Preventing Mosquito Bites

[FondueUSA]

I am traveling to Thailand in 2 weeks and I have become a bit worried about the recent outbreak of Dengue fever and other tropical diseases. I read that the best way to prevent bites is to wear long pants and long sleeves with the addition of DEET. I am afraid I will be too hot in the summer heat with long pants and long sleeves. Do I need to wear both bug spray and long clothing to properly protect against mosquito bites? Or is it ok to just to use spray? How big of a threat are mosquitos? I want to to go to Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Whitewater rafting, and maybe and island if I have time. I don't know if the danger is heightened by any particular location. Any advice would be great, thanks

[sarahsbloke]

long sleeves and long trousers but only from dusk onwards.

During full daylight it's not generally a problem.

Line of Deet based repellent around ankles, waist, wrists and neck if you must.

I'm in Chiang Mai getting about 2 bites a day, don't bother with repellent, systral creme gets rid of the itch in minutes.

Been her 2 years and caught no nasty mozzy diseases yet.

[inthepink]

I thought dengue fever was carried by the Aedes mosquito which is generally only active during the day (particularly at dusk and dawn), so after dusk there shouldn't be much risk?

[Louie77]

I thought dengue fever was carried by the Aedes mosquito which is generally only active during the day (particularly at dusk and dawn), so after dusk there shouldn't be much risk?

Correct!

Edited July 27, 2010 by Louie77

[sharking]

British NBC Suit only way to stop them, nasty things

[Gladiator]

Just a a subjective observation for what its worth.

The mosquitoes seem more prevelant in the hours of the morning 0600 - 0800 and early evening 1700 -1900.

If you live or stay in a house/resort with a garden - you will encounter far more mosquitoes.

I have lived on the 11th floor of a condo and encounterd no problem. I currently live in a compound with a hude garden and many mosquitoes - more at the hours detailed above.

Although we take many precautions - including body sprays; CO2 capture machines; coils; electric tennis bats, mosquito sprays and various electric gizmos, we try to avoid going out during those hours

[FondueUSA]

Does any ones experience does wearing long clothing and wearing bug spray? Does it work well against preventing mosquito bites?

In the rainy season, is the mosquito problem really much worse? Should I considering canceling my trip because of the possibility of Dengue fever?

Thanks

[jubby]

Does any ones experience does wearing long clothing and wearing bug spray? Does it work well against preventing mosquito bites?

In the rainy season, is the mosquito problem really much worse? Should I considering canceling my trip because of the possibility of Dengue fever?

Thanks

NO !

[zzaa09]

This has always been a troubling problem for those that really haven't been acclimated to mozzies at the tropical and sub-tropical climes. Outside to just becoming accustomed or somewhat immune {as the locals might be}, there are better measures to prevent attraction than the chemical laddened sprays, gels, creams, coils, etc. There are quite a number of old ways towards bite prevention - palm oil repels most biting insects. Tamarind paste made into a liquid form does well. Change your diet....as such food ingestion will create natural repellent regarding a number of nasty critters.

[sharking]

Does any ones experience does wearing long clothing and wearing bug spray? Does it work well against preventing mosquito bites?

In the rainy season, is the mosquito problem really much worse? Should I considering canceling my trip because of the possibility of Dengue fever?

Thanks

NO definitely not,its not that bad,i took me about 3 months before the little buggers stop eating me

my daughter came over from the UK and brought AVON hand cream and i did saw it in the news paper that the SAS uses it???

worked for her,all i used was plenty of tiger balm

but pull your socks up they lov the ankles

good luck and enjoy it here

sharking

[soundman]

Best mosquito repellant, by far, in Thailand is called "15 minute wipe" or something like that. It comes in sachel form with a couple of tissues inside. Take one of the tissues, wipe the exposed area, bingo! no mossies, or any other bugs for at least 8 hours.

Buy it at 7/11, and all the big supermarket outlets.

...............................

Apparently works well with crab removal as well, you can see the little blighters detaching and jumping for freedom.

[cardholder]

I starting taking a daily B6 vitamin supplement and it certainly made a huge difference to the number of bites I get.

