DEET Repellents

Best DEET mosquito repellents

Reviews note that you can minimize the possible health risks of DEET exposure by using a controlled-release DEET insect repellent. These products encapsulate DEET in a polymer so it doesn't penetrate the skin as much; instead, the DEET stays on the surface where its vapors can repel insects. While reviews testing controlled-release insect repellents find that they don't actually extend the protection time against bites, experts do confirm that these products serve to minimize exposure to DEET.

3M Ultrathon is recommended in more reviews than Sawyer Family Controlled Release (*Est. $10,for 6 oz.), but comparison tests show that both insect repellents are quite effective. Sawyer Family Controlled Release lotion has 20 percent encapsulated DEET, while 3M Ultrathon comes in three versions with different encapsulated DEET concentrations. The strongest, 3M Ultrathon 12 Lotion (*Est. $8.50 for 2 oz.), is 34 percent DEET. This exceeds guidelines from Health Canada, that nation's environmental authority, which recommends limiting DEET concentrations to 30 percent.

The American Pediatrics Academy also recommends a limit of 30 percent for children (and for babies as young as two months), though the EPA says higher concentrations should be just as safe for kids. Because the polymer base that encapsulates the DEET minimizes skin absorption, the extra 4 percent DEET in the Ultrathon 12 Lotion is probably not a significant issue. However, 3M Ultrathon 8 (*Est. $7 for 6 oz.) comes in an aerosol spray with 25 percent DEET and in a pump spray (*Est. $9 for 6 oz.) with 19 percent DEET, if you prefer a lower concentration. According to the various health agencies, these concentrations minimize risks but still give you three to five hours of protection. One drawback is that formulas using encapsulated DEET are more expensive.

Reviews agree that insect repellents using DEET are consistently effective, and comparison tests show less variation in effective protection time for DEET than for other insect repellents. Therefore, if the odor and skin feel don't bother you much -- and they bother some people much more than others -- then a standard DEET insect repellent is a cost-effective choice. Reviews say the brand doesn't matter unless you want to avoid certain inactive ingredients or preservatives; it's the percentage of DEET that makes one insect repellent protect for a longer time than another.

For a brief exposure of an hour or two, a low concentration of 5 percent to 10 percent should do the trick. OFF! FamilyCare Unscented IV (*Est. $5.50 for 6 oz.), formerly called OFF! Skintastic IV, has 7 percent DEET, as does Cutter Skinsations (*Est. 6 for 6 oz.). Note that while using an insect repellent with such a small percentage minimizes exposure to DEET, most of the product is alcohol (ethanol), which is a solvent with some documented health risks of its own. OFF! FamilyCare Insect Repellent IV Light & Fresh Towelettes (*Est. $6 for 12) contain alcohol but also contain aloe vera, though no reviews were available for these. We found several user-written reviews praising DEET insect repellents that use water as a carrier instead of alcohol. Ben's Tick and Insect Repellent, Wilderness Formula 30 (*Est. $5.50 for 4 oz.), also comes in wipes (*Est. $5.50 for 12) and in a wide range of sizes down to a tiny 1.25-ounce pump spray (*Est. $4), which is especially handy for hikers.

Ben's 30 percent DEET concentration is about the optimum amount reviews recommend for most people, with an average protection length of about five hours. The average duration of full protection goes up as DEET percentages increase. But after 50 percent, the increase is minimal. Because of this, reviews suggest that even for long periods of exposure, it's best to use a product that has 25 percent to 35 percent DEET, then reapply as needed. If you prefer an alcohol base to water, a classic insect repellent is OFF! Deep Woods (*Est. $7.50 for 6 oz.). While the formula has changed from 23.8 percent to 25 percent DEET since the last reviews, the change is minimal enough that it shouldn't have too much of an effect. If you like the OFF! Product line, there's also the recently introduced OFF! FamilyCare Smooth & Dry Insect Repellent I (*Est. $5.50 for a 4 oz.), which contains 15 percent DEET and is supposed to lack the greasiness often associated with DEET repellents. We saw no reviews that confirm this, however.

Experts note exceptions to the 30 percent recommendation. Protection time is drastically shortened -- often halved -- in high heat, humidity and by rain or sweat. We found reviews from some hikers who prefer insect repellents with 95 percent DEET, such as OFF! Deep Woods Sportsmen (*Est. $6 for 1 oz.) or Ben's 100 (*Est. $5.50 for 1.25 oz.). For most situations, however, reviews say these high concentrations make for unnecessary cost and exposure to DEET.