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Insect Repellent: Ratings of Sources
Total of 27 Sources

For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.

1. ConsumerReports.org
June 2006
Insect Repellents: Which Keep Bugs at Bay?
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
Our Assessment

Consumer Reports' test of 18 insect repellents is rather outdated, but most of the products are still on the market. The test is based on the full range of major ingredients approved for use in the United States, including picaridin, synthetic lemon eucalyptus oil, IR 3535, four botanicals and DEET. One permethrin-treated T-shirt is also tested. Repellents are tested with two species of mosquito common in the United States, as well as with deer ticks. Four volunteers expose their arms to cages full of 200 mosquitoes at five-minute intervals. Effectiveness is measured by the average length of time until the second bite. There are no separate ratings for scent, skin feel or potential damage to materials.

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Laboratory Evaluation of Mosquito Repellents
by Donald R. Barnard and Rui-De Xue
Our Assessment

Although each of the 12 insect repellents is tested on only two people for this older study, researchers report the range of protection time, not just the average as Consumer Reports does. This shows that some insect repellents protect as long as seven or eight hours for one tester, but only four hours for another. The products, which cover a range of ingredients, are tested for duration of effectiveness in preventing bites from three different species of mosquito. Three non-DEET insect repellents perform as well and as long as a 15 percent DEET product (the highest DEET percentage tested).

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3. eMedicine.com
May 5, 2009
Insect Repellents
by Mark S. Fradin
Our Assessment

Dermatology professor Mark Fradin summarizes information on the current insect repellents available. Fradin recommends 5 percent to 35 percent DEET-based repellents for most people, reserving higher concentrations for very hot, wet or high-risk environments. Adding permethrin-treated clothing can make protection even better. The article covers safety and toxicity data on DEET very well, but it fails to comment on the Duke University articles warning about DEET. Fradin notes that Bite Blocker is especially effective against black flies.

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4. American Academy of Pediatrics
July 2007
What's the Buzz? Be Prepared to Answer Parents' Questions about Insect Repellents
by James R. Roberts
Our Assessment

This article from the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that the risks from West Nile virus and other diseases carried by insects greatly outweigh the risks of using DEET. However, there are reports that some children have had seizures or other neurological problems after repeated applications of DEET, while no such problems have been reported with picaridin. Recommendations are made based on this information.

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5. GreenerChoices.org
July 2008
DEET-free Insect Repellents
by Editors of GreenerChoices.org
Our Assessment There's no new information here, but this review based on 2006 tests and ratings at Consumer Reports is free without a subscription. Two DEET-free insect repellents are recommended, along with safety precautions for using DEET, plus tips for avoiding mosquitoes and ticks.
Comparative Efficacy of Insect Repellents against Mosquito Bites
by Mark S. Fradin and John F. Day.
Our Assessment

Researchers enlist 15 volunteers to test 16 insect repellents, including seven botanical products, four DEET products and three repellent wristbands. Because each product is tested three times on all 15 volunteers, the average duration is quite a bit more credible than tests at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Reports. Bite Blocker for Kids is the top-rated non-DEET product, but the duration of its effectiveness varies from more three hours for one user to only 16 minutes for another.

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7. Slate.com
July 26, 2005
Bug Off! Which Mosquito Repellents Work Best?
by Andria Lisle
Our Assessment Andria Lisle and friends test nine mosquito repellents selected after consultation with experts, including a dermatologist and an epidemiologist. Testing is informal, at backyard cookouts and on the bluffs of the Mississippi River, but this review rates each insect repellent for important factors in addition to effectiveness in preventing bites -- including scent and feel on the skin.
Field Evaluation Against Mosquitoes of Regular and Polymer-Based DEET Formulations in Manitoba, Canada, with Comment on Methodol
by Steven Schofield, Martin Tepper and Randy Gadawski
Our Assessment Field tests compare three DEET insect repellents for effectiveness against mosquito bites. Two polymer-based creams don't repel mosquitoes longer than an alcohol-based spray, and results vary much more by individual tester than by the insect repellent used. The authors conclude that insect repellent tests that use only a few subjects are limited in value.
9. Parasitology Research
June 2007
Field Evaluation of the Efficacy of Proprietary Repellent Formulations with IR3535 A and Picaridin against Aedes Aegypti
by G. Benner, J. Schulz, et al.
Our Assessment

