Tick this off your summer checklist
Author credit: Hannah Madara, PittPharmacy PharmD Candidate 2022
If you have spent any time outdoors, it is likely you have encountered ticks at some point. Ticks are small, blood-sucking bugs that can range in size from as small as a pin’s head up to the size of a pencil eraser. Tick bites are often harmless, however, certain ticks can pass lyme disease onto humans and pets when they bite. That’s why tick bite prevention is important..so we can avoid contracting tick-borne diseases!
So, how can we prevent ticks from biting us? Ticks typically live in grassy, bushy, or wooded areas, so activities like camping, gardening, or hunting may increase your exposure to them. If possible, avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass.
You can also try treating clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin, such as Ranger Ready®’s 0.5% permethrin spray. These products can be sprayed on boots, shoes, clothing, and camping gear to remain protective through up to 5 washes or 40 days. Permethrin is an insecticide that is also used in flea collars and cattle ear tags, which works by affecting the nervous system in ticks if they eat or touch it. Eventually, it actually kills the tick, preventing it from biting. Although permethrin is non-toxic to the skin, it is not effective when sprayed on your body because it does not stick to the skin. A test on ticks done in Massachusetts found that 100% protection was provided against the Blacklegged “Deer” tick, which is the primary vector of Lyme disease in the Midwest and Northeast.
Now that we know permethrin can be used on clothing, what can be used on our skin to prevent tick bites? Common tick bite prevention products contain either DEET, picaridin, or essential oils, such as citronella. DEET is a product that has been around for a long time. In fact, it was developed by the US Army in 1946. DEET is a synthetic chemical that provides up to 6 hours of complete protection against ticks. Most DEET-containing products have a concentration ranging from 15–33%. According to the EPA, DEET has no proven adverse effects as long as we follow the instructions on the label of the products. However, some reports of skin irritation and rash have been reported with prolonged exposure to DEET. Additionally, DEET has been known to have a strong odor, has a greasy formula, and contains solvents that may dissolve some plastics or synthetic fabrics.
Picaridin, on the other hand, is a relatively newer product that was developed by Bayer in the 1980s. It is a synthetic compound created from plant extract that was approved for sale in the US in 2005. It is actually the most popular insect repellent in Europe and Australia, with its demand in the US currently growing. Similar to DEET, the EPA has concluded that there are no health concerns or adverse effects if this product is used normally. In contrast to DEET though, picaridin is odorless, non-greasy, and does not dissolve plastics or other synthetics. Picaridin at a 20% concentration has been shown to provide superior protection against ticks in similar concentrations, when compared to DEET. These products also provide up to 12 hours of protection. An example of a picaridin product is Ranger Ready® picaridin 20% insect spray.
Picaridin 20% —
shown to provide superior protection against ticks in similar concentrations, when compared to DEET.
There are also products emerging containing essential oils and citronella. According to the EPA, these products are safe to use. However, their effectiveness is limited to less than 20 minutes, so they are far less effective than products containing DEET or picaridin.
Now that we know about all of the different products that can prevent tick bites, it is also important to know that these are never 100% effective. It is important to check for ticks after being outdoors as well. First, make sure you are checking clothing for ticks. You can also tumble dry clothes in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill any ticks that may be on your clothing. Try to take a shower soon after being outdoors because this may wash off any unattached ticks. Lastly, you can check your body for ticks. It is important to check under the arms, in and around the ears, in the back of your knees, etc, because ticks prefer warm, moist areas of the body.
If you have any questions about tick repellent products, or just about tick bites in general, you can contact us here at Blueberry Pharmacy! We also carry Ranger Ready® products, including 20% picaridin and 0.5% permethrin which are available for you to purchase.
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/tick-bites#tick--borne-disease
https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/avoid/on_people.html
http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/PermGen.html
https://rangerready.com/blogs/in-the-news/picaridin-vs-deet-repelling-ticks
