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Insect Repellent Recommendations.

Rob998 said:
Avon Skin So Soft spray, repels nasties while aiding your beauty regime, thus attracting not nasties (wanted to write nicies, but it looked too much like nieces....)

Not taking the piss, it's really good.
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Agreed - it works well enough on the Scottish midges, though maybe the Mexicans are tougher ?!
 
zippy said:
Agreed - it works well enough on the Scottish midges, though maybe the Mexicans are tougher ?!
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The natural insect repellents are things like citronella, limonene, linalool, naringin and geraniol. They exist in nature to stop insects devouring the plants, which is why oranges ahve a thick skin with oily smelly substances in it. Hand creams and the like often have substances like geraniol, limonene, citronella because they smell nice to us, they are natural and they are inexpensive. If they also keep insects away, so much the better. This is what's happening with the Avon stuff. It may work on some or all insects, it may not. It works well (or did) against scottish midges. I don't know which of the fragrance oils is in the Avon cream, and whether it has changed over the years.
 
Will the mexican midges mind donalds big wall? American midges only , around here its next doors yorkshire terrier that does the biting.
 
zippy said:
Agreed - it works well enough on the Scottish midges, though maybe the Mexicans are tougher ?!
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A-SSS - Don't do a thing for No-see-ums (Canukistani midges) 'cept maybe as salad-dressing for the little bastards to enjoy whilst dining upon your flesh.

If it all worried when you are out in the bush, like I said above, do the military thing.

Permethrin treated clothing.
Deet on exposed skin.

Nice thing about Permethrin treatment, it does not wash out easily as it binds to the fabric, and will last and remain effective through a dozen or so washes. The treated clothing is available commercially, but it is usually more cost effective to put together a clothing set of shorts, t-shirt, ls shirt, sox, hat, bandanna and long pants and shoes and treat them yourself. Don't forget things like backpacks or guide bags you may be carrying. Do not use on your skin, it is for clothes and gear only. It will irritate your skin, and also not bind properly and provide little if any protection.

Permethrin can be purchased through animal husbandry shops in 10% strength. Commercial clothes treatments are sold for more money at 0.5% strength. Buy the 10% and mix it down to 0.5-0.75%
Take freshly laundered dry clothes and spray them until they are thoroughly saturated, or preferably put them in a pail of solution and saturate, wring just enough to prevent dripping, then hang to dry. Treatment and drying should be down outside.

Keep any remaining solution bottled, labeled and secure. This is NASTY stuff in unbound liquid form and will seriously mess up water waterways. As well it is neurotoxic to insects and will kill bees so don't spray around the garden. If memory serves it is also toxic to cats. So, in other words, do not pour leftovers down the drain, but dispose of at the hazardous chemical depot.

When dry on clothes it provides no issues if you need to cross streams or other waterways.

With regard to DEET - Minimize exposure time if possible, so wash off when back indoors.
I have spent 2 weeks at a time covered almost head to toe in 100% Deet whilst on canoe camping trips many many times over the years. It is can be nasty stuff with regards to some (not all) plastics, but is very effective at what it says on the tin. Just have to wash your hands directly after application.

Also, if using a liquid, non 100% Deet, look for one that is water based such as Ben's. Much nicer on the skin etc than the oil based.

Thermacel do work pretty good in a calm setting for a small area. Being they use a butane cartridge to heat a vapour pad, they are susceptible to windy conditions, but are an effective secondary method to reduce local populations, such as on the patio or under the kitchen / dining tarp out in the bush. They are not a substitute for proper clothing and sprays and lotions. ...and in an enclosed location - Nope - inhaling poison is not good, well ventilated conditions only.

Have spent many weeks combined in Canada, CostaRica, Mexico and Cuba without issue and very very few overall bites. ( I also have bug-nets for when it gets bad in Canukistan, but have never had it bad enough for use out of country.)

YMMV

Good Luck and enjoy.
 
Another vote for plenty of strong DEET, I think ours came from Boots or similar and was c50%.

We finished our Mexican stay with a week on Holbox and the air was thick with mozzies on the south side, before you felt them you could see everyone slapping themselves randomly.

DEET worked and I've had more bites unprotected in Essex this week than I did in three weeks protected in Mexico.

We usually burn permethrin coils in the room when out in the evening and shut doors if we have any.
 
Should point out that I'm going all inclusive to Cancun to what seems to be a pretty good hotel. I may go on the odd coach excursion, but will be alone (except for the other excursees) because my travel companions have seen it all before. I have no intention of trekking into mountains or jungle, or getting into arm wrestling and Tequila drinking contests in the seedier parts of downtown Cancun.
 
