normally be attracted.
The repellents are applied directly to the skin, usually in the form of a spray or oil, and have a continuous effect over several hours (usually 4-8 hours). Depending on the objective of the repellents, there are some with ingredients for sting or disease prophylaxis. The synthetic active ingredient Icaridin (e.g.
Autan Protection Plus) is usually sufficient for pure bite prophylaxis in this country, whereas the ingredient DEET (e.g. Nobite skin spray, Anti Brumm forte) is more effective for tropical travel with the risk of disease transmission by mosquitoes. In addition to protection through the application of effective repellents, a very simple, conservative method is often effective: wearing long, light-colored clothing that covers the skin well keeps most mosquitoes from biting. Since most mosquitoes are attracted by dark surface colors and the body’s own odor, this can be a remedy.
It is important that the clothing should be tight but not tight-fitting, otherwise there is a danger of being pierced. If the long, light-colored clothing is combined with the use of repellents, a very effective protection can be assumed. There is also the possibility to impregnate the used clothing against mosquitoes to protect against those mosquitoes that bite through clothing themselves. Simple impregnation sprays (e.g. Nobite clothing) can be used for this purpose, but care should be taken that a new impregnation is necessary after each wash. This topic might also be of interest to you:
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