Nobody likes being bitten by mosquitos. As for me, I absolutely dread it. Why? Because every single one of them turns into a huge welt on me. One mosquito bite will swell into a huge, raised welt (about 1-1/2″ in diameter) within minutes. It itches and oozes like crazy. Not only that but it takes forever to heal and I am often left with scars. One time I had a dozen bites on one leg and about 8 on the other — now that’s true! But, I finally found a way of surviving peak mosquito season and all without drowning my pores in harmful DEET chemicals. Curious about these 1-3 steps of how to prevent mosquito bites?
Easiest Ways of How to Prevent Mosquito Bites
There are three steps to preventing bites. But, whether you need to use one or all three depends on the environment you will be in.
There are basically three products that I recommend using.
- For Occasional Use: Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard + Picaridin Towelettes
These individually packaged towelettes are great to keep in your bag or for travel. Just wipe down your arms, legs, neck, and any other exposed areas. The liquid left behind is not sticky and it does not irritate the skin. - For Areas w/ Higher Mosquito Counts: Avon Skin So Soft Original Scent Moisturizing Shower Gel
This shower gel does not dry out your skin and has a light scent. Having this formula in a shower gel form allows you to protect small areas you might miss otherwise. Use the gel in conjunction with the wipes for extra protection. - For Bad Mosquito Infested Areas: Sawyer Products Premium Insect Repellent with 20% Picaridin
When things get really bad, you need head to toe help. Wash with the shower gel, wipe down with the towelettes, then spray a mini cloud and quickly walk through it. This way your head and face will get some protection too. Don’t forget to close your eyes and mouth first, though. It’s also a good idea to spray around loose openings of your clothes to keep mosquitos from crawling in through exposed nooks and crannies.
Keeping the Bugs (and the Bites) Away
These products have saved me on many occasions. Seeing the name Skin So Soft from Avon may not surprise you. After all, people have been raving about Skin So Soft being an effective bug repellent for years. (I used it when I went camping with my mom when I was young.) This is not advertised as a bug repellent but it’s well-known that these products do act as such. I like the fact that they do not irritate my sensitive skin and that the smell is not too strong. It also seems that Skin So Soft products work against deer ticks, no-seeums, gnats, sand flies and biting midges too.
As for the Sawyer Spray Repellant, Frans found it to be highly recommended by a lot of experts so we gave it a try. Turns out that the reviews were not wrong. It is easy to spray on and doesn’t feel sticky if you rub it in a little. The 3-oz product can be brought in your carry-on when flying and it has a double top to prevent leaking. We always seal the bottle in an extra plastic bag just in case. Who need bug spray all over their stuff?!
Now, these three items cannot guarantee 100% protection. But, at least in my experience, they do help to keep the mosquito and other bug bites to a minimum. I do NOT want to spend the summer as a walking welt and will be stocking up on these items before the weather warms up. What about you?
