Bug Off! How to Keep Mosquitoes from Ruining Your Summer

The summer sun brings its own dangers, and several manufacturers have attempted to combine sunscreen and mosquito repellents into one, easy to use product. It seems like a logical choice--why coat yourself with two products when you can have one convenient package? The problem is that these two products work differently. Sunscreens are water-soluble--they wear off as we sweat, they wash off in the pool water. DEET does not wear off as easily. You almost can't apply enough sunscreen, but you can certainly have problems if you apply too much bug repellent. In combined products, when you are reapplying the sunscreen, you will be applying far more DEET than is necessary. The EPA has issued cautionary statements about combination products for that reason. See our article on sun safety as well.