[neverdie]

Best mosquito repellant, by far, in Thailand is called "15 minute wipe" or something like that. It comes in sachel form with a couple of tissues inside. Take one of the tissues, wipe the exposed area, bingo! no mossies, or any other bugs for at least 8 hours.

Buy it at 7/11, and all the big supermarket outlets.

...............................

Apparently works well with crab removal as well, you can see the little blighters detaching and jumping for freedom.

I bet you were glad to get rid of your dose of crabs soundman....

Also, if you find you are caught out somewhere without repellant, just splash on some talcum powder, they hate that.

[inthepink]

Does any ones experience does wearing long clothing and wearing bug spray? Does it work well against preventing mosquito bites?

In the rainy season, is the mosquito problem really much worse? Should I considering canceling my trip because of the possibility of Dengue fever?

Thanks

NO definitely not,its not that bad,i took me about 3 months before the little buggers stop eating me

my daughter came over from the UK and brought AVON hand cream and i did saw it in the news paper that the SAS uses it???

worked for her,all i used was plenty of tiger balm

but pull your socks up they lov the ankles

good luck and enjoy it here

sharking

I don't think they stop attacking you, your body just gets used to it so there is no discomfort or red lumps on your skin. Either that or I haven't been pierced by a single mosquito in the last 3 or 4 years, which I doubt!

EDIT: Ooh, just realised I am totally lying. I do still get a reaction when they go for the ankles.

Edited July 27, 2010 by inthepink

[somtampet]

Been here for 7 years and still get bit but i think i am immune now as i only get a little bit of itching.May have been when i went Toronto,Canada a few years back and got done on the first night,and had over 60 bites on my body and legs.The next day i had flu like symptons and felt terrible,but 2 days in bed and i was ok,so thats why i think i have some sort of immunity.might be wrong though so thaivisa guys dont attack me for this.

[wolf5370]

I only get itch lumps now with the day day biting ones. I have become almost as good as a Thai at grabbing them out of the air or clapping them.

A few tips I have discovered/been told over the years:

Mouth wash (Green Listerine is best) at 50% solution with water - spray it on the floor and chairs if you are sitting outside - keeps them away until it dries (so wet the ground well).

Those plug in things with the deet pads don't work at all here it seems (tried several different kinds).

Garlic only keep people away - not mozzies (though that may be a boon in itself)

Mozzies like sweet food smells and alcohol, so avoid if you an (not likely though) - salty, pickled or sour food is best as it doesn't attract them (possible reason why Thais and other Asians seem to get biten less).

Onr trick is to turn on a strong light at night and sit well away from it - people are now using mozzie attractants to attract them somewhere nearby instead (and kill them/trap them) - but I haven't seen this in Thailand (other than the UV lights which catch more moths than anything else).

Citrus smell works well as does (as someone said) Avon Hand Cream for some reason.

Sit in front of a good fan - mozzies can't fly against the wind (not strong enough) - flies can though unfortunately.

Open the windows, but keep the screens shut.

Air con kills most mozzies, but is not fool proof - so if you are staying at a hotel, turn it on full an hour before bed to cool the room down and wipe the little buggers out, reset after if you want. Personally I sleep with a fan on me all night and no aircon, cool enough and no night time mozzie bites.

wear socks at night (before bed I mean - while out).

Keep moving rather than stand still if you are late night market shopping.

Beware of tables and seats with a cavity under them - mozzies hide in the shadows and feast on your anles when you sit down (put your feetup - crossed legged but not pointing at anyone/Buddha images etc - when sitting on the bed or a Thai bench/bed seat).

However, don't cancel your trip over it, its not that bad here - you will not be swarmed like sandflies in Tunissia (or blackfly in Scotland for that). Never had dengue or malaria here, get biten in waves, sometimes not for months and sometimes a lot (5 bites in a week is a lot!)

[Thakkar]

This has always been a troubling problem for those that really haven't been acclimated to mozzies at the tropical and sub-tropical climes. Outside to just becoming accustomed or somewhat immune {as the locals might be}, there are better measures to prevent attraction than the chemical laddened sprays, gels, creams, coils, etc. There are quite a number of old ways towards bite prevention - palm oil repels most biting insects. Tamarind paste made into a liquid form does well. Change your diet....as such food ingestion will create natural repellent regarding a number of nasty critters.

