Posted by
AYM
19 yrs ago
Could anyone kindly tell me which mosquito repellent device is good and where I can buy it? I know Watson's would probably sells some different brands but I would like to make sure that I'll be buying one which works well. Thank you for your help.
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"Rid" an Australian brand - Bumps to babes sells it in Hk if you can't get it from Australia.
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If, by "device", you mean things like patches or buzzers, they are not effective enough to rely on. My wife always swears that buzzers and citronella patches work, and then tells me - when I point out her bites - that she must have been bitten after we came back home and she took off the patches. This explanation is unlikely, as we live 40 floors up with sealed windows and I have never seen a mosquito in the apartment!
The only thing that really works is the chemical DEET. (If you're technically minded, that's Diethyltoluamide, N,N - diethyl - 3- methylbenzamide). This chemical doesn't repel mosquitos; it simply stops them biting.
In HK and other low-risk areas, you need sprays with 7%-10% DEET content. This is the concentration found in Rid Kid's and Rid Low Irritant, for example.
If you're venturing to higher risk areas (such as the "golden triangle" on Thailand's northern borders), think about 15-20% DEET. This is found in "Rid Tropical Strength", for example.
You may ask: "Why not always use the stronger one?" and the answer is it feels oilier and uncomfy in heat/humidity. Some people also have an adverse reaction to strong concentrations of DEET, especially on the face.
Personally, I prefer to have sticky skin than to get bitten, so I use Boots "Extra Strength". This is either 30% or 50% DEET, depending whether you buy it in Boots UK or Boots in Asia. It is marked "not suitable for children under 6".
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AYM
19 yrs ago
Thank you for all the replies so far. I should have written more clearly. I'm looking for the electric/plug-in ones, perhaps the kind which says it generates high frequency to scare the mosquitoes away, or something similar which works well.
Dimac4, pardon my ignorance, but is the "Rid" you mentioned is the kind I'm looking for?
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hkkm
19 yrs ago
AYM, what the other responses are trying to tell you is that the electric/plug-in mosquito repellers don't work, at least not well enough to be worthwhile.
"Rid" is the brand name of a mosquito repellent (that you apply to your skin) that contains DEET.
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AYM
19 yrs ago
If there isn't any good electric/plug-in mosquito repellers around, I guess I just have to forget about it. I knew that DEET is the chemical which works but I was hoping to use something which does not require application onto the skin.
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What about flyscreens and mosquito nets? They work pretty well.
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Here's a brief article from The Annals of Internal Medicine.
http://www.pcll.com/Articles/mosquitoes.htm
So you can spray your clothes with DEET instead of your skin.
Or try citronella candles which will reduce bites by some 43%.
Or use Avon's Skin-so-soft (heard that the UK's SAS use it too).
Or, not mentioned in this article, start your day with a couple of slices of toast and Marmite.
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AYM
19 yrs ago
That's a lot of good and new info. Thank you all.
Now may I ask "Could you tell me what doesn't work at all?" Share your experience so that we don't have to waste money on useless stuffs.
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i use a "raid" brand plug in mosquito repellant. it heats up and disperses some kind of liquid mosquito repellant. i have never been bitten while using this. i find it works quite well. you can get it at park n shop, wellcome, etc. and can also find the refills there.
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AYM
19 yrs ago
Thanks michelle a bella, it's good to know something which works.
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hey AYM, i use a Kiwi product Goodbye Sandfly which is 100% natural. I order it via the web and it gets shipped to me. I hate the chemical ones as they make my skin itch (and as for marmite... no thanks!). I take this stuff everywhere - even on planes as the small bottle is within the 100ml size - so I am never without it! There is nothing worse than scratching during business meetings!
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I have seen the plug in UV ones, for indoor use in electrical shops Mui Wo (lantau), for only 170hkd up depending on size, also last year Japan home stores had a supply of the same size machines for 275hkd, they are the same size as the expensive ones in Horison Plaza, I know because I bought an expensive one first, then saw these others which work just as well. Lets face it, the ones in horizon plaza are meant to be for outdoor use, but I would't leave anything out in the rain here anyway, and I also use my cheap one outside too when it is dry.
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In case anyone is still looking for the best solution to keep away mosquitoes, sandflies and midges, you can try Avon's Skin So Soft Dry Oil Body Spray. I bring it in from the UK and sell it in Hong Kong along with many items from their makeup and skincare lines. I am based in Discovery Bay but pick up in Central is possible. Let me know if you are interested to get some more information.
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Forget all other mosquito replellents try Nutrogena Light Oil Moisture Formula, absolutely fantastic at making sure you don't get botten as well as moisturising your skin. Found this out completely by accident and haven't looked back!
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