Does that Off Clip On Mosquito Repellent work?

How does DEET repellent work against mosquitoes? Is it effective if only sprayed on clothing?

• I'm allergic to mosquito bites (I get big swollen welts that last for a week), and I'm going to be living in a humid/mosquito-prone area this summer. In the past DEET repellent spray has been very effective for me against mosquitoes, but I also have eczema (dry, sensitive skin) and I'm not sure whether constant DEET usage will make my eczema flare up, so I'm hoping to avoid putting a ton of it onto my skin. Basically my question is how DEET works to repel mosquitoes? Is it something to do with the smell? Would it be effective if I only spray it on my clothes, or does it have to make contact with my skin in order to work? Also, any general anti-mosquito-bite knowledge would be much appreciated, as would any advice regarding the mosquitoes versus eczema problem. Thanks!

• Answer:

  I have always had the feeling (not sure why), that it was a proximity or contact issue. When the mosquitoes get close enough to it, or when they land on your skin the DEET creates some kind of situation that they find, well... repellent - so they take off again. I have always found that just spraying it on your clothes is not sufficient to keep them off of bare arms or legs. I suggest that you put the following into a search engine: "insect repellent" "non-deet" and see what you get. There are non-deet containing products. I don't know how effective or long lasting they are, but they may be worth a try. If you are of a scientific inclination, you could put a ordinary deet product on one arm or leg, and a non-deet product on the other to test both the effectiveness on the bugs, as well as any effect it might have on the eczema. Good luck. EDIT: There are also pocket sized ultrasonic gizmos that are advertised as being effective, but I have no idea at all if that is true. The other advice is to try to be near to someone who is more attractive to the bugs than you are - lol... funny (sort of), but it really does appear that some people are more prone to being bitten than others.