We'd rank this review more highly if it covered more insect repellent ingredients. Here, field tests evaluate the effectiveness of seven non-DEET insect repellents with 10 to 20 percent concentrations of either IR3535 or picaridin, using 10 testers over a 10-hour period following the standard Environmental Protection Agency protocol. Each tester exposed one forearm treated with insect repellent, as well as another forearm left untreated as a control.

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Household Products Database
by Editors of National Institutes of Health
Our Assessment

Although insect repellents aren't compared for effectiveness here, you can find the actual ingredients and related health information for many specific products, some listed under "personal care," others under "pesticides." Product information includes a material safety data sheet with a health rating (from zero to four, the lower the better). It's interesting that Repel Lemon Eucalyptus has a health rating of two (moderate), while DEET insect repellents range from two down to one (slight).

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Canadian Recommendations for the Prevention and Treatment of Malaria Among International Travelers
by Editors of Canada Communicable Disease Report
Our Assessment Compared with the United States, Canada has stricter regulations on insect repellents containing DEET. A chart compares seven insect repellent formulations, with their duration of efficiency in hours along with a rating of the level of testing backing up these claims. (DEET repellents have the highest level of evidence.)
Which Mosquito Repellents Work Best?
by Editors of Good Housekeeping
Our Assessment In this comparison review, Good Housekeeping hires scientists from the University of Florida to test two insect repellents for effectiveness against mosquito bites. Both formulas were equally effective, but Deep Woods OFF!, which has a higher concentration of DEET, provided longer-lasting protection than Cutter Skinsations.
Duke Pharmacologist Says Animal Studies on DEET's Brain Effects Warrant Further Testing
by Becky Levine
Our Assessment

This article summarizes warnings from a Duke University Medical Center researcher based on 30 years of study on the effects of DEET on rats. The researcher warns that DEET is a potent neurotoxin that can cause significant brain damage and loss of ability, especially when used over a long period of time or combined with other drugs or chemicals -- permethrin, for example. The article includes a link to another study showing that even short-term stress increases the toxic effects. No mosquito repellents are rated.

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Mosquito Repellents
by Editors of Choice magazine
Our Assessment Australia's equivalent of Consumer Reports tests 12 repellents, both natural and synthetic. The article includes detailed explanations of chemical and natural ingredients, so even though most of the specific products aren't available in the United States, the comparison tests are still quite useful. Ratings show that more DEET doesn't automatically mean better or even longer protection.
15. Quantum Health
June 2006
Buzz Away Extreme versus OFF! Active IV Against the American Dog Tick
by Brooke Witting
Our Assessment

This is one of the few studies we found that tests insect repellents against dog ticks. A Ph.D. candidate conducts an objective study comparing the effectiveness of OFF! Active IV (25 percent DEET), with Buzz Away Extreme, a soybean-oil insect repellent that also uses geranium oil and other plant oils as ingredients. Rather than using human subjects, the tests observe whether or not ticks stay away from treated cloth.

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16. Backpacker Magazine
June 2007
Bug Off!
by Editors
Our Assessment This is a useful comparison test of insect repellents, but we rank it low because although the tests use a standard protocol (with a cage of mosquitoes, measuring time to the first bite), they're done by only one person. The review is still helpful, however, because it evaluates other factors such as scent and skin feel, as well as effectiveness.
Member Tested: Skin Care
by Editors of and contributors to National Home Gardening Club
Our Assessment

Volunteer gardeners test several different insect repellents, including BugBand Insect Repellent Spray, a botanical insect repellent based on geraniol (from geranium plants). Swamp Juice Towelette, also using geraniol, receives the same high member testing rating as BugBand. Also tested is Don't Bite Me!, an all-natural patch that uses Vitamin B1. Reviews are limited to a sentence or two, with two members adding a sentence of commentary. Products are given a numerical rating.

