How much DEET is too much DEET?

[BPT]

I am loading up on different insect repellents. I researched on several forums and have bought a bunch. I'm not messing around this time! Today I found a product at Wal-Mart in the camping section called Maxi Deet and it has 98.11% DEET. Is there such a thing as too much DEET? I'm passed child bearing age so not concerned about that! But seriously, is this really unhealthy?

[RickG]

DEET is friendly right? Just check out the www.deet.com site, with a friendly icon even... sort of like Joe Camel.

I'm allergic to DEET, so call me vindictive!

DEET is N diethyl-m-toluamide. This is a hard core pesticide. DEET has been implicated in Gulf War syndrome and can interact unexpectedly with drugs and alcholol.

Don't put the high test DEET on your skin!

Interesting discussion here at the link below.

http://www.viewsfromthetop.com/forums/s ... hp?t=16951

Bottom line, Malaria and West Nile Virus will kill you faster than DEET. Even the Picaridin based insecticides have drawbacks.

Cheers, RickG

[BPT]

I had a feeling it wasn't good. Already bagged up to return to Wal-Mart. Thanks Rick for the info & links.

[Betty]

St John Spice has many safe insect repellents, try the patch, it works for me!

[kellyanna]

This is a non-scientific observation of 100% Deet.

The other day I sprayed 100% Deet on my body while I was standing in our utility room. I noticed a day or so later that our Scooba (robot floor mop) had little tiny raised dots in an area. It took me forever to figure out that the Deet spray corroded part of the plastic cover!

Have been using the 30% Deet spray since.

[nascarfan59]

An article I read a few years back suggested you keep it at a max of 33%.

[RickG]

Consuming as little as 1 oz. will kill you. The Material Safety Data Sheet says the stuff will melt plastic. This we put on our skin?

One of the other popular products is toxic to cats. It's insecticide.

Cheers, RickG

[nola girl]

It sounds like you are a bug magnet like I am. Living is southern Louisiana - I can't even take the trash out without getting all bit up. My dermatologist said not to us any product with more that 30% Deet in it. I found a great product called Bug & Sun that is made by Coppertone. It has 10% Deet and SPF 30 sunscreen in it and it works wonderfully. When we were on St.John a few weeks ago I used it everyday and never had a problem with bugs. It was really great in the afternoon when the nosseeums would come out - I never got bit up. My husband on the other hand who didn't want to use the Bug & Sun came home with welps all over his upper body from the nosseeum bits!

[Gene]

One of the bartenders at shipwrecks gave me gin to keep the mosquitoes away and not to drink but to put on my skin it worked well .That was last december,this last trip I got some all natural bug spray from Ruth at St.John spice it worked great and smelled nice. Deet free !

[Chickadee]

For what it's worth, I've used Burt's Bees Insect Repellent (DEET free) with great results, but then I'm not really a magnet for bugs either. Hubby is a magnet and thinks it works pretty well, but not as well as DEET.