Dangers of DEET

As a follow up to the last post, I wanted to include another alarming report found on the common insect repellant, “DEET”. This is a mist that I’m sure most of us have used at some point in efforts to stay mosquito free while outdoors. As more tests are conducted on this product, the results and opinions are becoming worse and worse. This tells of actual fatalities related to using DEET:

“DEET, is a toxic chemical that can act as an irritant; and in some cases, it may cause skin reactions. DEET is a solvent, and will dissolve some plastics, rayon, spandex, other synthetic fabrics, leather, and painted or varnished surfaces including nail polish.

In the DEET Re-registration Eligibility Decision (RED), the EPA reported 46 cases of potential DEET-associated seizures, including 4 deaths. From the EPA: “there have been seizure incidents associated with DEET use. The Agency has concerns regarding these seizures, especially for children who are more susceptible to seizures in general and who receive a higher dose of DEET due to a greater surface area to body weight ratio. This concern is heightened due to the manner in which DEET is applied: directly to the skin.”

Be it ruining clothes, brain cells, or causing seizers, the more I research this product the more I am convinced that a less toxic, barrier treatment is the better solution. Not only does it kill the mosquitoes and ticks instead of repelling them, but you do not have to worry about the effects of coming into direct contact with it either. And if you do, it’s actually less toxic than DEET anyway! So for an eco-friendly product and a safe solution to your families needs, look into Mosquito Squad!