Tick repellant
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As long as you're not sensitive to it, the most effective insect repellent is straight DEET. I have a little squeeze bottle of it marketed under the brand "Muskol". It lasts forever and only takes a couple of drops.
For a long term solution don't mess with sprays, lotions, etc. Get straight DEET.
For a weekend outing a spray is probably best but make sure it has DEET.
For a long term solution don't mess with sprays, lotions, etc. Get straight DEET.
For a weekend outing a spray is probably best but make sure it has DEET.
The best tick repellent you can get is the Permanone based sprays. You can find it marketed under the Sawyer brand or Repel brand Permanone. You apply it to your clothes (not your skin) and it will last for several weeks. It works far better than deet.
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Wow, that's new to me. I'll have to look into it.
(DEET does work, though)
***later***
I did a little research and Permanone is Permethrin, an insecticide used in various bug sprays like wasp spray.
I'm currently under treatment for a tick bite (suspected lyme) so I'm especially interested in tick repellent discussions. I'll buy some of this Permanone stuff and try it out.
(DEET does work, though)
***later***
I did a little research and Permanone is Permethrin, an insecticide used in various bug sprays like wasp spray.
I'm currently under treatment for a tick bite (suspected lyme) so I'm especially interested in tick repellent discussions. I'll buy some of this Permanone stuff and try it out.
DEET is what worx, but i've heard people with any condition that can cause seizures should avoid it.
I work in the outdoors year round. I have found that Deet is not nearly as effective on ticks as Permanone. Deet does work well on mosquitoes.
Permanone kills and repels ticks. WalMart, Cabelas, Bass Pro and REI all usually have it either under the Sawyer or Repel brand name.
Follow this link for more information:
http://www.lymeneteurope.org/info/deet-versus-permethrin-as-a-tick-repellent
I prefer it in the pump spray bottle like this:
Permanone kills and repels ticks. WalMart, Cabelas, Bass Pro and REI all usually have it either under the Sawyer or Repel brand name.
Follow this link for more information:
http://www.lymeneteurope.org/info/deet-versus-permethrin-as-a-tick-repellent
I prefer it in the pump spray bottle like this:
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1,611 Posts
What we are briefed is to use DEET lotions, and treat uniforms, skeeter nets, etc with permenthrin. The clothing treatment is a soak in asolution for a few hours, and it's supposed to be effective for a few months. I forget the actual numbers, it's been a while since I've done it, but I did notice fewer bites.
Another aspect too is what you wear. Long sleeves and pants will help a lot, blousing your boots, etc all reduce your risk.
Another aspect too is what you wear. Long sleeves and pants will help a lot, blousing your boots, etc all reduce your risk.
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I soak my clothing and gear with permethrin. everything except the things are next-to-skin. everywhere else is DEET.
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I live in Tick City. I used to think about getting a goat; after reading a couple of articles on livestock and tick-vectored illnesses, I think even chickens might be out of the question unless I decide I'm willing to spray heavy-duty stuff thickly and often. My back yard is bare rock and we even get covered with them there if we go out w/o repellent. They're THAT BAD.
DEET causes me a horrible rash and I can't get my kids to stick to a couple sets of "go-outside clothes." So, after asking a lot of questions, this is the solution I've arrived at that works for us:
1) Mow, mow, mow. And rake up the leaves. Not relevant for you, but might be to someone who hits this thread 'cause they're in my shoes.
2) Rose-geranium or geranium oil. It stinks to high heaven, but it works well enough that I've learned to love the smell. You can buy it online or at natural foods stores. It's kind of expensive (about $15 to $20 for a 1-ounce bottle) but by the time I dilute it the bottle lasts me and three kids all year even using it almost every day.
Dilute 1 part geranium oil in 10 parts other oil. I have read soybean oil improves its effectiveness but have never tried it. I use baby oil.
You can mix lemongrass or lemon eucalyptus oil in (I can't find the dilution rate off the top of my head). This is supposed to make it last longer and repel more insects.
You can dilute the oil solution in alcohol or witch hazel if you want something less greasy. You can (again, so I read, but I've never tried it) put this in a spray bottle and use it like DEET spray, but it will sweat off more easily and must be reapplied about every 2 hours.
PATCH-TEST ALL ESSENTIAL OIL SPRAYS BEFORE YOU COVER YOURSELF IN THEM. Better a rash on your wrist than all over you.
3) Tick check, tick check, tick check. According to a lot of my reading and my kids' doctor, most tick-vectored illnesses take on the order of 12-36 hours to transmit. Tick check yourself and anyone in your party who can't check themselves every couple of hours. It's a pain-- try tick-picking three kids sometime-- but it works.
ALWAYS get as close to the skin as you possibly can. If you have some finger nails, they work; if you don't, use tweezers. Grabbing the tick by the body forces blood back into the wound and can make it more likely that you'll catch something scary. And, if you've never broken the head off one and had to dig it out with a needle, just take my word that you really don't want to have that experience.
