Sure DEET is quite effective when it comes to warding off mosquitoes, but when you weigh the risks of using it over the mosquitoes in the first place it is not worth the trouble. DEET is a dangerous neurotoxin that is found in almost all of the commercial bug repellents.
This is something that can easily enter your bloodstream and cause DEET toxicity. Some children who have been effective have reported symptoms like headaches, seizures, tremors, and lethargy. We should be using something other than DEET to keep bugs away from our homes and our children.
Eucalyptus oil is just as effective as DEET and won’t cause any of the health issues that DEET does. In two more recent CDC publications, Eucalyptus oil was actually tested against mosquitoes found here in the United States and it proved to work quite well. Until this time DEET was literally the only repellent recommended by the CDC.
According to the publications mentioned above the CDC now recommends that when you go outdoors to use DEET and some lemon eucalyptus oil, however the eucalyptus oil can and should be used by itself. There is no need to use DEET ever. You should do everything you can to keep your family protected from those pesky bugs this coming up summer, the products we use to protect ourselves should not be damaging our health.
Eucalyptus oil for those who are not aware is an oil that is extracted from the leaves of eucalyptus. It is a colorless liquid that smells almost like wood. It is completely natural and generally has no negative side effects when applied to the skin. I personally love the way it smells and cannot get enough of it.
It is important to pay attention to the things we are putting on and in our bodies. For more information on DEET and why you should use eucalyptus oil instead of it; please take the time to watch the videos below. Make sure you are properly protected in the months to come.