Brought Skin so Soft with me to Borneo July past.....I dutifully doused myself and my matey with it on day one before we strode off into deepest darkest. We were devoured in no time! Deet does the job. I use ultrathon.
 
Mullardman said:
Should point out that I'm going all inclusive to Cancun to what seems to be a pretty good hotel. I may go on the odd coach excursion, but will be alone (except for the other excursees) because my travel companions have seen it all before. I have no intention of trekking into mountains or jungle, or getting into arm wrestling and Tequila drinking contests in the seedier parts of downtown Cancun.
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We have stayed a couple of times in an all inclusive beach resort not far south of Cancun. We were on the beach side of the resort and there were mosquitoes. All around the resort is jungle, so some suites/rooms face a wall of vegetation. I would assume there are more insects in that area. My guess is the little buggers will find you if you are tasty.
 
Lifesystems expedition plus, “exped100 plus”.
It’s a high % deet spray & seems to do the trick well, along with the usual common advice about covering up with long sleeves, especially after sunset etc.
 
I would propose you take meds with you, rather than relying on getting them locally, unless you are confident enough with your Spanish to argue the case not to get ripped off, or find a pharmacy that is less likely to sell you counterfeit meds.
Not much to add to the above regarding repellent, I use DEET (water based when I can find it) and citronella. I also have a couple of permethrin infused bandanas that I put on the pillow and near my feet when I sleep. It can also help, but is not failsafe, to stay in any breeze or drafts you can find, or near a fan (sleep with the overhead fan on if there is one) as it is my experience that mosquitos are not good at flying through turbulence.

Enjoy the trip!
 
Mick P said:
Mull

A golden rule of travelling is to leave British meds at home and go into a local chemist and buy what they use. What works in the UK is generally useless in hotter countries.
This also applies to meds for stomach issues and going down with the runs (Mexico is a gut rot certainty second only to Egypt), buy the local stuff as it works better and more importantly, quicker.



Mick
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Never heard that. It's always advisable to take a small medicine chest if your going somewhere a bit underdeveloped. I always take some ciprofloxacin, tincture of iodine, co-codamol and dry iodine spray if I'm going anywhere remote. You never know.

Re the OP: Mull, I also use 100% Deet. It's horrible stuff, but nothing works as well - even then, it's not perfect. Personally, I'd pack some mosquito netting for windows and doors if I was really worried - it's cheap and doesn't take up much space and is a godsend if you need it. I have a mossie hood for midge season visits to Scotland and Wales and its bloody brilliant.
 
I will be taking my repeat prescription meds.( And a copy of my prescription) Also the 'usual' such as paracetamol, a bit of valium ( prescribed for other reasons, but handy for relieving travel sickness/vertigo if it occurs, which it can do due the ear problems precipitated by flying.) Some Gaviscon.

I will probably end up with a selection of repellents.

I do not burn easily and love the Sun, so will no doubt spend a good bit of time sunning myself by the pool. I don't mid layering sunscreen and DEET in those circumstances. Evenings I'll cover up if I must, but I sleep naked here year round, so I won't be wearing impregnated PJs. over there.
 
Tigerjones said:
Is this what happens when you get old? Start planning the insect repellent for a holiday 3/4 of a year in advance? :/>
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It's 2/3rds.. but yes. We elderly people need to look after ourselves and plan carefully. We have huge Wisdom.. but it only emerges slowly.. rather like, but not as extreme as ..Ents. So we must be considered and circumspect in our dealings.

I consider myself fortunate that at the hugely advanced age of 69.5 years, I can still remember my own name and control both my bowels and bladder.

These are the good times. I advise you to look forward to them.. Many do not get the chance to look back on them. ;)

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Old Mull
 
Mullardman said:
I will be taking my repeat prescription meds.( And a copy of my prescription) Also the 'usual' such as paracetamol, a bit of valium ( prescribed for other reasons, but handy for relieving travel sickness/vertigo if it occurs, which it can do due the ear problems precipitated by flying.) Some Gaviscon.

I will probably end up with a selection of repellents.

I do not burn easily and love the Sun, so will no doubt spend a good bit of time sunning myself by the pool. I don't mid layering sunscreen and DEET in those circumstances. Evenings I'll cover up if I must, but I sleep naked here year round, so I won't be wearing impregnated PJs. over there.
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double check that your prescription meds are legal in Mexico. Get a letter from your GP and get it translated into Spanish.

I have no idea about the law and prescription meds in Mexico, but I do know some countries that'll confiscate them without a letter from your doctor, if they are illegal or not approved in the country of arrival. And yes that is even with a valid repeat scrip. I suspect that Mexico will be ok, but it is worth checking.
 
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