4) As completely counter-intuitive as this sounds, if you've going to be spending a lot of time in a heavily infested area, wear shorts. It doesn't keep the ticks off, but if they're that thick you're not going to keep them off anyway. Shorts make it easier to just freakin' tick-check yourself every hour or so.
5) De-ticker tape. This was invented, as far as I know, by a guy I talked to for a while on the Mother Earth boards. Roll a piece of duct tape sticky-side out and go over your skin with it. It works really well on the itty-bitty teeny-weeny ticks that are incredibly prevalent around here in the late summer and early fall.
This is my experience. YMMV. Good luck.
I HATE TICKS!!!!!
DEET causes me a horrible rash and I can't get my kids to stick to a couple sets of "go-outside clothes." So, after asking a lot of questions, this is the solution I've arrived at that works for us:
1) Mow, mow, mow. And rake up the leaves. Not relevant for you, but might be to someone who hits this thread 'cause they're in my shoes.
2) Rose-geranium or geranium oil. It stinks to high heaven, but it works well enough that I've learned to love the smell. You can buy it online or at natural foods stores. It's kind of expensive (about $15 to $20 for a 1-ounce bottle) but by the time I dilute it the bottle lasts me and three kids all year even using it almost every day.
Dilute 1 part geranium oil in 10 parts other oil. I have read soybean oil improves its effectiveness but have never tried it. I use baby oil.
You can mix lemongrass or lemon eucalyptus oil in (I can't find the dilution rate off the top of my head). This is supposed to make it last longer and repel more insects.
You can dilute the oil solution in alcohol or witch hazel if you want something less greasy. You can (again, so I read, but I've never tried it) put this in a spray bottle and use it like DEET spray, but it will sweat off more easily and must be reapplied about every 2 hours.
PATCH-TEST ALL ESSENTIAL OIL SPRAYS BEFORE YOU COVER YOURSELF IN THEM. Better a rash on your wrist than all over you.
3) Tick check, tick check, tick check. According to a lot of my reading and my kids' doctor, most tick-vectored illnesses take on the order of 12-36 hours to transmit. Tick check yourself and anyone in your party who can't check themselves every couple of hours. It's a pain-- try tick-picking three kids sometime-- but it works.
ALWAYS get as close to the skin as you possibly can. If you have some finger nails, they work; if you don't, use tweezers. Grabbing the tick by the body forces blood back into the wound and can make it more likely that you'll catch something scary. And, if you've never broken the head off one and had to dig it out with a needle, just take my word that you really don't want to have that experience.
4) As completely counter-intuitive as this sounds, if you've going to be spending a lot of time in a heavily infested area, wear shorts. It doesn't keep the ticks off, but if they're that thick you're not going to keep them off anyway. Shorts make it easier to just freakin' tick-check yourself every hour or so.
5) De-ticker tape. This was invented, as far as I know, by a guy I talked to for a while on the Mother Earth boards. Roll a piece of duct tape sticky-side out and go over your skin with it. It works really well on the itty-bitty teeny-weeny ticks that are incredibly prevalent around here in the late summer and early fall.
This is my experience. YMMV. Good luck.
I HATE TICKS!!!!!
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Use something with a high percentage of deet.
And, learn how to properly remove a tick - improper removal is where a lot of people become infected. When you grab a tick, and remove it with your fingers, chances are your going to crush it. When this happens, you force the ticks bodily fluids through its mouth and into your tissue, thus increasing your risk of infection.
And, learn how to properly remove a tick - improper removal is where a lot of people become infected. When you grab a tick, and remove it with your fingers, chances are your going to crush it. When this happens, you force the ticks bodily fluids through its mouth and into your tissue, thus increasing your risk of infection.
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186 Posts
Has anyone ever tried a Tick Twister?
http://www.ticktwister.com/index.html
I bought one a year or so ago, but haven't had a chance to actually use it. But it looks like it would do the job of removing ticks without crushing them.
At $4, seems cheap enough
http://www.ticktwister.com/index.html
I bought one a year or so ago, but haven't had a chance to actually use it. But it looks like it would do the job of removing ticks without crushing them.
At $4, seems cheap enough
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Depends on where you're going to apply it. Wearing shorts and applying it to the skin, use DEET. Wearing long pants and maybe long sleeves and applying it to clothes, Permanone. DEET sprayed on jeans doesn't really work. DEET sprayed on skin under jeans doesn't really work.
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take the mother inlaw with ya. they usually drive away most anything 'cept themselfs
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I go with Deet all the time, Now if someone would come up with a product like Frontline flea and tick for humans that would be great.
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Repellant is a great idea. But what about when one gets through?
Great series of med videos
Great series of med videos
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