Best and worst anti-mosquito products in test by french consumer group

THE BEST PRODUCT SCORED 16.8 OUT OF 20. THE TEST COMES AMID RECORD CASES OF DENGUE FEVER The best and worst anti-mosquito products on the market in France today have been ranked in a new

consumer survey, as fears grow over tiger mosquitoes and dengue fever this summer. The magazine 60 Millions de Consommateurs tested the effectiveness of 15 anti-mosquito products, including

creams, lotions and sprays. The results varied considerably. All 15 products tested were:  * From the brands Cinq sur cinq, Insect Ecran, Autan, Puressentiel, NeoBulle, or Moustifluid.  *

Mainly in spray form * Based on IR3535 (ethyl N-acetyl-N-butyl-ß-alaninate) or DEET (N1, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), or were natural-based RESULTS The products were tested and given a score out

of 20. The best scorers were: * Cinq sur cinq spray famille 100 ml: 16.8 out of 20.  * Moustifluid spray haute protection pour zone à risque: 16.4 out of 20. * Mousti KO: 15.5 out of 20. 

Products from two brands scored less than 10 out of 20: MoustiCare and NeoBulle.  The magazine also said that the best protection against mosquito bites is still to wear long sleeves and

trousers, to use fans, or hang mosquito nets (especially over your bed at night). Read also: Tiger mosquitoes: How you can help stop their spread in France  Read also: Tiger mosquitoes in

France: where, what risk and what to do  SMELL AND PROTECTION DURATION Products with IR3535 tend not to have a smell, while DEET-based products and natural repellents can smell strongly. The

duration of protection was found to vary considerably. The magazine states that: * All IR3535-based products tested protected for more than eight hours  * Of two products containing 20%

concentrated IR3535, the first protected for just over 11 hours, and the second lasted for 8.5 hours Some products vary in protection duration depending on application and the geographical

area. For example, one product said it would protect for 16 hours, but the small print stated that this required two applications.  Similarly, another said that it protected for eight hours

in “at-risk areas”, but this was reduced to seven hours in “tropical zones”.  The protection duration for products based on natural repellents were much more variable, it found. PREGNANT

WOMEN AND CHILDREN SHOULD AVOID STRONGER PRODUCTS The magazine recommends that pregnant women and children should avoid stronger products made with IR3535 or DEET.  The products do not

present a severe risk, it said, but it suggests the measure as a precaution. PLASTIC RISK The magazine reminds consumers that DEET has the unfortunate ability to dissolve plastic.  This

means that contact lenses, plastic watch faces, small gadgets, glasses rims and arms, and synthetic clothes are all at risk of damage if they come into contact with the product. People are

strongly advised to wash hands after spraying DEET products, never to spray and then touch your eyes, and to apply as carefully as possible to avoid damage to personal items. TIGER MOSQUITO

SPREAD Tiger mosquitoes - which can carry diseases including dengue fever - are now in all regions of France, and there were 601 cases of dengue reported in mainland France from May 1 to

June 18, 2024, alone.  Read also: Dengue fever cases continue to rise in France Read also: Tiger mosquitoes: dengue fever cases identified in south-west France  Tiger mosquitoes are smaller

than ‘regular’ mosquitoes, and do not make the same ‘buzzing’ noise.  They are also more active in the mornings and early evenings, whereas other mosquitoes tend to bite the most at night.

Yet, they are just as susceptible to effective anti-mosquito methods. SPRAY RISK The Haut Conseil à la Santé Publique recommends that people - especially children - use lotions or creams as

opposed to sprays, as sprays present an inhalation risk and can be more difficult to apply, it states. What anti-mosquito products or methods work best for you in France? Let us know at

[email protected].