It is the season of mosquitoes raging again. Every time I go out for a walk, I have a few red and itchy bags on my body. I can't sleep well at night. Some people use various mosquito repellent methods, but they still cannot escape the fate of being bitten...
"Life Times" (Search for "LT0385" in WeChat to follow) Combined with the 4 mosquito repellent ingredients recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to interview experts, I will give you a "mosquito anti-strip" to help you avoid the pain of biting.
Interviewed experts
Assistant researcher in the Department of Biochemistry at Virginia Tech University, Liu Pengcheng
Professor of Dermatology and Venereology at the First Hospital of Peking University Zhu Xuejun
The 4 "tastes" that mosquitoes hate the most
First of all, we need to start with how mosquitoes detect "prey". Mosquitoes have many receptors, the most important of which are carbon dioxide receptors, taste receptors and caloric receptors.
carbon dioxide receptor can feel the concentrated carbon dioxide concentration in the air. The human body usually releases 4%, which can be detected by mosquitoes;
taste receptor is because human secretions contain amino acids, lactic acid, etc., which form amine substances with sweat, which will produce a certain odor. For mosquitoes, it is like a "fresh fragrance" and naturally follows;
caloric receptor is because the human body emits calories, just like transmitting infrared signals, which can be recognized by mosquitoes.
understands the method of mosquitoes "locking the target", we can "interference" its receptors, making it unable to determine the location of a person. For example, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends four mosquito repellent ingredients, which can be said to be the "taste" that mosquitoes hate the most:
DeET (DEET) : Mosquito repellent effect is good, lasts for a long time, and can be applied directly to the skin.
Note: There is a risk of damaging clothes; it is not suitable for infants under 2 months of age; the concentration used in children should not exceed 30%.
Picaridin: is very gentle, has little irritation to the skin and does not damage the clothes.
Note: It is not suitable for infants under 2 months of age; the concentration used in children should not exceed 20%.
repellent ester (IR3535/ Imoin ): is milder and has less irritation to the skin.
Note: There is a risk of damaging clothes; it is not suitable for babies under 2 months of age.
lemon eucalyptu: natural mosquito repellent.
Note: There is a risk of skin allergies; it is not recommended for children under 3 years old.
Mosquitoes favor seven types of people
Many people have this feeling: a group of people sit together, there are mosquitoes in the room, and when they get off at night, they have the most bags on them.
What kind of person are mosquitoes picking to start? Scientists have found that there are several types of people who are most "favored" by mosquitoes:
1. People with fast metabolism, such as pregnant women, children, athletes or young men, etc.;
2. People with fast breathing frequency exhales more carbon dioxide;
3. People who sweat a lot, such as people who have just finished strenuous exercise, and fatter people;
4. People who love to wear heavy makeup, the fragrance emitted by cosmetics will attract mosquitoes;
5. People who love to drink and eat meat excrete more amines, have heavy smells, and exhale more carbon dioxide;
6. People who go out to wear dark clothes in summer are related to the living habits of mosquitoes. Anopheles and Culex mosquitoes like to move at night. When they see black clothes, they will be habitually attracted to them;
7. Those with low bathing frequency have many bacteria and a large smell, which will also attract mosquitoes.
Symptoms other than itch should be alert to
Mosquitoes will release saliva when biting prey. The main component of its saliva is an anticoagulant, which can prevent blood from coagulation and facilitate sucking. Anticoagulants are mainly a protein complex. After being injected into the human body, they will cause an immune response and produce histamine, which will cause blood vessels to expand, redness in the skin, and increase the ventilation of blood vessels, and become itchy in the local area.
However, the red envelope will be obvious after some people are bitten, while others are not obvious and will disappear soon. In fact, this is mainly related to the concentration of anticoagulants and the physical condition of a person.Different types of mosquitoes, the concentration of anticoagulants in saliva is also different; the longer the bite time, the more saliva is released; people with sensitive constitutions also respond more to mosquito bites.
The bag bitten by mosquitoes becomes redder and swollen the more it scratches. This is because scratching causes the infection (mosquito saliva) in the skin to spread, triggering a larger area of inflammatory immune response. If an infection occurs, the consequences will be more serious.
If it is unbearable to bear itch, you can use soapy water, light salt water, flower dew water, , Fengyou essence, etc. to relieve itch. Ice can also effectively relieve itch.
Mosquitoes carry a variety of bacteria and viruses. If symptoms other than redness and itching appear after being bitten, seek medical attention in time. Some symptoms do not appear two days or even two weeks later. For example, lethargy may be caused by Japanese encephalitis, joint pain may be caused by chikungunya fever, and chills may lead to malaria.
always have a "four-piece set" of mosquitoes
Whether indoors or outdoors, they are inevitably harassed by mosquitoes. Different mosquito repellent tools can be prepared according to different environments.
Indoor
Electric mosquito coil
2
Electric mosquito coil tablets and electric mosquito coil liquid can generally last for 6 to 8 hours. The smoke is smaller, the irritating is less, and it is more convenient to use.
When the concentration of ordinary mosquito coil is too high, it will irritate the eyes, nose, throat and other parts.
If there are people in the room, you should place the mosquito coils in a ventilated place so that fresh air can penetrate through the screen window.
If you want to use it at night, light it at least half an hour before going to bed and ventilate for a few minutes before going to bed.
Day out
Mosquito repellent stickers
Mosquito repellent stickers can be used when you go outdoors during the day. The principle is to use essential oils to evaporate mosquitoes. Mosquito repellent patches should not be directly touched by the skin, just stick them on the clothes; they are not suitable for people with allergic constitutions and pregnant women; ordinary people should not use them for too long every day.
Going out at night
Mosquito repellent water
Follow water containing DEET cannot be in direct contact with damaged skin.
The water containing mosquito repellent ester is less toxic, less irritating, and longer mosquito repellent. You may wish to pay attention to the ingredients before purchasing.
When sleeping
mosquito catch lamp
mosquito catch lamp is relatively less harmful to the human body and can be used at night. It is best to choose a mosquito catch lamp with strong light, place it higher than the knees, and do not exceed 180 cm from the ground, which is the range of frequent movement of mosquitoes.
Mosquito prevention tips
Mosquito prevention measures at home:
1. Regularly clean the drainage pipes in the home and remove unnecessary water tanks, basins and other water containers.
2. Close the screen windows and screen doors at will.
3. Take a bath in time after sweating to keep your skin refreshed.
4. Use mosquito nets when sleeping, or use mosquito repellent products.
outdoor mosquito prevention measures:
1. Generally, 8 to 10 am and 4 to 6 pm are the peak periods for Aedes mosquitoes to appear, so as to minimize staying outside during this period.
2. It is recommended to wear light-colored long clothes and trousers to avoid barefoot sandals.
3. Try to avoid staying in dark outdoor areas such as pavilions and green belts, and stay away from places such as water that are prone to mosquitoes. ▲
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2020/noninfectious-health-risks/mosquitoes-ticks-and-other-arthropods
This issue editor: Deng Yu
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