For people traveling to warmer climates bugs can be an issue. This begs the question; To DEET or not to DEET.

Developed by the military during World War II, DEET is by far the most effective bug repellant. It keeps away everything from ticks & fleas to the misquotes & black flies. That being said, DEET has been linked to several unsavory side-effects including seizures, coma, and even death when ingested. As a result there has been a lot of talk about wether the effectiveness of DEET is worth the risk.

DEET, when used as directed, is safe and extremely effective. Stick with products with only 10-30% DEET unless you are going to an densely bug infested area (think rain forest at night). Products with higher percentages of DEET do not offer more protection they just increase the length of time between applications. NOTE: avoid using DEET products on children under 2 years of age and avoid reapplying too often.

Do not fear DEET—just use it responsibly. After all, wouldn’t you rather use DEET than get malaria?