Jayden Galamgam, MD, pediatric dermatologist at UCLA Health, treats a variety of pediatric skin conditions including atopic dermatitis, acne, rashes, and eczema. He has also recently published on the misuse of the term "hypoallergenic" in ingredients in baby lotions and on the insect repellent ingredient picaridin, which is as safe and effective as DEET. The research appears in the journal Pediatric Dermatology .
Here is Dr. Galamgam's advice for summer skin safety. There are several ways to protect children from insect bites including avoiding areas with lots of insects, wearing protective clothing , and using insect repellent on the skin.
DEET is the most common and effective repellent. However, there are some concerns about its use in young children because of rare reports of brain toxicity. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that DEET-containing repellents with concentrations of 30% or less can be safely used on children if applied properly.
Picaridin is another insect repellent that has been growing in popularity. It works as well as DEET, but it is odorless, non-greasy, and does not damage plastics, leather, spandex, and other synthetic fabrics like DEET can. No serious side effects have been reported with the use of picaridin.
There are other insect repellents available, such as IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, p-Menthane-3,8-diol, catnip oil, citronella, and 2-undecanone. The best insect repellent is whichever one will be used consistently. Insect repellent can h.