Interesting. Thanks for the tips.

I find that drinking tonic water (or bitter lemon) helps repel mosquitos from biting me. I suppose it's the quinine content. I like to add some gin, strictly for non-medicinal purposes.

As for diet, I think that lemon grass is supposed to have mozzie repelling power. What else?

[inthepink]

I find getting absolutely hammered works as well. I think the high level of alcohol in your bloodstream puts them off somewhat. This doesn't work if you get so drunk that you fall asleep outside with exposed ankles though (so my "friend" told me).

[mickey1973]

Mosquito's are supposedly cleaver creatures and will only bite you where you can't see them, i.e - on the ankles, neck, backs of arms etc. Try to avoid sitting with your legs under tables where you can't see them. Another tip is to sit/sleep, if possible with a fan on you as they don't like the wind from the fan, vitamin b12 is also a winner, so marmite/vegimaite on toast helps. I have been to tropical places for 10 years now and been bitten loads and not once been i'll as a consequence of this, although i have never been jungle treking which i hear could increase the risk of malaria. Everybody gets bitten at some time in the tropics by mosquito's, the lumps and itching that you get after is just your body and how it's reacting to the saliva, some people react worse than others. If you get bitten a lot and have lots of lumps, get some anti histamine to counteract the swelling, you can buy this from all the local pharmaces. Not worth cancelling your trip for though.

[greytown]

Citrus smell works well as does (as someone said) Avon Hand Cream for some reason.

Which Avon hand cream exactly? There appears to be a whole bunch of different hand creams they make.

[nisakiman]

I kind of accept it as an occupational hazard when in mozzie country. I'll sometimes use a repellant if they're bad.

Got malaria back in the late 60s in India, which was a pain, but I think you have to be unlucky to get it. I get bitten, but I find a bit of Tiger Balm soon relieves the itching (something my wife taught me).

Mozzies certainly wouldn't stop me travelling somewhere I wanted to go. So to the OP, just do it, and take it as it comes. The repellants are very good, even if a bit clarty and stinky.

[wolf5370]

Citrus smell works well as does (as someone said) Avon Hand Cream for some reason.

Which Avon hand cream exactly? There appears to be a whole bunch of different hand creams they make.

Avon Skin-So-Soft

[FondueUSA]

Thanks for all the words of advice everyone.

One more question. Is there any particular area where the Dengue fever outbreak is occurring right now, or is it all over the country?

[ding]

Use anti-prespirant to stop itching and reduce swelling. Not deodorant only, that doesn't work. Just don't scratch it and hit it quick with anti-prespirant.

Check the USA's CDC site for specific warnings;

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/thailand.aspx

Don't worry too much, just have dinner in the eves and lounge inside early mornings. Lots do do indoors ya know!

Edited July 27, 2010 by ding

[neverdie]

Thanks for all the words of advice everyone.

One more question. Is there any particular area where the Dengue fever outbreak is occurring right now, or is it all over the country?

The reality of it is FondueUSA, Dengue fever is probably one of the last things you should worry about whilst in LOS. Theres a whole heap of other <deleted> thats more likely to happen to you, especially considering you are going to be half smart about covering up etc etc.

RELAX about the Dengue & take great care about every other thing you do in LOS, including crossing the sidewalk, catching tuk tuks and taxis & even navigating your way through the airport, just to name a few.....

[longballlarry]

I usually travel around in a space suit, covered in marmite, on a turbo powered space hopper. Never been bitten. Hope this helps.

[Thakkar]

Forget the mozzies. It's the occasional leach that might latch on to you that you have to beware of.

Sensible precautions as mentioned by others here will protect you from the former. An absence of self delusion from the latter.

[bangkockney]

Drink lots of gin and tonic!

[greytown]

Citrus smell works well as does (as someone said) Avon Hand Cream for some reason.

Which Avon hand cream exactly? There appears to be a whole bunch of different hand creams they make.

Avon Skin-So-Soft

Thanks for the info.

[bifftastic]

I usually travel around in a space suit, covered in marmite, on a turbo powered space hopper. Never been bitten. Hope this helps.

the space suit and the marmite, i get, but why the turbo powered space hopper?

I've just got the normal space hopper, works just fine