As the temperatures start rising and we are sitting outside enjoying a summer breeze, we may find it necessary to use a little bug spray to repel those terrible mosquitoes that can really put a damper on a summer evening outside.
Summer is a great time to be outside, but without bug spray it can become very difficult to enjoy the great outdoors without being frustrated by the constant buzzing and biting of mosquitoes. The only problem? There has often been a myth around bug spray that it is not good for your skin. We're here to finally put an end to this myth once and for all.
Bug spray of any kind is not necessarily bad for your skin. According to doctors at the Cleveland Clinic, the amount of chemicals from bug spray that are absorbed into your skin are quite low and therefore are not necessarily bad for you. The one way bug spray could become harmful to you is if you ingested the mosquito repellent, so doctors advise against doing that.
There are often misconceptions about mosquito repellents that use DEET which has long been thought to be dangerous. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) these chemicals are also safe for use by both adults and children. Here again, you will want to avoid ingesting the chemicals so you should apply them with your mouth closed and make sure to wash your hands after applying them to your skin.
The bottom line is that mosquito repellents are not by their nature bad for your skin or your body for that matter. It is important to apply them based on the instructions on the bottle and always do so out of the way of other people so they do not get sprayed unexpectedly.
If you are outside for long periods of time and using mosquito repellent you will want to use a great facial cleanser when you head back inside for the evening. Any foreign substance that lives on your skin for too long is not great for your skin, so you will want to wash it away as soon as it is no longer needed for protection against these little annoying bugs.
Whether you use bug spray or not this summer, you will want to make sure you are sticking to a solid skincare routine and keeping your skin looking youthful and glowing all season long.
