Insect Repellent Reviews

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Insect Repellent Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Insect Repellent Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	Insect Repellents: Which Keep Bugs at Bay? Editors of Consumer Reports June 2006		Consumer Reports tests 18 insect repellents 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.
2. Journal of Medical Entomology	Laboratory Evaluation of Mosquito Repellents Donald R. Barnard and Rui-De Xue July 2004		Although each of 12 insect repellents is tested on only two people for this 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% DEET product (the highest DEET percentage tested).
3. eMedicine.com	Insect Repellents Mark S. Fradin, M.D. Feb. 6, 2007		Dermatology professor Mark Fradin summarizes information on the current insect repellents available. Fradin recommends 5% to 35% 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 fails to comment on the Duke University articles warning about DEET. Fradin notes that Bite Blocker is especially effective against black flies.
4. American Academy of Pediatrics >> Details/Subscribe	What's the buzz? Be prepared to answer parents' questions about insect repellents James R. Roberts, M.D., M.P.H., FAAP July 2007		This latest update 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.
5. GreenerChoices.org	Deet-free insect repellents Editors of GreenerChoices.org June 2007		There's no new information here, but this review based on 2006 tests and ratings at Consumer Reports is free without a subscription. Three DEET-free insect repellents are recommended in order of effectiveness, along with safety precautions for using DEET, plus tips for avoiding mosquitoes and ticks.

Insect Repellent Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Insect Repellent Ratings Comments on Reviews

6. The New England Journal of Medicine	Comparative Efficacy of Insect Repellents against Mosquito Bites Mark S. Fradin, M.D., and John F. Day, Ph.D. July 4, 2002		Researchers enlist 15 volunteers to test 16 insect repellents, including seven botanical products, four DEET products and three repellent wristbands. Since each product is tested three times on all 15 volunteers, the average duration is quite a bit more credible than tests at the USDA and Consumer Reports. Bite Blocker for Kids is the top-rated non-DEET product, but the duration of its effectiveness varies from over three hours for one user, down to only 16 minutes for another.
7. Slate.com >> Details/Subscribe	Bug Off! Which Mosquito Repellents Work Best? Andria Lisle July 26, 2005		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, but this review rates each insect repellent for important factors in addition to effectiveness in preventing bites -- including scent and feel on the skin.
8. Journal of Medical Entomology	Field Evaluation Against Mosquitoes of Regular and Polymer-Based Deet Formulations in Manitoba, Canada, with Comment on Methodological Issues Steven Schofield, Martin Tepper and Randy Gadawski May 2007		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	Field evaluation of the efficacy of proprietary repellent formulations with IR3535 A and Picaridin against Aedes aegypti G. Benner, J. Schulz et al June 2007		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 10-20% concentrations of either IR3535 or picaridin, using ten testers over a ten-hour period following the standard EPA protocol for testing. Each tester exposed one forearm treated with insect repellent, as well as another forearm left untreated as a control.
10. National Institutes of Health	Household Products Database Editors: National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine Not Dated		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 (MSDS) 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).
11. Canada Communicable Disease Report (CCDR)	Canadian Recommendations for the Prevention and Treatment of Malaria Among International Travelers Editors of CCDR June 21, 2004		Compared to 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.)

Insect Repellent Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Insect Repellent Ratings Comments on Reviews

12. Duke University Medical News	Duke Pharmacologist Says Animal Studies on DEET's Brain Effects Warrant Further Testing and Caution in Human Use Becky Levine May 1, 2002		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, Mohamed B. Abou-Donia, Ph.D., 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.
13. Choice.com.au	Mosquito Repellents Editors of Choice.com.au Dec. 2005		The Australian Consumers' Association, Australia's counterpart to Consumers Union (publisher 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.
14. Good Housekeeping.com >> Details/Subscribe	The Buzz on Bug Repellent Editors of Good Housekeeping Aug. 1, 2000		In this outdated comparison review, Good Housekeeping hires scientists from Florida A&M University to test seven insect repellents against two screened chambers, each filled with 10,000 mosquitoes. Unfortunately, this review is too old to include any of the newer formulas.
15. Quantum Health	Buzz Away Extreme versus OFF! Active IV Against the American Dog Tick Brooke Witting June 2006		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% 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.
16. Backpacker Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	Bug Off! Editors June 2007		This is the more recent comparison test we found of insect repellents, but we rank it lower 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 useful, however, since it evaluates other factors such as scent and skin-feel, as well as effectiveness.
17. National Home Gardening Club	Member Tested: Skin Care Editors and Club Members Not Dated		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 which 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.
18. BackpackGearTest.org	Insect Repellents Contributors to BackpackGearTest.org As of May 2008		Nineteen 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. Reviewers tend to agree more on convenience factors such as scent and skin-feel than on effectiveness.
19. About.com	Top 10 Insect and Mosquito Repellents Wendy Bumgardner June 2007		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 that ConsumerSearch and About.com are owned by the same parent company, but are not affiliated editorially.)
20. The Cochrane Library	Mosquito Repellents That Emit High-Pitched Sounds Don't Prevent Bites Editors of The Cochrane Library Apr. 18, 2007		A research paper published by the Cochrane Library, part of a British charity, concludes that electronic mosquito repellents that emit high-pitched sounds have no effect on preventing mosquito bites.

Insect Repellent Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	Insect Repellent Ratings Comments on Reviews

21. Real Simple >> Details/Subscribe	The Most Effective Insect Repellents Editors of Real Simple July 2005		No new tests are reported here, but this article is useful because it covers insects not included in most insect repellent reviews: chiggers, various flies, ants and no-see-ums. Unfortunately, no documentation is provided to back up the article's assertions.
22. The Gear Junkie	Ex Officio Buzz Off clothing Stephen Regenold July 23, 2005		In his blog containing reviews about outdoor related gear, Regenold talks about his experience trying out the Buzz Off clothing line. This is not an overly scientific review, and 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.
23. Epinions	Repellents Contributors to Epinions As of May 2008		More insect repellents have been reviewed and rated here than at Amazon.com, but most products receive fewer than ten user-written ratings. Low ratings for electronic and wristband insect repellents agree with what we found in other reviews.
24. The Green Guide	Readers Rate Insect Repellents Editors of TheGreenGuide.com Oct. 2005		The Green Guide surveys readers for feedback on six specific non-DEET insect repellents. Burt's Bees Lemongrass Insect Lotion is the most popular among the 1,751 respondents -- though all but one of the six repellents gets a significant amount of praise here.
25. Drugstore.com	Insect Repellent Contributors to Drugstore.com As of May 2008		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 reported skin irritation and rashes, particularly with natural/organic products.
26. Beyond Pesticides.org	Toxicity Chart Editors of BeyondPesticides.org Not Dated		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.
27. Amazon.com	Insect Repellent Contributors to Amazon.com As of May 2008		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.