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Insect Repellents
by Contributors to BackpackGearTest.org
Our Assessment

Backpackers from the U.S. and Australia test different repellents in prime conditions, including day and overnight hikes and canoe camping. Many reviews include long-term reports over a period of several months. However, there's no overall comparison or summary. Most of the products reviewed are deemed effective, though some last longer than others. Only God's Country Botanicals Buzz-Off, which uses a mixture of catnip and lemon eucalyptus oil, receives poor reviews. Some products are not yet available in the United States.

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Insect Repellents
by Editors of Good Housekeeping
Our Assessment Editors of Good Housekeeping list and describe six types of insect repellents. Although efficacy rates are provided for each, it isn't clear if Good Housekeeping tested any of the products. None of the repellents listed are applied to the skin, and most are designed to protect an area from mosquitoes rather than just one individual. Products are not rated or compared with others.
Insect Repellents Buying Guide
by Editors of TheGreenGuide.com
Our Assessment Editors of TheGreenGuide.com say that although DEET is deemed safe and effective, it can cause side effects in people who use it often. Plant-based repellents are recommended instead. Several products are suggested based on their ingredients, but testing procedures, if any, are not clear. A chart is included that lists each product's active ingredients as well as the insects it protects against.
21. About.com
March 3, 2009
Top 10 Insect and Mosquito Repellents
by Wendy Bumgardner
Our Assessment This is only one of many reviews and articles about insect repellents by various About.com guides. Ten insect repellents in this brief review, but only the top-rated insect repellent is personally tested. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)
22. The Cochrane Library
April 18, 2007
Mosquito Repellents That Emit High-Pitched Sounds Don't Prevent Bites
by Editors of The Cochrane Library
Our Assessment A research paper published by the Cochrane Library concludes that electronic mosquito repellents that emit high-pitched sounds have no effect on preventing mosquito bites.
23. The Gear Junkie
July 23, 2005
Ex Officio Buzz Off clothing
by Stephen Regenold
Our Assessment In his blog containing reviews about outdoor gear, Stephen Regenold talks about his experience trying out the Buzz Off clothing line. This is not an overly scientific review, and it does not include many details about how often the pieces were tested and whether or not he used insect repellent on his skin as well. However, it does provide a nice firsthand experience using the product.
Insect & Pest Repellent
by Contributors to Drugstore.com
Our Assessment Drugstore.com publishes ratings and reviews of insect repellents submitted by users. Only a few insect repellents have been reviewed by enough people to make the average ratings reliable. Most reviews confirm that DEET-free insect repellents work well for some people, but not at all for others. A couple of users also report skin irritation and rashes, particularly with natural/organic products.
Toxicity Chart
by Editors of BeyondPesticides.org
Our Assessment

This coalition, formed to combat the use of pesticides, offers a chart that includes DEET. Some references are given to document DEET's toxic effects on the nervous system, kidneys, liver and birth defects, but most of the footnotes are disappointing, just leading to other fact sheets from the same organization, rather than to objective tests from other sources. So the chart raises some questions without really answering them.

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Mosquito Repellents
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Our Assessment There are hundreds of insect repellents listed for sale at Amazon.com, but most are only reviewed a handful of times -- not enough to thoroughly evaluate their effectiveness. The main conclusion we draw from reading these reviews is that almost any insect repellent works for some people, but only a few work for most.
A Natural, Alternative Insect Repellent to DEET
by Editors of Entomological Society of America
Our Assessment

This article summarizes the results of research published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, which finds isolongifolenone to be an effective mosquito and tick repellent. The compound, which is found in South American Tauroniro trees, appears to be more effective than DEET at repelling mosquitoes and just as effective at repelling ticks. Researchers say that isolongifolenone is cost effective as well, though no word is given as to when it might appear in mass-produced products.

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