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You may have seen them passed around at the playground or park — tiny, candy-colored stickers, often bearing bright cartoony faces, hearts or flowers, meant to repel mosquitoes. Hikers and urban walkers are wearing them on socks and jacket collars; parents are tacking them onto kids’ hats and backpacks. Forget Skittles — they’re the latest party favor at children’s birthday outings.
Mosquito repellent patches or stickers, often marketed to parents of young children, claim less mess and more convenience than cumbersome, sticky insect repellent sprays and lotions. They’re plant-based and travel-friendly, manufacturers boast, a non-toxic, DEET-free alternative to chemical insect repellents. Leading brands, such as Cliganic , NATPAT and BugMD , use essential oils, like citronella and peppermint oil among others, as the active ingredients to repel pesty bloodsuckers.
Suitable for both children and adults, manufacturers recommend the peel-and-stick patches — which cost, on average, $10 to $20 on Amazon for a box — be placed on clothing or wearable outdoor accessories, as opposed to directly onto skin. The oils in the stickers emit a fragrance that masks human odors, repelling mosquitoes, which find their hosts via exhaled carbon dioxide and bodily odors like sweat, lactic acid and skin bacteria in addition to sight and heat. Brands claim their stickers provide several hours of protection — some say up to 72 hours , if used as directed.
El Niño conditions have fueled unprecedented humidity in Southern California this year, boosting mosquito activity. And mosquitoes spread disease, including West Nile virus — of which Los Angeles County is seeing the highest number of cases in more than a decade. So mosquito concerns are real.
Could this easy, affordable mosquito kryptonite be too good to be true? The experts say yes. (Sorry.) (Deborah Vankin / Los Angeles Times ) Here’s the deal with mosquito repellent patches An entomologist says: Immo A. Hansen , a medical entomologist at New Mexico State University who studies the physiology of mosquitoes, has very definite opinions about mosquito repellent patches.
Put simply: “They don’t work,” he says. “They can’t deliver enough active ingredient to protect you from anything. Even if they use active ingredients that do work — like citronella or clove oil — it’s just not enough to make a difference,” he says.
“Also, the location: a patch, it’s barely larger than my thumbnail and that’s the region it would protect. Just the size of the patch — nothing else would be protected.” So what about the testimonials that mosquito repellent patch brands boast on their websites? “Every one of these people who report it as working, it’s either a) fake or b) a placebo effect,” Hansen says.
He instead recommends a mosquito repellent spray. “One of the big four, which would be Deet, Picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus if you like it natural,” Hansen says. “They’re all sprays that will protect you for hours.” The American Mosquito Control Assn . says: Most mosquito repellent patches include citronella oil as an active ingredient — or the only active ingredient.
“And citronella has a long history of repelling mosquitos,” says Daniel Markowski, a vector ecologist and technical advisor for the AMCA. “It’s been around for thousands of years and definitely has some repellency. In a patch, though, I’m not convinced it would be great.” Why?
It comes down to the concentration of the active ingredients and delivery method of the repellent, which affects the coverage area, he says. “The patches don’t emit enough repellent to keep the mosquitoes off the areas beyond the patch,” Markowski says. “And all essential oils, at best, have mild repellent properties.” For those committed to using citronella oil, he adds, “a citronella lotion would be better — you’re getting better coverage.
Whereas if you have a patch on your shoulder, they’re gonna bite the other shoulder.” It’s worth noting, Markowski says, that some people are just more attractive to mosquitoes than others — it comes down to body composition and micro-odors from breath and sweat, among other factors. “So for the people who are not very attractive to mosquitoes, a very mild repellent might work OK. But if you’re one of those individuals that’s highly attractive to mosquitoes, patches are probably not going to work very well.
If you have serious concerns about mosquitoes or mosquito-borne diseases, I’d think a patch would be the least effective way to protect yourself or your family.” Sprays and lotions that are EPA-registered, Markowski says, “will generally give you the highest degree of repellency.” A leading mosquito repellent patch brand says: “We created BuzzPatch as parents,” says Gary Tramer, co-founder of NATPAT. “Our own kids wouldn’t tolerate sprays, and we wanted a spray-free option for everyday moments like the backyard, the playground and a barbecue with friends. [The company’s] BuzzPatch is not a replacement for an EPA-registered repellent. That’s why we also make BuzzSpray, sold at Target, which uses oil of lemon eucalyptus, an EPA-registered, CDC-recognized plant-derived active ingredient.
For heavy mosquito activity, travel, or anywhere mosquito-borne disease is a concern, we suggest families to use a registered repellent like that one, or DEET or Picaridin.” Tramer says NATPAT is aware of published studies cautioning that mosquito repellent stickers are not that effective. “And we take them seriously,” he says, “and continually hope to educate and contribute to the understanding. Many test mosquitoes that are already right at the skin.
That measures something different from how our scent-based sticker is designed to work outdoors. But we don’t dismiss those findings. They’re part of why we’re clear about where BuzzPatch fits and where it doesn’t.” Each BuzzPatch, he adds, lists the concentration of active ingredients on the pack: “10% citronella oil (120 mg) and the usage guide recommends the numbers and placements of stickers by size/age — generally near exposed skin and the bigger you are, the more stickers you should use.” Bottom line: Sure, mosquito patches might be cute — and they can’t hurt.
But to ward off skeeters, better to either cover up skin with clothing or simply avoid areas and times of day when mosquitoes are most active. Which would be at dusk and dawn near still water, in especially shaded areas or in heavy vegetation, such as tall grass and vegetable gardens. “Contact your local mosquito control program — they can give you very specific precautions to take,” Markowski says.
“Mosquitoes and ticks can be a literal pain in the butt. But don’t stay inside because of them. Just wear appropriate repellents or clothing.
And enjoy being outdoors with friends and family.” More to Read
Source: Los Angeles Times
